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
Kiddie Boy
Nazz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't do nothing with my woman,
you wouldn't want me to see
Kiddie boy, kiddie boy, I knew your papa too
He'd come around my house, someone my mama knew
Kiddie boy, kiddie boy, I'm gonna have my day
It seems you don't like living,
you're gonna get your way
The lyrics of Nazz's song "Kiddie Boy" are about a man who warns another man to stay away from his woman. The singer, who is addressed as "kiddie boy", tells him not to fool around with his woman, or he wouldn't want him to see what happens next. The singer then reflects on how he knew the other man's father, who used to visit his mother. The singer is angry at the other man's behavior towards his woman and is determined to have his revenge. He feels that the other man doesn't like living and is destined for his own destruction.
The lyrics portray a sense of jealousy and possessiveness over the woman in question. The singer is not only concerned about his relationship but also with his reputation, as he asserts his dominance over the other man in order to maintain his status. The reference to the other man's father hints at a generational conflict or a history of rivalry between the two families. The use of the term "kiddie boy" suggests that the other man is younger or less experienced than him, and that he considers himself to be in a position of authority.
Overall, the lyrics of "Kiddie Boy" portray a sense of rivalry and aggression between two men, with a focus on the ownership and possession of a woman. The song highlights the complex dynamics of male competitiveness and the constant threat of violence that arises from it.
Line by Line Meaning
Kiddie boy, kiddie boy, don't kid around with me
Young man, do not joke with me or deceive me
Don't do nothing with my woman, you wouldn't want me to see
Do not engage in any flirtatious or inappropriate behavior with my partner, as it would result in anger and confrontation
Kiddie boy, kiddie boy, I knew your papa too
Young man, I am familiar with your father
He'd come around my house, someone my mama knew
Your father was an acquaintance of my mother and would visit our home
Kiddie boy, kiddie boy, I'm gonna have my day
Young man, I will have my time to confront you and seek revenge for any wrongdoing
It seems you don't like living, you're gonna get your way
It appears that you do not value your life, and your reckless behavior will lead to negative consequences
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: TODD HARRY RUNDGREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dgoto90
I remember buying this album and being blown away by this song. The guitar solos by Todd is as good as anything played by Eric, Jimi, Jeff or anyone else up to the date of this studio recording
Nazz was a great band
@CenterTownBoy
Todd Rundgren on vocals and guitar solos amazing
@chupwitchew
The guitar note at 2:32 will always remind me of my dad.
@henseleric
Tape overload --a totally brilliant accident :)
@niclawson1520
not their best.
@robertmckeen9617
Look they're just probably getting a little bit out of your comfort zone as they dug deeper into like not Punk per se but the nitty-gritty