Nazz (also known as The Nazz) was formed in Philadelphia in 1967 by guitarist Todd Rundgren and bassist Carson Van Osten. Rundgren wrote virtually all of the group’s original material. Drummer Thom Mooney and vocalist/keyboardist Robert “Stewkey” Antoni joined before their first concert, opening for the Doors in 1967.  Admittedly based a on a riff inspired by The Who’s  “Can’t Explain” (1964), proceedings get underway with Stewkey’s organ and first generation Rhodes followed quickly by Todd’s acid fuzz guitar, amply supported by Carson VanOsten’s rolling bass and Thom Mooney’s drums and bongos.

Nazz took its name from the Yardbirds’ song “The Nazz Are Blue.”

In Phoenix, Arizona, another band called Nazz was formed at about the same time that Nazz was formed in Philadelphia. This group released only one single before moving to Los Angeles and renaming themselves Alice Cooper.

“The Nazz” is believed to originate from a  monologue by Beat poet and comedian Lord Buckley.

In the 1950s, Buckley hit his stride with a combination of exaggeratedly aristocratic bearing and carefully enunciated rhythmic hipster slang. This monologue was a street slang “word portrait” of Jesus, one of many historical figures he portrayed, such as Mahatma Gandhi (“The Hip Gan”), William Shakespeare (“Willie the Shake”), the Marquis de Sade (“The King of Bad Cats”) and others.

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