Nazareth (band)

Nazareth
Nazareth performing in 2009
Background information
Origin	Dunfermline, Scotland
Genres	Hard rock, album rock, pop rock[1]
Years active	1968–present
Labels	Mooncrest, NEMS Enterprises, Eagle
Website	nazarethdirect.co.uk
Members
Dan McCafferty Pete Agnew Lee Agnew Jimmy Murrison
Past members
Darrell Sweet Manny Charlton Zal Cleminson Jimmy Murrison Ronnie Leahy Billy Rankin John Locke

Nazareth is a Scottish hard rock band, founded in 1968, that had several hits in the UK in the early 1970s, and established an international audience with their 1975 album Hair of the Dog. Perhaps their best-known hit single was a cover of the ballad "Love Hurts", in 1975.^[2][3][4] As of 2011, the band continues to record and tour.

Career

Nazareth was formed in December 1968 in Dunfermline, Scotland, out of the ashes of semi-professional local group The Shadettes (formed in 1961) by vocalist Dan McCafferty, guitarist Manny Charlton (ex Mark V and The Red Hawks), bassist Pete Agnew, and drummer Darrell Sweet.^[5] They took their name from Nazareth, Pennsylvania, which is cited in the first line of The Band's classic song "The Weight" ("I pulled into Nazareth / Was feelin' about half past dead...").^[5] Nazareth's cover version of "Java Blues" by The Band's bassist/singer Rick Danko and Emmett Grogan is on their 1981 live album Snaz.

The band moved to London, England in 1970, and released their eponymous debut album in 1971.^[5] After getting some attention with their second album Exercises, released in 1972, Nazareth supported Deep Purple on tour, and issued the Roger Glover-produced Razamanaz, in early 1973.^[5] This collection spawned two UK Top Ten hits, "Broken Down Angel" and "Bad Bad Boy".^[5] This was followed by Loud 'N' Proud in late 1973, which contained another hit single with a hard-rocking cover of Joni Mitchell's song "This Flight Tonight".^[5] Then came another album Rampant, in 1974, that was equally successful although its only single, "Shanghai'ed in Shanghai", narrowly missed the British Top 40.^[3] A non-album song, again a cover version, this time of Tomorrow's "My White Bicycle", was a UK Top 20 entry in 1975.^[5]

Hair of the Dog was released in April 1975.^[3] The title track of that album (popularly, though incorrectly, known as "Son Of A Bitch" due to its hook lyrics) became a staple of 1970s rock radio. The American version of the album included a song originally recorded by The Everly Brothers, and also covered by Roy Orbison, the melodic ballad "Love Hurts", that was released as a hit single in the UK and in the US, where it went platinum. The track became the band's only US Top Ten hit.^[6] and was also a top 10 hit in nine other countries, reaching number 1 in six of them. The song spent a record-shattering 60 weeks on the Norwegian chart.^[6]

In 1979, second guitarist Zal Cleminson was added to the line-up, remaining for two albums, No Mean City and Malice in Wonderland, and contributing numerous compositions.^[5] Malice in Wonderland contained the single "Holiday".^[3] In 1981, they contributed the song "Crazy (A Suitable Case for Treatment)" to the soundtrack to the film, Heavy Metal.

Various Nazareth line-ups continued to make studio albums and tour throughout the 1980s and 1990s, although their popularity had declined such that some albums no longer received either a UK or a US release. They remained popular in Europe, particularly Germany, where "Dream On" became a hit single. Billy Rankin returned for a second spell in the ranks in 1991 for the No Jive album, replacing Manny Charlton who pursued a solo career.^[5]

A tribute came in 1993 when Guns N' Roses covered Nazareth's "Hair of the Dog" on "The Spaghetti Incident?", consolation after they turned down Axl Rose's request for the group to play at his wedding.^[5] Rankin departed again in 1994, but with Jimmy Murrison and keyboard player Ronnie Leahy, Nazareth maintained a live following in Europe and the US.^[5]

In 1999, while touring the US, original drummer Darrell Sweet died at age 51 of a heart attack. He was replaced by bassist Pete Agnew's son Lee for later editions of the band.

In February 2008, The Newz was released on the Hamburg-based label, Edel Entertainment. The release of the album coincided with Nazareth's fortieth anniversary tour, which started on 25 January in Sweden and visited most of Europe, finished on 4 November 2008 in Norway. A follow up album, Big Dogz, was released on 15 April 2011.

Band member history

Nazareth performing 6 March 1976

Nazareth guitarist Manny Charlton performing in 1976

December 1968–September 1978	Dan McCafferty – lead vocals Manny Charlton – lead guitar Pete Agnew – bass Darrell Sweet – drums
September 1978–July 1980	Dan McCafferty – lead vocals Manny Charlton – guitar Zal Cleminson – guitar Pete Agnew – bass Darrell Sweet – drums
July 1980–late 1982	Dan McCafferty – lead vocals Manny Charlton – guitar Pete Agnew – bass Billy Rankin – guitar Darrell Sweet – drums John Locke – keyboards
Late 1982–1983	Dan McCafferty – lead vocals Manny Charlton – guitar Pete Agnew – bass Darrell Sweet – drums Billy Rankin – guitar
1984–May 1990	Dan McCafferty – lead vocals Manny Charlton – guitar Pete Agnew – bass Darrell Sweet – drums
late 1990–late 1994	Dan McCafferty – lead vocals Billy Rankin – guitar Pete Agnew – bass Darrell Sweet – drums
Late 1994–April 1999	Dan McCafferty – lead vocals Jimmy Murrison – guitar Ronnie Leahy – keyboards Pete Agnew – bass Darrell Sweet – drums
April 1999–late 2002	Dan McCafferty – lead vocals Ronnie Leahy – keyboards Jimmy Murrison – guitar Pete Agnew – bass Lee Agnew – drums
Late 2002–present	Dan McCafferty – lead vocals Jimmy Murrison – guitar Pete Agnew – bass Lee Agnew – drums

By instrument

Lead vocals

• Dan McCafferty (1968–present)

Guitar

• Manny Charlton (1968–1990)
• Zal Cleminson (1978–1980)
• Billy Rankin (1981–1983, 1990–1994)
• Jimmy Murrison (1994–present)

Keyboards

• John Locke (1980–1982)
• Ronnie Leahy (1994–2002)

Drums

• Darrell Sweet (1968–1999)
• Lee Agnew (1999–present)

Bass

• Pete Agnew (1968–present)

Discography

Main article: Nazareth discography

• Nazareth (1971)
• Exercises (1972)
• Razamanaz (1973)
• Loud 'n' Proud (1973)
• Rampant (1974)
• Hair of the Dog (1975)
• Close Enough for Rock 'n' Roll (1976)
• Play 'n' the Game (1976)
• Expect No Mercy (1977)
• No Mean City (1979)
• Malice in Wonderland (1980)
• The Fool Circle (1981)
• 2XS (1982)
• Sound Elixir (1983)
• The Catch (1984)
• Cinema (1986)
• Snakes 'n' Ladders (1989)
• No Jive (1991)
• Move Me (1994)
• Boogaloo (1998)
• The Newz (2008)
• Big Dogz (2011)

See also

• Music of Scotland
• List of Scottish musicians
• List of 1970s one-hit wonders in the United States
• List of performers on Top of the Pops

References

1. ^ "Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p4995/biography. Retrieved 24 May 2011. 
2. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 388. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d} Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 681–682. ISBN 1-84195-017-3. 
4. ^ "CD: Nazareth: Golden Hits (2004)". En.imusic.dk. http://www.en.imusic.dk/cd/9002986421467/nazareth-2004-golden-hits-cd. Retrieved 2011-08-03. 
5. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k} Roberts, David (1998). Guinness Rockopedia (1st ed.). London: Guinness Publishing Ltd.. p. 284. ISBN 0-85112-072-5. 
6. ^ ^{a b} Roberts, David (2001). British Hit Singles (14th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 332. ISBN 0-85156-156-X. 

External links

• Official website
• Official Manny Charlton website
• Nazareth discography at Discogs