Oz Knozz
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 (1969-71) - Jack Alford -- drums, flute, guitar, vocals - Newt Bildo (aka Bill Massey) -- bass, guitar, sax, backing vocals - Duane Massey -- vocals, keyboards, trumpet, horns
line up 2 (1971-72) - Newt Bildo (aka Bill Massey) -- bass, guitar, sax, backing vocals NEW - Richard Heath (RIP 1982) -- vocals, lead guitar - Duane Massey -- vocals, keyboards, trumpet, horns NEW - Marty Naul -- drums, percussion, backing vocals (replaced Jack Alford)
line up 3 (1972-74) - Newt Bildo (aka Bill Massey) -- bass, guitar, sax, backing vocals NEW - Curtis Byrd --- trumpet NEW - Randy Griffin -- sax, flute - Richard Heath (RIP 1982) -- vocals, lead guitar - Duane Massey -- vocals, keyboards, trumpet, - Marty Naul -- drums, percussion, backing vocals NEW - Bob Odneal -- trumpet
line up 4 (1974-75) - Newt Bildo (aka Bill Massey) -- bass, guitar, sax, backing vocals NEW - Patrick Brennan -- keyboards - Duane Massey -- vocals, keyboards, trumpet, - Marty Naul -- drums, percussion, backing vocals
line up 5 (1975) - Newt Bildo (aka Bill Massey) -- bass, guitar, sax, backing vocals - Duane Massey -- vocals, keyboards, trumpet, horns - Marty Naul -- drums, percussion, backing vocals (replaced Jack Alford) NEW - Rick Wheeler -- guitar (replaced Richard Heath)
line up 6 (1975-79) - Newt Bildo (aka Bill Massey) -- bass, guitar, sax, backing vocals - Duane Massey -- vocals, keyboards, trumpet, horns - Marty Naul -- drums, percussion, backing vocals NEW - Rick Wheeler -- lead guitar
line up 7 (1979-83) NEW - Glenn Gibson -- vocals NEW - Randy James -- vocals - Duane Massey -- vocals, keyboards, trumpet, horns - Marty Naul -- drums, percussion, backing vocals - Rick Wheeler -- lead guitar
line up 8 (1983) NEW - Matt Jernigan -- vocals - Duane Massey -- vocals, keyboards, trumpet, horns - Bill Mojelsky -- lead guitar - Marty Naul -- drums, percussion, backing vocals - Rick Wheeler -- lead guitar
line up 9 (1983-84) NEW - Milton De Coronado (Miltonio) -- vocals, keyboards NEW - David Frasier -- lead guitar NEW - Scott Langston -- vocals, bass - Matt Jernigan -- vocals - Duane Massey -- vocals, keyboards, trumpet, horns
line up 10 (1984-86) - Milton De Coronado (Miltonio) -- vocals, keyboards NEW - Robert Guinea -- lead guitar (replaced David Frasier) - Scott Langston -- vocals, bass - Matt Jernigan -- vocals - Duane Massey -- vocals, keyboards, trumpet, horns
line up 11 (1986-87 NEW - Craig Chambers -- bass - Robert Guinea -- lead guitar - Scott Langston -- vocals, bass - Matt Jernigan -- vocals - Duane Massey -- vocals, keyboards, trumpet, horns NEW - Joel Vinson -- vocals (replaced Milton De Coronado)
line up 12 (1996) NEW - Milton De Coronado (Miltonio) -- vocals, keyboards NEW - Victor De La Garza -- bass - Duane Massey -- vocals, keyboards, trumpet, horns NEW- Bill Mohelsky -- lead guitar NEW- Marty Naul -- drums, percussion, backing vocals
line up 13 (1996-98) NEW - Jason Arkfeld -- bass (replaced Victor De La Garza) - Milton De Coronado (Miltonio) -- vocals, keyboards - Duane Massey -- vocals, keyboards, trumpet, horns - Bill Mohelsky -- lead guitar - Marty Naul -- drums, percussion, backing vocals
line up 14 (1998-2002) - Milton De Coronado (Miltonio) -- vocals, keyboards NEW - Bill Massey -- bass (replaced Jason Arkfield) - Duane Massey -- vocals, keyboards, trumpet, horns - Bill Mohelsky -- lead guitar - Marty Naul -- drums, percussion, backing vocals
line up 15 (2002) - Milton De Coronado (Miltonio) -- vocals, keyboards NEW - Robert Guinea -- lead guitar (replaced Bill Mohelsky) - Bill Massey -- bass (replaced Jason Arkfield) - Duane Massey -- vocals, keyboards, trumpet, horns - Marty Naul -- drums, percussion, backing vocals
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- none known
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Genre: rock Rating: 3 stars *** Title: Ruff Mix Company: Ozone Catalog: OZ-1 000 Year: 1975 Country/State: Bellaire, Texas Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: thin vinyl pressing; cover shows some wear but seams are intact and intact Available: 1 Catalog ID: 5122 Price: $200.00
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For those of you who take note of such factoids, this one's fairly rare; there were reportedly two pressings of 1,000 copies each. It's also in one of Hans Pokora's "Record Collector's Dreams" books (though I'm too lazy to go and look up which volume).
Formed in 1969 and hailing from the Houston suburb of Bellaire, the original Oz Knozz (pronounced Oz Ka' Nozz) line up consisted of high school buddies drummer Jack Alford and brothers/multi-instrumentalists Bill and Duane Massey. They were apparently fairly popular on the local club scene, laboring on through a series of personnel changes over the next six years. By the time they got around to recording their 1975 debut album "Ruff Mix" the line up consisted of Bill on bass (credited in the liner notes as Newt Bildo), brother Duane on lead vocals and keyboards, lead guitarist Richard Heath, and drummer Marty Naul.
Released on their own Ozone label and produced by Bill (credited as William Davis Massey), the album featured eight Duane penned originals. Propelled by Heath's lead guitar and Duane's keyboards, musically the album was surprisingly varied and not what you'd expect to hear from a Houston-based mid-1970s outfit. The opener 'For Pat' and 'Second Time Blues' sounded like something out of the Dixie Dregs' jazz-rock fusion catalog, while 'Peanut Butter Yoni' and 'Love Poem' weren't that far removed from late-1970s AOR bands like Styx. Maybe a little more ragged, but anyone of that era or musical inclination will readily recognize the sound ... As lead singer Duane's high pitched delivery wasn't great, though anyone who was into Steve Perry or Dennis DeYoung probably wouldn't have had a problem with it. Personally I thought he was far better when sticking to his natural, lower range ('Love Poem'). At least give him credit for not being as irritating as Geddy Lee. Certainly cutting edge when recorded, in retrospect synthesizer dominated tracks like 'For Pat' and much of the side two suite 'Doodley Squats #1, #2 and #3' sounded somewhat dated and cheesy (but then what doesn't age after 30 years...). 'Course those characteristics may have been part of the LP's quirky appeal.
"Ruff Mix" track listing: 1.) For Pat (instrumental) (Duane Massey) - 5:36 rating: **** stars If you're wonder of those folks who love songs with cheesy '70s synthesizers washes and effects treated vocals, then 'For Pat' is going to be right up you alley. Even better, guitarist Richard Heath got to to cut loose on the track. 2.) Peanut Butter Yoni (Duane Massey) - 4:55 rating: **** stars With a title that always makes me smile, 'Peanut Butter Yoni' found the band at their heavy metal best. Hearing Massey stretch for the high notes was a blast. 3.) Second Time Blues (Duane Massey) - 7:20 rating: *** stars Slowing the tempo down, 'Second Time Blues' opened up with Massey contributing some Procol Harum-styled keyboards. Pretty, almost pastoral, bluesy-tinged ballad. Heath contributed some of his prettiest soloing on this one. 4.) Love Poem (Duane Massey) - 3:52 rating: *** stars How put on the Blood, Sweat & Tears album ? Yeah, the horns were a momentary distraction, but once you got over them, 'Love Poem' was actually one of the album's most conventional and commercial tracks. Have to admit that it's grown on me over the years. Guessing it was Duane multi-tracking himself.
(side
2) 'Doodley Squat #1' opened up with some jazz-rock moves than would have made Jan Hammer proud. Thing is O'm not a big fan of the genre, so this one didn't do a great deal for me. 2.) Doodley Squat #2 (Duane Massey) - 6:48 rating: *** stars Remember my earlier Styx comparisons, well 'Doodley Squat #2' was the tune where the comparison really came to the forefront. 3.) Doodley Squat #3 (Duane Massey) - 4:12 rating: *** stars Part 3 sounded like they were trying to stitch Styx commerciality with a harder rock edge; maybe even a touch of Ozzy in the mix ... 4.) Last Song (Duane Massey) - 3:15 rating: *** stars A bit on the ragged side, but 'Last Song' was a sweet, acoustic guitar and synthesizers propelled ballad that showcased some unexpectedly sweet harmony vocals.
Elsewhere there's an EP (which I've never seen or heard) and at least one non-LP single 'Always There' b/w 'Goodbye Again' (Razz catalog number ???).
Having moved on to play with Vince Vance and the Valiants (infamous for the early 1980s ditty 'Bomb, Bomb Iran'), guitarist Heath was killed in an early-1980s traffic accident.
With a seemingly endless serious of line up changesv(by my count they're up to 14), the band remains an on-going concern and have recorded two self-financed studio albums; 2008's "10,000 Days and Nights" and 2011's "True Believer". I haven't heard either one. The band also has a small FaceBook presence: https://www.facebook.com/ozknozz
Lo and behold, I actually heard from Mr. Massey himself:
Thanks
for your kind words re: Ruff Mix (the comparison to Geddy Lee is
hilarious and fairly accurate). We have recently released a new CD
with more of the same, albeit with a new singer (well, from the 80's
at least), and recently played at the South Texas Festival. August
2008
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