Nazz

Nazz was an early psychedelic garage rock band from the 1960s. The band was formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1967 by Todd Rundgren (lead guitar) and Carson Van Osten (bass guitar). Thom Mooney (drums, formerly of the Munchkins) and Robert "Stewkey" Antoni (vocals, keyboard) joined before their first concert, opening for The Doors in 1967. Marketed by their manager, Michael Friedman, as a teenybopper boy band, the Nazz signed with SGC Records, releasing Nazzin 1968. The album was not commercially successful and neither was the first single, "Hello It's Me". After a brief trip to England cut short due to visa problems, the Nazz recorded their second album, originally entitled Fungo Bat. (A fungo bat is a baseball bat used only for practice; it is not intended to hit pitched balls.) The album was originally a double album but was shortened to a single LP before being released as Nazz Nazz.At this point Jim Messinahad joined the team. Much of what was cut was Todd Rundgren's material, and he departed the group, along with Van Osten, and Jim Messina soon after. With Stewkey in charge, Todd Rundgren's vocals in the old tapes were replaced by his own; the band released the unsuccessful Nazz III in 1970. Mooney soon left, eventually playing with a variety of groups including the Curtis Brothers, Tattoo, Fuse and Paris. Stewkey played with Fuse alongside Mooney for a brief period, but then left. Todd Rundgren went on to have a successful solo career. Ironically, his biggest solo hit was an up-tempo version of The Nazz' first unsuccessful single, "Hello It's Me".