Nitzinger -

Nitzinger was an American hard-rock band from Fort Worth, Texas, that released the 1972–73 Capitol albums Nitzinger and One Foot in History, followed by the 1976 20th Century release Live Better Electrically.

Members: John Nitzinger (guitar, lead vocals), Linda Waring (drums, vocals), Curly Benton (bass, vocals), Bugs Henderson (guitar, vocals)

Background

The Nitzinger band formed in 1971 in Fort Worth around guitarist-vocalist John Nitzinger, drummer-vocalist Linda Waring, and bassist-vocalist Curly Benton. Guitarist-vocalist Bugs Henderson entered the Capitol-era lineup after the group’s early trio phase.

John Nitzinger grew up in Haltom Springs and started his first band before his teenage years. In junior high, Nitzinger formed The Barons, who played sock hops, Teen A-Go-Go events, school dances, and Cellar engagements in the Fort Worth teen circuit. During 1965–66, The Barons cut “You’re Gonna Cry” (b/w “Without Her”), “You’re Gonna Get Hurt” (b/w “I’ll Never Be Happy”), “Don’t Burn It” (b/w “I Hope I Please You”), and “Live and Die” (b/w “Don’t Look Back”) on Torch and Brownfield. In 1968, Nitzinger cut “Plastic Window” (b/w “Life of John Doe”) at Sound City Studios in Fort Worth. T Bone Burnett produced the single.

Drummer-vocalist Linda Waring started drums in fifth grade. Waring began professional work after her 1967 graduation from LaPorte High School. Guitarist-vocalist Bugs Henderson was born Harry Fisher Henderson in Palm Springs, California, and grew up in Tyler, Texas. In Tyler, Henderson formed the Sensores at sixteen and later joined Mouse and the Traps.

Nitzinger knew Bloodrock singer Jim Rutledge from Fort Worth Teen A-Go-Go events. Rutledge heard songs by Nitzinger at The Cellar. Bloodrock cut songs by Nitzinger across early Capitol albums, including “Lucky in the Morning,” “Jessica,” “Kool-Aid Kids,” and “Erosion.” After Bloodrock received a gold record for Bloodrock 2, Capitol signed Nitzinger for a namesake project. The group entered Wally Heider Studio IV in Los Angeles with Rutledge as producer.

Nitzinger

Nitzinger released their self-titled debut album in 1972 on Capitol.

John Nitzinger wrote all ten titles and recorded the album as a trio with bassist Curly Benton and drummer Linda Waring. Janey Fricke contributes backing vocals; Whitey Thomas receives a musical-assistance credit.

Nitzinger contrasts hard, compact cuts and lighter country-tinged turns. “Tickelick” knots a boogie figure to hot guitar breaks. “Boogie Queen” drives the same dance-rooted motion through a broader stomp. “Witness to the Truth” foregrounds extended lead breaks. “No Sun” places soul-inflected backing voices behind the lead. “The Nature of Your Taste” repeats that group-vocal color in a tighter cut. “L.A. Texas Boy” bends the trio toward country-tinged strum. “Enigma” lowers the pace with piano-backed plaintive delivery.

A1. “L.A. Texas Boy” (2:20)
A2. “Ticklelick” (2:41)
A3. “No Sun” (3:46)
A4. “Louisiana Cock Fight” (3:33)
A5. “Boogie Queen” (4:46)
B1. “Witness to the Truth” (3:24)
B2. “The Nature of Your Taste” (2:24)
B3. “My Last Goodbye” (4:32)
B4. “Enigma” (4:22)
B5. “Hero of the War” (3:35)

Nitzinger recorded the album across two weeks at Wally Heider Studio in Los Angeles with producer Jim Rutledge and engineer Peter Granet.

The black gatefold cover bears the band’s stylized logotype across a dark textured field.

Capitol issued “Louisiana Cock Fight” as an August 1972 single (b/w “L.A. Texas Boy”).

One Foot in History

Nitzinger released their second album, One Foot in History, in 1973 on Capitol.

One Foot in History retains Benton and Waring and adds guitarist Bugs Henderson. Nitzinger adds piano and celesta beside lead guitar. Orchestral arranger Dale Oehler joins the credits; King Errisson, Pete Kleinow, Whitey Thomas, and Dean Parks receive musical-assistance credits.

One Foot in History tightens hard-riff material around orchestrated and piano-driven departures. “Motherlode” sets piano figures against a jazz breakdown. “Earth Eater” hammers a main riff under a broad vocal line. “Let the Living Grow” charges through compact hard-riff motion. “The Cripple Gnat Bounce” brawls through barroom phrasing. “One Foot in History” spreads its title piece across saxophone and orchestrated strings. “Uncle John” carries the orchestrated backdrop into a larger hard-edged stretch.

A1. “Take a Picture” (3:17)
A2. “Motherlode” (3:47)
A3. “God Bless the Pervert” (3:20)
A4. “Earth Eater” (2:55)
A5. “Driftwood” (3:53)
B1. “Let the Living Grow” (3:15)
B2. “The Cripple Gnat Bounce” (2:51)
B3. “One Foot in History” (4:12)
B4. “Uncle John” (5:12)

Nitzinger recorded One Foot in History at Wally Heider Recording Studio in Los Angeles and Capitol Studios with producer Jim Rutledge and engineers John Wilson and Peter Granet. Granet mixed the album at Wally Heider Recording Studio.

One Foot in History appeared in a Creative Covers sleeve under John Hoernle’s art direction, with photography by Carl Dunn and Sam Lobello. The cover places the silver Nitzinger logotype above the title on a blue textured field.

Capitol issued “One Foot in History” as a 1973 single (b/w “Earth Eater”).

Live Better Electrically

Nitzinger released their third album, Live Better Electrically, in 1976 on 20th Century Records.

Electrically recasts Nitzinger as a studio-centered project with rotating bass and drum credits. John Nitzinger splits bass duties with Jerry Harris; Paul Leim, Darrel Norris, and Randy Reeder divide the drum parts. Keyboardist Kenneth Whitfield adds organ and clavinet, and Larry White adds steel guitar on “Live Better Electrically” and “Around.” Layton DePenning contributes backing vocals to “Are You With Me,” “Around,” and “The Writing on the Wall.”

The album works from clipped accents, riff cuts, and quieter side passages. “Are You With Me” snaps through syncopated accents beneath a rock-edged vocal. “Live Better Electrically” streaks wah-wah across its hard cut. “Around” settles into a lower-intensity pause. “Gimme a Wink” folds Lindsey backing voices into gospel-colored replies. “Yellow Dog” burns through a sharp riff. “Tell Texas” rattles through a Texas-boogie pattern. “Vagabond” pauses on pedal steel. “The Writing on the Wall” pares down to an acoustic part.

A1. “Control” (3:24)
A2. “Are You With Me” (3:44)
A3. “Live Better Electrically” (2:20)
A4. “Around” (3:53)
A5. “Gimme a Wink” (3:43)
B1. “Yellow Dog” (3:19)
B2. “Tell Texas” (2:34)
B3. “Vagabond” (3:29)
B4. “No Way Around You” (3:41)
B5. “The Writing on the Wall” (2:31)

Nitzinger recorded Live Better Electrically under producer Bob Pickering at January Studio in Dallas, Texas.

The cover shows an angular Nitzinger logo above a mirrored red-toned figure inside a round frame, set against a blue field of bubble-like circles.

20th Century issued “Are You With Me” as a 1976 single (b/w “Yellow Dog”).

Postlude

After Live Better Electrically, the Nitzinger name moved into John Nitzinger’s outside work. In 1980, he joined drummer Carl Palmer in PM, a short-lived English–American band with bassist Erik Scott, guitarist Barry Finnerty, and keyboardist Todd Cochran. Ariola issued the group’s album 1:PM, which included Nitzinger on guitar and vocals. “Dynamite,” a Nitzinger composition, became the group’s main single.

Nitzinger entered the Alice Cooper touring band during the Special Forces period. In 1981, he played guitar on Cooper’s North American and European dates, and appeared with Cooper’s band in the French television special Alice Cooper à Paris. Cooper retained the touring circle for the next studio album. Zipper Catches Skin appeared on Warner Bros. in 1982 with Nitzinger among the guitarists and co-writers.

After his Cooper stint, Nitzinger stepped away from the scene until his 1997 album Didja Miss Me.

Discography: