Wazmo Nariz -

Wazmo Nariz is an American new wave singer and bandleader from Chicago, noted for the I.R.S. compilation tracks “Lips” and “Checking Out the Checkout Girl.” He made two 1978/79 indie shortplayers, followed by the 1979–81 albums Things Aren’t Right and Tell Me How to Live.

Members: Wazmo Nariz [Larry Grennan] (vocals), Jeff Hill (guitar), James E. McGreevey III (bass), Jeff Boynton (keyboards), Bruce Zelesnik (drums)

Background

Wazmo Nariz is the stage name of Chicago singer and songwriter Larry Grennan, who sang in choral groups through his youth and studied media in college. He later worked for a lamp manufacturer, then recorded a nine-song demo at former classmate Cary Baker’s Castle Recording in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

Fiction issued “Tele-Tele-Telephone” b/w “Gadabout” in 1978 as his first single. Stiff licensed the A-side for a British single backed with “Wacker Drive” later that year. Grennan recruited college acquaintance Keith DeBolt on bass.

DeBolt brought drummer Bruce Zelesnik into the group. Zelesnik introduced guitarist Jeff Hill and keyboardist Jeff Boynton. James E. McGreevey III later assumed the bass role.

Fiction followed with The E.P. in 1979, and I.R.S. founder Miles Copeland signed the Wazband to Illegal/I.R.S. after hearing the record.

The E.P.

Wazmo Nariz released The E.P. in 1979 on Fiction Records.

The seven-inch EP contains four Nariz compositions, none of which reappeared on the subsequent debut album.

A1. “I Hate My Life”
A2. “Touchy Feely People”
B1. “Propinquity”
B2. “I Just Want to Have Sex”

Nariz and producer-engineer Andy Waterman produced the EP at Castle Recording in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, with Cary Baker as executive producer. Waterman later co-produced Tell Me How to Live, while Baker linked the original demo sessions to Fiction Records.

Chicago photographer Mike Tappin supplied the sleeve image. Tappin later photographed the 1982 EP Time Will Be Kind by Chicago group Da!

Things Aren’t Right

Wazmo Nariz released his debut album, Things Aren’t Right, in late 1979 on Illegal/I.R.S.

Nariz wrote all twelve songs. John Pavletic added guitar and backing vocals, while original bassist Keith DeBolt returned for “Lips.”

“Checking Out the Checkout Girl” bounces through a minimal, machine-like ditty as Nariz coils suggestive lines into exaggerated phrase turns. “This Is Your Elbow” races amid sparse metallic figures beneath histrionic delivery.

A1. “The Mind Is Willing, But the Flesh Is Weak” (3:14)
A2. “Who Does It Hurt?” (2:14)
A3. “Luncheonette Lovers” (1:56)
A4. “Stubbies” (2:33)
A5. “Plunger” (2:52)
A6. “Deeply” (5:59)

B1. “Checking Out the Checkout Girl” (2:35)
B2. “This Is Your Elbow” (3:16)
B3. “The Oven” (2:52)
B4. “Lips” (5:24)
B5. “Germ Proof Cleaners” (2:02)
B6. “Al’s Radiator” (2:58)

Nariz produced the album at Tanglewood Studio in Brookfield, Illinois, and recorded “Lips” at Shade Tree Studio in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Engineer and production assistant John Pavletic handled the Tanglewood sessions; Shade Tree engineer Dave Neitzke recorded the exception. Pavletic also engineered Pezband’s 1979 album Cover to Cover at Tanglewood. Neitzke engineered and mixed Snopek’s Thinking Out Loud at Shade Tree in the same period.

Chicago rock photographers Michael Weinstein and Paul Natkin supplied the sleeve images; Natkin operated Photo Reserve. The dark front portrait shows Nariz beside a lit candle. Both photographers also supplied images for Pezband’s 1979 album Cover to Cover.

I.R.S. issued “Checking Out the Checkout Girl” in 1979 (b/w “Who Does It Hurt”). The single received club play at O’Banion’s in Chicago and the Mudd Club in New York.

Tell Me How to Live

Wazmo Nariz released his second album, Tell Me How to Live, in May 1981 on Big Records.

The Wazband retained Hill, McGreevey, Boynton, and Zelesnik for a second twelve-song program. Nariz composed the material; the Wazband supplied the arrangements.

“Sister Theresa” slows into a tender serenade as Nariz eases his theatrical delivery around a love song to a nun. “She Needs It” settles over acoustic accompaniment and exposes elastic phrase bends. “Welcome to the Eighties, Ladies” rallies around an anthemic declaration and broad theatrical phrases. “Don’t Say Always, If You Mean Never” croons through mock-romantic parody with measured swagger.

A1. “On Right” (3:05)
A2. “Iron-On Courage” (3:27)
A3. “Welcome to the Eighties, Ladies” (3:35)
A4. “What Lays, Lays” (3:24)
A5. “House of Woo” (2:28)
A6. “Hymn for Humans Perfect for Ants After 8:00” (3:19)

B1. “Sister Theresa” (3:40)
B2. “Tubs” (4:05)
B3. “She Needs It” (3:25)
B4. “Live” (2:17)
B5. “Don’t Say Always, If You Mean Never” (3:35)
B6. “The Refrigerator Saga” (5:26)

Shade Tree owner Andy Waterman produced the album with Nariz at Shade Tree Studio in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and also engineered the sessions. Other 1981 credits included production and engineering on Ouray’s Motor Dream and co-production on Judy Roberts’s Nights in Brazil.

Chicago graphic artist Rick Landerman designed the main cover, which shows a suited Nariz holding a drink as a woman leans across his shoulders. Landerman also created Nariz logos and concert posters. Some copies appeared in plain white sleeves with a hand-stamped notice.

The Projection Room filmed an “Iron-On Courage” promotional video for the release campaign. WXRT in Chicago aired “Sister Theresa.”

Later Activity

The Wazband played a final concert at Tut’s in Chicago on New Year’s Eve, closing the group’s initial run. In 1983, Grennan briefly hosted I.R.S. Records Presents The Cutting Edge on MTV. Bigtime returned Nariz to vinyl in 1986 with “Yahoo Eeee” b/w a dance mix.

Under his real name, Grennan supplied backing vocals on Stan Ridgway’s Mosquitos and Partyball. He later recorded and mixed Ridgway’s 1996 album Black Diamond. Boynton played keyboards on “Right Through You” from Partyball. Zelesnik later joined Ridgway’s touring and recording lineup on drums and percussion.

Discography: