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The 60’s in Scotland, rock was a dying genre with not much happening on the scene as most bands struggled for individuality and a signature sound. Rising from the ashes of semi-successful local band The Shadettes frontman Dan McCafferty (vocals) accompanied by members of local bands: Manny Charlton (guitar), Pete Agnew (bass) and Darrell Sweet (drums) completed the original line up of Nazareth.
With most of the band members settled in terms of family life, it was in 1971 that Nazareth made the executive decision to move to the big smoke (London) sacrificing their day jobs and moving from familiar surroundings to further the band’s prospects. Moving into a tiny communal flat, Nazareth slaved away to produce their eponymous debut self-titled album later that year. It was the release of their second album “Exercises” released the following year which really catapulted them onto the scene, receiving glowing reviews and led to them securing a support slot on tour with Deep Purple.
1973 was a great year for the band as released their third album “Razamanza” (which reached number 11 in the UK charts) and their fourth album “Loud n’ Proud” which scored them their first top ten album success.
In 1979 Nazareth grew in numbers as they added Zal Cleminson as a second guitarist. With moderate success achieved in the US and Canada during the eighties as the band underwent numerous line-up changes and continued churning out albums one after the other.
In 1984 the band signed a record deal with Vertigo which was followed closely by a pivotal support slot for Status Quo at Milton Keynes Bowl as they released their fourteenth album “The Catch” in the same year.
Apparently after an unfulfilled request of the band playing at Axl Rose’s wedding, in 1993 Guns N Roses paid tribute to the band with their rendition of their classic single “Hair of the Dog”.
This iconic band with a long standing career have traversed the world and inspired some of the most prolific rock bands of this generation as their continue keeping rock well and truly alive.
Not many bands can claim to give the very bands that they were inspired for a run for their money in terms of longevity, but Nazareth are among that elite number; having been inspired to start a band by The Rolling Stones, they formed in 1968 and continue as a creative force to this day, meaning they’re not lagging far behind the Stones in terms of proximity to their fiftieth anniversary. The group, from Dunfermline in Scotland, tasted their biggest success back in 1995, with a hit single that was actually a cover - of ‘Love Hurts’ by Boudleaux Bryant - but their album that dropped around that time, Hair of the Dog, was also a real success, having sold over two million copies around the world. Today, only bass player Pete Agnew continues as an original member of the band; long-time frontman Dan McAfferty was forced to step down last year due to health concerns. A new singer, Linton Osborne, will continue to play the classics as well as new material with the band as they tour across the UK and Europe; fans can expect tracks from Rock ‘n’ Roll Telephone, released in June as the band’s twenty-third record in a remarkable career.
Joeg_67
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