Nazareth - Snaz CD

With additional guitarist Billy Rankin and keyboard maestro John Locke on board, Nazareth produced this potent live document during their 1981 North American tour. This version is augmented by bonus tracks drawn from the Seattle leg of the tour plus two further studio cuts by this new incarnation of the group.
Whether you call Nazareth’s first live album It’s Naz or Snaz (sometimes ‘Snaz, thanks to the somewhat ambiguous sleeve art), there is no denying its presence. On its release in 1981, they had been operating professionally for 13 years and were at the peak of their considerable powers. In fact, Nazareth were so at home on stage that they chose an entire show for the Snaz LP, feeling that one continuous performance would represent them better than a compilation of songs culled from a variety of gigs.
That show was their May 1981 performance at Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver. Canada was something of a Nazareth heartland. The boys had built a large and loyal Canadian fanbase over the previous decade and they now appeared in a six-piece line-up that had drawn praise for the depth of its sound. When you get to the lush, choral backing vocals of Heart’s Gone Cold, for example, you’ll hear how easily the band collaborated and how they had swiftly become more than the sum of their considerable parts. This upgraded, full-fat sound also suited Nazareth’s heavier numbers perfectly, while the band possessed more than enough musical dexterity to hold back when more atmospheric songs required it.
Though Nazareth have released six live albums since 1981, including two consisting of BBC sessions, there is something particularly satisfying about this set and it has always been a fan favourite. Indeed, as live rock statements go, Snaz is up there with the very best, especially (we like to think) in this expanded version. Their late drummer, Darrell Sweet, regarded it with great affection, saying in 1992: “What was really good was listening back to all our performances in the truck. It was a very exciting time for us. Getting John and Billy in the band was a great move.”