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
Magic Me
Nazz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But not around to see me plot the perfect crime
It makes me dizzy thinking just what you might do
And if you should find that I'm as evil as you
Magic Me, know just what you hide girl, Magic me
It isn't just talent 'cause it took me years
I'd like to sit back now just to picture the fun
And see your reaction when the damage is done
Magic Me, know just where you hide girl, Magic me
The spell is very simple and it's worked so far
It's quick and very painful and it leaves a scar
Justice is all right with me
And I'll treat you just like you treated me
The lyrics to Nazz's song Magic Me tell a story of a person who appears innocent but has an evil mind. The singer is planning the perfect crime with this person, who they believe is equally evil as they are. The singer is dizzy thinking about what their accomplice might do, and they want to see their reaction when the damage is done. The idea behind the song seems to be that the singer is tired of being the victim and wants to turn the tables on their abuser.
The chorus of the song is where the title comes from: "Magic Me, know just what you hide girl, Magic me... know just where you hide girl, Magic me." The singer is pleading with their accomplice to reveal their secrets, and they promise to use the knowledge to get justice for themselves. The spell is simple, and though it is painful, it's worth it to get revenge. The singer is settling the score and treating their accomplice just as they were treated.
Overall, the lyrics to Magic Me are a story of revenge. The singer has been wronged and is taking matters into their own hands. They have found someone who shares their evil tendencies and together, they plan to make things right. While the song's subject matter may seem dark, it speaks to the human desire for justice and the lengths people will go to get it.
Line by Line Meaning
Innocent angel with your evil mind
You may look like an innocent angel but you possess an evil mind.
But not around to see me plot the perfect crime
You are not here to see me plan the perfect crime.
It makes me dizzy thinking just what you might do
The mere thought of what you might do makes me feel dizzy.
And if you should find that I'm as evil as you
If you discover that I am as evil as you, then what?
Magic Me, know just what you hide girl, Magic me
The song's protagonist asks the girl to reveal what she is hiding from him.
It isn't just talent 'cause it took me years
The singer has put in years of effort to get where he is today.
And girls like you only want to see my tears
The girl's intentions are not genuine, and she only wants to see the singer cry.
I'd like to sit back now just to picture the fun
The artist would like to imagine the fun and entertainment he'd derive from his plan.
And see your reaction when the damage is done
The artist is curious to observe the girl's reaction when he inflicts damage.
Magic Me, know just where you hide girl, Magic me
Reiterating his desire for the girl to reveal what she's hiding from him.
The spell is very simple and it's worked so far
The singer's plan is simple but has worked in the past.
It's quick and very painful and it leaves a scar
The artist's plan is quick, painful, and will inflict a scar on the girl.
Justice is all right with me
The singer believes that he is providing justice to the girl through his plan.
And I'll treat you just like you treated me
The singer is going to treat the girl the way she treated him.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: TODD HARRY RUNDGREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind