Nazareth are a Scottish rock band that had several hard rock hits, as well as scoring with the Felice and Boudleaux Bryant-penned ballad "Love Hurts," in the middle of the 1970s.

[edit] 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. They took their name from the first line of The Band's classic song "The Weight" ("I pulled into Nazareth / Was feelin' about half past dead...")

The band moved to London, England in 1970, and released their self-titled debut album in 1971. After getting some attention with their second album Exercises, released in 1972, Nazareth issued Razamanaz in early 1973. This collection spawned two UK Top Ten hits, "Broken Down Angel" and "Bad Bad Boy." 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." Then came another album Rampant, in 1974, that was equally successful although it did not yield a single. A non-album song, again a cover version, this time of Tomorrow's "My White Bicycle," was a UK Top 20 entry in 1975.

Hair of the Dog was released in 1975. The title track of that album (popularly, though incorrectly, known as "Son Of A ****" due to its chorus 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 expressively melodic ballad "Love Hurts," that was released as a hit single in the UK and in the U.S., where it went platinum. The track became the band's only U.S. Top Ten hit.

In 1979, second guitarist Zal Cleminson was added to the lineup, remaining for two albums, No Mean City and Malice in Wonderland, contributing numerous compositions. Malice in Wonderland produced a popular AOR single called "Holiday".

Various Nazareth lineups continued to make studio albums and tour throughout the 1980s and 1990s, although their popularity had declined such that some albums no longer received neither a UK nor a USA release. they remained popular in Europe, particularly Germany, where "Dream On" became a hit single.

In 1999, while touring the U.S., original drummer Darrell Sweet died at age 51 of a heart attack. He was replaced by bassist Pete Agnew's son for later editions of the band. More recently the band toured Canada with the opening act Headpins.

In February 2008, a new album was released on the Hamburg-based label Edel Entertainment entitled The Newz. The release of the album coincided with Nazareth's fortieth anniversary tour which started on 25 January in Sweden and visits most of Europe, finishing on the 4 November in Norway.


[edit] Band member history
Dec 1968 – Sep 1978 Dan McCafferty – lead vocals
Manny Charlton – lead guitar
Pete Agnew – bass
Darrell Sweet – drums

Sep 1978 – Jul 1980 Dan McCafferty – lead vocals
Manny Charlton – guitar
Zal Cleminson – guitar
Pete Agnew – bass
Darrell Sweet – drums

Jul 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 – keyboards


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 – Apr 1999 Dan McCafferty – lead vocals
Jimmy Murrison – guitar
Ronnie Leahy – keyboards
Pete Agnew – bass
Darrell Sweet – drums

Apr 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



[edit] By instrument

[edit] Lead vocals
Dan McCafferty (1968-present)

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

[edit] Keyboards
John Locke (1980–1982)
Ronnie Leahy (1994–2002)

[edit] Drums
Darrell Sweet (1968–1999)
Lee Agnew (1999–present)

[edit] Bass
Pete Agnew (1968–present)

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums
Nazareth (1971)
Exercises (1972)
Razamanaz (1973) # 157 US # 11 UK # 48 Germany # 39 Canada (Platinum)
Loud 'N' Proud (1974) # 150 US # 10 UK # 8 Germany # 17 Canada (Platinum) # 1 Austria # 9 Norway # 1 Finland # 1 Sweden # 1 Switzerland
Rampant (1974) # 157 US # 13 UK # 11 Germany # 80 Canada (Gold) # 1 Austria # 3 Norway
Hair of the Dog (1975) # 17 US (Platinum) # 27 Germany # 20 Canada (Gold) # 7 Austria # 5 Norway
Greatest Hits (1975) # 54 UK (Silver) # 37 Germany (Gold) # 1 Canada (Platinum) # 7 Norway # 31 Sweden # 21 New Zealand
Close Enough for Rock 'N' Roll (1976) # 24 US # 42 Germany # 12 Canada (Gold) # 9 Sweden # 40 New Zealand
Hot Tracks (1976) # 120 US
Play 'N' the Game (1976) # 75 US # 14 Canada (Gold) # 14 Sweden
Expect No Mercy (1977) # 82 US # 78 Canada (Gold)
No Mean City (1979) # 88 US # 34 UK # 81 Canada (Gold) # 20 Norway # 33 Sweden
Malice in Wonderland (1980) # 41 US # 43 Germany # 19 Canada (Gold) # 9 Norway
The Fool Circle (1981) # 70 US # 60 UK # 31 Canada # 29 Norway # 33 Sweden
Snaz (1981) # 83 US # 78 UK
2XS (1982) # 122 US # 42 Germany # 74 Canada # 9 Norway
Sound Elixir (1983) # 52 Germany # 8 Norway
The Catch (1984) # 60 Germany # 12 Norway
The Ballad Album (1985) (compilation) # 5 Norway (Gold)
Cinema (1986) # 18 Norway
Snakes 'N' Ladders (1989) # 10 Norway # 26 Switzerland
The Ballad Album Vol.2 (1989) (compilation) #12 Norway
BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert (1991)
No Jive (1991) # 31 Austria # 36 Switzerland
From the Vaults (1993) (compilation)
Move Me (1994) # 36 Switzerland
Boogaloo (1998)
Greatest Hits Volume II (1998) (compilation)
Live at the Beeb (live) (1998)
The Very Best of Nazareth (2001) # 23 Norway
Homecoming (live) (2002)
Alive and Kicking (2003)
Maximum XS (2003)
The River Sessions Live 1981 (live) (2004)
Live in Brazil (2007)
The Newz (2008) # 51 Sweden # 68 Switzerland # 75 Austria

[edit] Singles and EPs
"Dear John" (1972)
"Morning Dew" (1972)
"If You See My Baby" (1972)
"Broken Down Angel" (1973) # 9 UK # 20 Ireland
"Bad Bad Boy" (1973) # 10 UK # 15 Ireland
"This Flight Tonight" (1973) # 11 UK # 1 Germany # 2 Austria # 5 Switzerland # 27 Canada
"Shanghai'd In Shanghai" (1974) # 41 UK # 14 Germany # 7 Austria # 4 Switzerland
"Love Hurts" (1974) # 8 US (Gold) # 15 UK # 30 Germany # 1 Canada (Platinum) # 1 Norway # 6 Sweden # 11 Austria # 1 Netherlands
"Hair of the Dog" (1975) # 44 Germany
"My White Bicycle" (1975) # 14 UK # 36 Germany # 10 Austria
"Holy Roller" (1975) # 36 UK # 37 Germany
"Carry Out Feelings" (1976) # 79 Canada
"You're the Violin" (1976)
"Loretta" (1976) # 84 Canada
"I Don't Want To Go On Without You" (1976)
"I Want to Do Everything For You" (1976)
"Somebody to Roll" (1977)
"Hot Tracks EP" (1977) # 15 UK
"Gone Dead Train" (1978) # 49 UK
"Place In Your Heart" (1978) # 70 UK
"May The Sun Shine" (1979) # 22 UK
"Whatever You Want Babe" (1979)
"Star" (1979) # 54 UK
"Holiday" (1980) # 87 US # 21 Canada
"Nazareth Live EP" (1980)
"Every Young Man's Dream" (1980)
"Moonlight Eyes" (1981)
"Dressed to Kill" (1981)
"Morning Dew '81" (1981)
"Dream On" (1982) # 15 Germany # 2 Switzerland # 4 Austria # 8 Bavaria
"Love Leads to Madness" (1982) # 19 US Rock # 44 Canada
"Games" (1982)
"Where Are You Now" (1983)
"Party Down" (1984)
"Ruby Tuesday" (1984)
"Cinema" (1986)
"Winner On the Night" (1989)
"Piece of My Heart" (1989)
"Every Time It Rains" (1992)
"Tell Me That You Love Me" (1992)
"Move Me" (1994)
"Love Hurts" (Feat. Munich Phillarmonic Orchestra) (1994) # 89 Germany

[edit] Dan McCafferty - Solo Albums
"Dan McCafferty" (1975)
"Into the Ring" (1987)

[edit] Singles
"Out of Time" (1975) # 41 UK
"Watcha Gonna Do About It" (1975)
"Stay With Me Baby" (1978)
"The Honky Tonk Downstairs" (1978)
"Starry Eyes" (1987)

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