Customer Reviews

Nazz 2 & 3 the Fungo Bat Sessions

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Here in Philadelphia (home of the tuna fish hoagie), Todd Rundgren is considered to be a hometown hero. And...I don't think it would be unfair to classify Mr. Rundgren as an 'East Coast' Brian Wilson in regard to Runt's writing/arrangement/production talents. NAZZ was huge in Philly!
This new double CD contains NAZZ's second album, their third album, and many unreleased out-takes, demos, alternate versions and mono mixes! There is also a nice fold-out poster with great photos of the band, record sleeves and thorough liner notes by David Wells.
Now for the apology... I've always thought of NAZZ as Todd Rundgren's back-up band. After listening to these tracks it becomes so apparent that Todd's vocal's sound like a second-rate impression of lead singer Stewkey. STEWKEY IS THE REAL SOUND OF THE NAZZ!
Drummer Thom Mooney is absolutely incredible! He's was no head banging, hard rock idiot. Mr. Mooney was so adroit at nuances and leading, as well as following the music. In comparison to today's rock drummer with their monster kits; Mooney makes his small kit produce every kind of percussion sound imaginable.
Now in my opinion, most people can only detect a horrendous bass player. When a good or great bass player is doing his job, we are more focused on the guitarist, the lead singer or the drummer. Carson Van Osten was such a fine bassist that he was the foundation of the NAZZ. Van Osten and Thom Mooney may be the most under-rated rhythm section in all of rockdom. Stewkey, YOU should be in the Rock & Roll hall of fame!
If you want to hear great music pick this package up! I guarantee that you'll be knocked-out by NAZZ.

In late 1968 and early 1969, Nazz recorded their second album which was orginally meant to be a two lp set with the working title Fungo Bat. However, there was a difference of opinion between band members. Todd wanted a two record set while the others though that there wasn't enough good songs to warrant a two lp set and "if people weren't buying a single album of ours, why would they buy a double lp of ours". The record label, SGC, agreed with the rest of the band and the record was edited down to a single release with all songs written by Todd.

Nazz Nazz released April 1969 starts off with a great song Forget All About It and is followed by Not Wrong Long which is just as good, if not even better. Rain Rider is a song that makes you glad to have a fast forward button. Gonna Cry Today is a nice ballad and Stewkey does a really nice job on the vocals. Meridian Leeward is a fun song in a silly sort of way while Under The Ice rocks HARD! The second half of the album opens with a fun song called Hang On Paul and while nothing that follows stands out above the rest, there are also no weak songs in the mix.

By late 1970, Todd had left Nazz and was working on his second solo album as well as having produced records for other artists like Badfinger. It was at this time that someone at SGC Records remember that there was unreleased Nazz songs in the vault. SGC contacted Thom Mooney, who, at that time, had the master tapes, about the possibility of a Nazz record. Thom really didn't want to do it who was thinking that there wasn't enough stuff to make a record out of anyway. However, he finally agreed to listen to the tapes and flew to L. A. with the tapes. He came to the conclusion that there wasn't enough for a record but the engineer had made copies without his knowledge. Quite a few of the songs still had Todd singing lead vocals so SGC then contacted Stewkey (who was then touring with ex Fuse and future Cheap Trick Rick Nielsen and Tom Peterson) and had him sing the vocals while removing Todd's vocals from five of the songs.

Nazz 3 was released in July 1971 on SGC Records around the time that Todd's second solo album was released Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren much to his horror. Dispite all of this, the third Nazz album is quite strong starting off with the classics Some People and Only One Winner. Next up is a cover of the song Kicks which was a hit for Paul Revere and the Raiders back in March of 1966 although I like the Nazz version better. The album is rounded out with great songs like Resolution, Magic Me, Loosen Up, Take The Hand, How Can You Call That Beautiful, Christopher Columbus and You Are My Window (which sounds like a early solo Todd song). I can see why Todd was so upset about Nazz Nazz being edited the way it was as some of the songs on here are actually better. Both cd's on this two cd set are filled to the brim with bonus songs including Todd's original vocal tracks on the five Nazz 3 songs. All in all, a great release with only a couple of "throw aways".

This CD has some decent songs, but it doesn't deserve the 5 stars the other reviewers gave it. It's definitely not as good as Nazz' first album. (Todd didn't think so either.)