The Nazz never quite figured out what they wanted to be. That is what makes them worth hearing. On one side: Todd Rundgren's pop instincts, already writing melodies that would later become hits. On the other: a rhythm section that wanted to hit hard, and a singer who could scream like he meant it. The two impulses never fully merged. But when they collided, the results were electric.
📋 At a Glance
- Style: Psychedelic rock / garage pop
- Years active: 1967–1970
- Origin: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Core lineup: Todd Rundgren, Carson Van Osten, Thom Mooney, Robert "Stewkey" Antoni
- Key era: 1968–1969
- Label: SGC
🎸 Brief History
The Nazz formed in Philadelphia in 1967. Guitarist Todd Rundgren and bassist Carson Van Osten recruited drummer Thom Mooney and vocalist-keyboardist Robert "Stewkey" Antoni.
They released two albums in two years—Nazz (1968) and Nazz Nazz (1969)—before Rundgren left for a solo career. A third album, Nazz III, was assembled from leftover sessions and released in 1971. The band never reunited.
⚠️ The Case Against Them
The Nazz never settled on a sound. The first album leans toward garage rock with pop flourishes. The second drifts into softer, more experimental territory.
Rundgren's songwriting was already strong, but the band often felt like a vehicle for his ideas rather than a unit. Stewkey's vocals could overpower the arrangements, and the rhythm section sometimes played louder than the songs needed.
🎵 The Two-Song Band
The Nazz are remembered for two singles: "Open My Eyes" and "Hello It's Me." They are almost opposites.
"Open My Eyes" opens with a distorted guitar riff that sounds like a dare. Stewkey screams the chorus. The whole thing feels like a threat. "Hello It's Me" is a gentle piano ballad, built around Rundgren's vocal and a melody he would later re-record as a solo hit. Both songs are good. They just do not sound like the same band.
That tension—between aggression and tenderness—runs through everything the Nazz recorded.
🎸 The Guitars and the Gaps
Rundgren's guitar playing on the first album is sharp and economical. He leaves space. The rhythm section fills some of it, but not all. The result is a record that breathes.
On Nazz Nazz, the arrangements become more elaborate. Strings appear. The songs stretch. The guitar recedes. The band sounds less like a garage act and more like a studio project. The shift is not necessarily bad, but it shows Rundgren moving toward the polished pop he would make on his own.
💡 Why They Matter
The Nazz matter because they capture Todd Rundgren before he became Todd Rundgren. The songwriting is already there—the melodic sense, the willingness to mix genres—but the context is rougher.
The band also produced two genuinely great singles that still sound alive. "Open My Eyes" in particular is a reminder that Rundgren could write a hard rock song when he wanted to.
ℹ️The Nazz were not a great band. They were an interesting one, and interesting ages better than competent.
🧐 Curiosities
- ✅ The band's name was borrowed from a character in The Lord of the Rings—a fact that caused confusion when a different band called Nazz emerged later.
- ✅ Rundgren produced the debut album himself, an early sign of the control he would later demand as a solo artist.
- ✅ "Hello It's Me" was originally a B-side. Rundgren's 1972 solo version became a top-ten hit.
🕒 One More Thing
The Nazz lasted three years and left behind two proper albums. The best of their work sounds like a band that did not know they were running out of time. The worst sounds like a band that did. Either way, they made a noise worth remembering.
🎧 Essential Tracks
Open My Eyes 1968 - Nazz
The band's signature garage rock statement. The distorted guitar riff and Stewkey's screamed chorus show the aggressive side of their split personality.
Listen: Spotify · Apple Music · YouTube
Hello It's Me 1968 - Nazz
The ballad that predicted Rundgren's solo career. The gentle piano arrangement and melodic vocal stand in stark contrast to the band's harder material.
Listen: Spotify · Apple Music · YouTube
Forget All About It 1969 - Nazz Nazz
A showcase for Rundgren's vocal and songwriting. The arrangement is cleaner and more polished, pointing toward the sound of his early solo albums.
Listen: Spotify · Apple Music · YouTube
You Should Know 1968 - Nazz
A tight pop song with a psychedelic edge. The rhythm section locks into a steady groove while the guitar adds color without overpowering the melody.
Listen: Spotify · Apple Music · YouTube
Under the Ice 1969 - Nazz Nazz
The heaviest track on the second album. The darker tone and louder dynamics show the band still capable of aggression even as they moved toward softer material.
Listen: Spotify · Apple Music · YouTube
📚 Sources
📚 Related Articles
- Pixies: The Quiet-Loud Blueprint That Rewrote Rock — Another band that thrived on the tension between soft and loud, just like The Nazz.
- Shuggie Otis: The One-Man Band Who Made Soul Float — A young prodigy who, like Rundgren, played multiple instruments and blended genres.
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