For some reason it seems only strange stuff comes out of Chicago... For example, Skafish, one of Mr Bill's ex girlfriends (just kidding, but you know who you are), The Cubs and... WAZMO NARIZ!
"The Waz has Pizzazz" or "The Waz is the Naz" is what the liner notes on various records have said. Yeah, whatever that means! The Waz tried to single-handedly bring about the "two-tie-look" and failed (though Mr Bill did try the look few times, but the backwater folks of Norfolk -- where he was stationed at the time -- failed to appreciate fashion trendsetting on their turf). Wazmo (Larry Grennan) and his band (guitarist Jeff Hill, bassist James E McGreevey III, keyboardist Jeff Boynton and drummer Bruce Zelesnik) were really too weird to be mainstream but not strange enough to truly be avant-garde. Their sound was highly melodic and the tunes could even be described as "catchy." Most tunes revolved around a theme of quirky sex, delivered in Wazmo's trademark hiccupy tremelo.
They scored a minor local hit in 1978 with an independent single, "Tele-tele-telephone" that was picked
up reissued in the U.K. by the then fledgling Stiff Records. In 1979, they followed up with an EP which
caught the ear of Miles Copeland who signed them to his Illegal Records/I.R.S. label where they released their
debut LP THINGS AREN'T RIGHT and single "Checking Out The Checkout Girl" which managed to
get some airplay in their native Chicago. Below are the Non-I.R.S. Recording of Waz and the band...
| Above are all the US non-IRS Wazmo recordings... Top Left: The single that started it, "Tele-tele-telephone"/"Gadabout" and (Top Right) the follow-up EP ("I Hate My Life", "Touchy Feely People", "Propinquity", "I Just Want To Have Sex" (all on Fiction Records)... Bottom Left: TELL ME HOW TO LIVE, the 1981 2nd LP for BIG Records and (Bottom Right) the final Waz, 1986's 12" single of "Yahoo Eeeee" on Bigtime Records... |
THINGS AREN'T RIGHT
Produced by Wazmo Nariz
Arranged by Wazmo Nariz and the Waz Band
Recorded at Tanglewood Studio, Brookfield, Illinois (* Recorded at Shade Tree Studio, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin)
Engineered by John Pavletic (* Engineered by Dave Neitzke)
Mixed at Tanglewood Studios
Art Direction by Carl Grasso
Product Manager Jay Boberg
Mastered by Bernie Grundman at A&M;
Photography by Paul Natkin and Micael Weinstein/Photo Reserve
Thanks to Keith DeBolt
Helps & Hindrances: Helen & Richard, Dr James Thursby, Jack & Muffy Miner, Marijean & Joe, Carol & Rich,
Rick Landerman, Tria, Jeffery Timander, Rev. Spleef Bader, C.S. Baker, Lori Dana, Sandy Rothberg, Nancy (both),
Steve (blano) Hoyt, Eric Uram, Jan Nerkorn/Debolt, Jack Cash, JAW, Andy Waterman, Dave Neitzke, Betty, Tim Love.
Musicians:
Vocals: Wazmo Nariz
Guitar, Back-up Vocals: Jeff Hill
Bass James E McGreevey III
Keyboards: Jeff Boynton
Drums: Bruce Zelesnik
Track Listing:
"Checking Out The Checkout Girl" & "Who Does It Hurt?"
Produced by Wazmo Nariz
Sleeve Design by Carl Grasso
Musicians:
Vocals: Wazmo Nariz
Guitar, Back-up Vocals: Jeff Hill
Bass James E McGreevey III
Keyboards: Jeff Boynton
Drums: Bruce Zelesnik
This catchy little ditty garnered some airplay in the Wazband's native Chicago, but success elsewhere remained elusive...
I.R.S. GREATEST HITS, VOLS 2 & 3 (IRS SP70800) includes "Lips"
on side 4, cut 5
THESE PEOPLE ARE NUTS (82010) includes "Checking Out The Checkout Girl" cut 4
Unfortunately we found virtually no links to WAZMO NARIZ nor anyone else in the Wazband.