Playing lead guitar and bass, respectively, Rundgren and Van Osten were joined by drummer Thom Mooney (formerly of the Munchkins) and lead vocalist/keyboardist Stewkey (born Robert Antoni). Nazz had their first gig in July 1967, landing an opening slot at a Doors concert. By September, the group received some financial support from the local record store Bartoff & Warfield, who also put them in touch with John Kurland, a record promoter who was looking for a guitar pop band. Kurland took a shine to Nazz and signed on as their manager. Throughout the fall, they practiced in their new home base of Great Neck, New York. Kurland and his associate, Michael Friedman, prevented the band from gigging regularly, believing that a lack of performances would increase demand for the group. The managers were convinced that Nazz could be marketed as a sharp, stylish boy band for the teenybopper audience, and helped the quartet members to refashion themselves in that mode.
With a wardrobe of clothes and an album's worth of material ready, Kurland and Friedman had Nazz sign with SGC Records -- an offshoot of Atlantic Records and Columbia-Screen Gems -- in the summer of 1968. Their debut album, Nazz, appeared in October, supported by the single "Hello It's Me." Although the song would later become a major hit for Rundgren as a solo artist, the dirgey original version barely scraped the national charts, largely due to mismanagement. The managers wanted that Nazz played only large halls, which was virtually impossible for an unknown, unproven band with a newly released debut album. As a result, most of the group's publicity was limited to glamour shots and puff pieces in teen mags. Ironically, many of the articles emphasized the band's "electrifying" live performances.
"Hello It's Me" managed to reach number 71 on the charts, and the record -- particularly the Nazz's self-production of "Open My Eyes" and "Hello It's Me" -- attracted some good notices. Taking this as a cue, Nazz headed to England to cut their second album, but they became embroiled in work visa problems. Undaunted, they returned to America and began work on an ambitious self-produced double album named Fungo Bat. By the time it was released in April 1969, it was trimmed to a single album and titled Nazz Nazz. Although the project's scale was diminished, the music remained dizzyingly diverse, as the record ran the gamut from psychedelic rockers to pop ballads. One problem emerged, however. In the process of editing, much of Rundgren's newer, Laura Nyro-influenced material -- which he had sung himself -- was left on the shelves. Neither the management nor his bandmates gave Rundgren much encouragement to sing, nor was his new introspective direction warmly received by his colleagues. Faced with a no-win situation, Rundgren left the group not long after their summer 1969 tour; by that time, Van Osten had already departed the band.
Stewkey took control of the Nazz, erased Rundgren's vocals from the album sitting in the vaults, and replaced them with his own. The result was released as Nazz III in 1970, but it stiffed. Mooney departed the group, later to play with such bands as the Curtis Brothers, Tattoo, and Paris. Stewkey joined Fuse, an Anglophile power pop group featuring future Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen. Mooney also played with Fuse, but left before Cheap Trick bassist Tom Petersson joined and the group became Sick Man of Europe.
Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Hang on Paul
Nazz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's something on your face that even you can't see
It isn't your eyes and it isn't your nose
You don't have to sniff to tell you that it ain't no rose
It's something in your arrogant line
Your brain is tired of biding its time
You're gonna blow up here
so Paul you got to make up your mind
You drag into the studio and don't care why
You got a life as big as city hall and that's no lie
The aging owner treats you to a couple of beers
Feeding you cliches about the thing between your ears
You wonder if its all he can say
You'll find a better way to say it someday
But Paul you're too busy stripping gears,
now Paul your life is dripping away
Hang in, hang out, hang on, hang on Paul
You're having a ball
It's your way of life and not mine
It's so strangely easy to see
But you're laughing so hard you could die
I'm not about to tell you what you should be doing
I tend to disappear when I smell trouble brewing
I understand exactly what's the matter with you
We're stranded here together in this paddleless canoe
I'll take my chances in the water for now
It's what my mother would have wanted anyhow
The life you're living is over
but Paul, you're no contented cow
They say being in show biz is a thrill
It makes your life a breeze, [...]
But you better do something Paul before it kills you, yeah
Paul, you've got to make up your mind
The song "Hang on Paul" by Nazz is about a struggling musician named Paul who is in danger of burning out due to his reckless lifestyle. The first verse begins with a warning that he is on the brink of self-destructing, and the singer is the only one who seems to be able to see it. The lyrics describe something wrong with Paul's appearance that he is unable to see, indicating a deeper problem with his perception of himself. This perceived flaw is connected to his arrogance and impatience, which are causing him to rush towards a catastrophic event. The second verse delves deeper into Paul's lifestyle, revealing that he is aimless and relies on the validation of his older colleagues. He is comfortable with clichés and lacks the capacity to think for himself, which will inevitably lead to his downfall. The singer of the song seems to be a fellow musician or acquaintance of Paul's who recognizes the danger he is in but is unable to convince him to change his ways.
The chorus of the song delivers a message of camaraderie and support for Paul, telling him to hold on and persevere, despite the problems he is facing. The singer acknowledges that Paul is enjoying his life in the music industry, even though it is harming him. The song speaks to the dangerous allure of showbiz and how it can easily consume the individuals who pursue it. The final verse is a plea for Paul to take his fate into his own hands, to make a conscious effort to choose life, rather than the reckless path he is currently on. The song ends with a warning, a call to action, and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
Someone's gonna tell you and it might be me
I need to tell you something that nobody else will.
There's something on your face that even you can't see
You have a problem that nobody else sees, but I do.
It isn't your eyes and it isn't your nose
Your problem isn't physical but it's something in your behavior.
You don't have to sniff to tell you that it ain't no rose
You can sense that something is off without needing proof.
It's something in your arrogant line
Your confidence is misplaced and it's turning people off.
Your brain is tired of biding its time
You're becoming complacent and it's impacting your creativity.
You're gonna blow up here
Your career is about to have a significant moment.
so Paul you got to make up your mind
You need to make a decision about what you're going to do next.
You drag into the studio and don't care why
Your passion for your work is slipping and you're just going through the motions.
You got a life as big as city hall and that's no lie
You have a very eventful life that others would envy.
The aging owner treats you to a couple of beers
Your boss is trying to keep you happy, despite your problems.
Feeding you cliches about the thing between your ears
Your boss isn't giving you any helpful advice and is just repeating common advice.
You wonder if its all he can say
You question whether your boss is capable of giving you good advice.
You'll find a better way to say it someday
You will come up with better solutions to your problems eventually.
But Paul you're too busy stripping gears
You're working so hard that you're causing more problems for yourself.
now Paul your life is dripping away
Your life is slowly slipping away and you need to take action.
Hang in, hang out, hang on, hang on Paul
Don't give up, keep going, and keep fighting, Paul.
You're having a ball
You enjoy what you're doing, but you need to balance that with taking care of yourself.
It's your way of life and not mine
Your lifestyle isn't for everyone, and I wouldn't want it for myself.
It's so strangely easy to see
Your problems are obvious to everyone else but you.
But you're laughing so hard you could die
You're enjoying yourself so much that it's becoming dangerous.
I'm not about to tell you what you should be doing
I won't tell you what to do, but I want you to know I'm here for you.
I tend to disappear when I smell trouble brewing
I try to avoid getting involved in difficult situations.
I understand exactly what's the matter with you
I know exactly what's wrong with you, but I can't fix it for you.
We're stranded here together in this paddleless canoe
We're both stuck in this situation and don't know how to get out.
I'll take my chances in the water for now
I'll try to survive on my own for now, rather than rely on you.
It's what my mother would have wanted anyhow
My mother was always independent and would prefer that I take care of myself.
The life you're living is over
You can't continue living the way you have been and expect things to get better.
but Paul, you're no contented cow
You're not someone who can be satisfied with the status quo.
They say being in show biz is a thrill
People think that being in show business is exciting and fun.
It makes your life a breeze,...
Being in show business is supposed to be easy, but it's not always the case.
But you better do something Paul before it kills you, yeah
You need to take action before it's too late and this lifestyle destroys you.
Paul, you've got to make up your mind
You need to make a decision about your life and stick to it.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: TODD HARRY RUNDGREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind