Wazmo Nariz

Eccentric new wave performer Wazmo Nariz(real name Larry Grennan)holds a number of unique distinctions: he and his "Wazband" were one of the first two Chicago punk/new wave acts signed to a major label (both he and Skafish were signed by Miles Copeland to IRS) He is also the only Chicago punk/new wave artist to have a single released on England's prestigous Stiff records label,the only artist to include a reference to LaMere Vipere on a record (though he was not a regular), and the only Chicago punk/new wave artist to be mentioned in Incredibly Strange Music, vol II(Re/Search Publications, 1994.) In that work, record collector Candi Strecker defines the Wazmo mystique as follows: "Wazmo was weird, even though he looked very normal. On (his first)album, he's wearing a polyester salesman's suit and sports a blowdried hairstyle, but his gimmick was that he always wore two neckties--fat polyester ones at that. ...his voice has operatic qualities. (I don't know if he was trained or was imitating the gehre). His sound was bizarre and unique." (p. 93). A favorable review by L'il Dougie in Gabba Gabba Gazette#8 (Summer 1978) of Wazmo's first 45 on the local Fiction label "Tele-tele-telephone" credits Wazmo, "an infrequent visitor to Chicago's punk bars", with "combining Brian Ferry, Sparks, and weirdness into his own style". The single was a modest local hit, and was re-released in England w a different b-side "Wacker Drive". This record, features Wazmo haltingly describing a failed relationship over a plodding, Devo-esque guitar riff. The key lines are as follows: ("..uh, then I go to LaMere's/ and uh I see her/ and uh/I just want to Wacker/Wacker Drive"). Of course, had he gone to the club more frequently, he would have known to call it LaMere).

After hearing the follow-up ep on Fiction, Miles Copeland signed Wazmo to IRS where he recorded "Things Aren't Right", a record rife with sexual innuendo, local Chicago references, and Wazmo's trademark histrionic vocals. Although the single from that album "Checking Out the Check-out Girl" was a modest hit (recieving club play at both O'Banion's and New York's Mudd Club)IRS dropped Wazmo after the album was released.

Releases

• Tell Me How To Live (Big Records, 1981)
  • On Right
  • Iron on Courage
  • Welcome To The 80s, Ladies
  • What Lays, Lays
  • Don't Say Always if you Mean Never
  • She Needs It