Nazz [Extra tracks, Original recording remastered]

Nazz | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 25, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 1968
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Original recording remastered
• Label: Sanctuary Records
• ASIN: B000G7PNBI
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #17,985 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #89 in Music > Rock > Oldies & Retro > Garage Bands

Editorial Reviews

Remastered and expanded edition of the classic '60s debut by The Nazz featuring Todd Rundgren! Features 11 bonus tracks including session outtakes, demos, mono single mixes and more. 22 tracks. Castle. 2006. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Nazz of Philadelphia, May 7, 2007

By 

E.I.E.I. Owen (Philadelphia, Pa United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Nazz (Audio CD)

I have seen people put this album down but I have to say that this is great album. Not only that this is Todd Rundgren's first group it also shows how much talent he had at 18. Yes, they are wearing their influences on their collective sleeves but for a debut it's not a surprise. This album has everthing in it. The slick pop of "Open My Eyes" to the ballad "Hello It's Me" (which by the way is playing on WDAS regularly in a new soul version) and the Association like "Crowded" to rockers like "Wildwood Blues" & "She's Going Down" it's almost a crime that Nazz weren't more popular than they were. This new re-issue is an improvement in sound than the Rhino re-issues from the last century and the bonus cuts are a nice addition especially the humorous radio spots done by the band. So if you're looking to upgrade from your worn out vinyl pick this up

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not a terrible album at all!, October 30, 2006

By 

T. LeBaron "Todd LeBaron" (NH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nazz (Audio CD)

This album was criminally overlooked in the late 60s. The Nazz was much greater than the sum of its parts, and shows Todd Rundgren's prowess even back then when he was just really getting started. The Philly-area band also featured the great Robert "Stewkey" Antoni on vocals, Carson Van Osten on bass and the rambunctious drumming of Thom Mooney. Sure, it had its "garage band" moments, but that was its charm and its fire.
"Open My Eyes" grabs you from the start with its "I Can't Explain" intro and takes off from there. To be fair to Todd Rundgren, I'll take the solo version of "Hello, It's Me" from four years later over this one, but even this version showcases their ability to construct gorgeous harmonies. Some other high points: "Wildwood Blues", "Back of Your Mind" with their intense guitars, the alternate versions of "The Lemming Song" (one of them from Todd's prior band Woody's Truck Stop) and a live rendition of "The Nazz are Blue", the Yardbirds classic...fascinating stuff for Rundgren fans everywhere. These guys knew exactlly what they were doing, and it showed. Perfect? No. But did it suck? Not at all, when you realize what it led to. A lot of bands would kill to have as good a first album as this. If you're just getting familiar with Todd, you need to check out where he started (until somsone comes out with a decent compilation of Woody's Truck Stop's material). If you already have the Nazz albumss, this is an awesome upgrade. I discovered some tracks here I didn't even know existed, and I've been a major Nazz fan since they were around!

5.0 out of 5 stars razzamaNAZZ, December 8, 2010

By 

Dark Star-The Other One (The Bus To Never Ever Land) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Nazz (Audio CD)

Nazz was a Philadelphia based band made up of Todd Rundgren, Robert "Stewkey" Antoni, Carson Van Osten and Thom Mooney with their first album released in April 1968 on SGC Records. It was produced by Bill Traut with Open My Eyes and Hello It's Me produced by the band. The record opens with Open My Eyes, a song clearly inspired by The Who and The Small Faces but still having enough of it's own personality to make it worthy in it's own right. Back Of Your Mind is a hard rocker while See What You Can Be sounds more Peter Asher than The Who. Next up, the original version of Hello It's Me which Todd would rework in a couple of years for Something / Anything. This version is much more somber than the latter, more well known version but still works well. The first half of the album ends with the British blues inspired Wildwood Blues and is the first song on the record not to be entirely written by Todd.

The second half starts off with the ballad If That's The Way You Feel and picks back up with When I Get My Plane. Lemming Song dates back to Todd's pre Nazz band Woody's Truck Stop and the song reminds me of an early Jefferson Airplane song with the song itself being quite nice. Crowded is a great tune and is written by Stewkey and Thom Mooney. The original album ends with Todd's upbeat She's Goin' Down. This cd version is packed with bonus songs of demos, single mixes, and even a live version of The Yardbirds The Nazz Are Blue which is the song that inspired the group's name. As far as the album itself, it's very good with only a couple of songs being what I would call "throw aways" although the album does have a bit of a dated feel.