Nazz

Nazz was an American rock band formed in Philadelphia in 1967 by guitarist/songwriter Todd Rundgren and bassist Carson Van Osten. The drummer was Thom Mooney, and the lead vocalist/keyboardist was Robert "Stewkey" Antoni. Their first gig was in 1967, opening for the Doors in 1967. 

Like the Doors, their name was just Nazz, but people often referred to them as The Nazz. It is just Nazz on their 3 albums. Their name comes from a track by The Yardbirds called "The Nazz Are Blue." That song doesn't explain the word's meaning (see lyrics below), but as far as I can find, an earlier usage in 1952 was from American comedian Lord Buckley, who had a monologue called "The Nazz" on one of his records. In that monologue, "Nazz" is a reference to Jesus of Nazareth. In later years, Todd Rundgren stated in an interview that they didn't know about the Lord Buckley or The Yardbirds' references - but then the name seems an odd one to pull out of thin air. 

It turned out that another band in Phoenix, Arizona, that formed around the same time, also used The Nazz as their name, but since the Philly band had a hit, they changed their name to Alice Cooper.

Nazz released three albums between 1968 and 1970 - Nazz, Nazz Nazz, and Nazz III, but are best remembered for their first single "Open My Eyes" with the B side "Hello It's Me".

They actually broke up in 1969, but the third album came out the following year.

"Open Your Eyes," and the video released with it, has been described as a bit of psychedelia with some Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" as channeled through The Monkees.

Todd Rundgren followed with a strong solo career and stints with his band Utopia. In 1972, Todd recorded a new version of "Hello It's Me" on his Something/Anything album, and it reached number 5 on the U.S. charts.

The Yardbirds' "The Nazz Are Blue"

...But no matter what's done to me baby

I guess I'll always be blue

I got a hundred and fifty things

Now all I gotta find is you

I got a hundred and fifty things

Now all I gotta find is you

And if the nazz don't help me baby

You better forget about me too

In the 1966 Yardbirds song "The Nazz Are Blue" (fronted by Jeff Beck on lead vocals), the word "Nazz" is 1960s hipster and Mod slang meaning "the ultimate," "the best," "supremely cool," or "the greatest." If "the nazz are blue," they are the coolest dudes in town and have caught a case of the blues.

Open Our Eyes - The Anthology (2-disk set)