As written by Pete Agnew (Nazareth bassist and co-founding member) and posted as A Christmas Message on www.nazarethdirect.co.uk:
It’s been a funny kinda year. When we started out in January we weren’t sure if we would be continuing as a band but after playing some rehearsals with Linton —– well you all know what happened.
Because it took some time to put things back together, we didn’t start booking shows until later in the year than we normally do so it ended up with us touring a lot less than previous years.
This won’t be the case in 2015. We still managed to see quite a few of you and were delighted with the reception you gave us. It was always going to be difficult introducing a new singer but we were pleasantly surprised with the reaction to our new guy. He was very, very happy too; as you can imagine he was more than a little nervous taking over the middle mic from Dan.
Anyway, just as we were having a really good time and things were coming together beautifully onstage, Linton contracted a throat virus and we had to end up pulling the second half of our tour. Like I said ‘it’s been a funny kinda year’ and we won’t be sorry to see it end. However, the prospects for next year are looking good and we’re hoping to have a hammering ‘healthy’ start with the UK dates in January.
I’d like to thank you all for the encouragement and good vibes you gave us throughout what was a very trying and important year. With all the ups and downs it was comforting to know you were behind us and we will never forget that. Everyone close to us who works personally with us and makes things happen in any number of different ways have been outstanding this year. We could never thank you enough.
It only remains for me now to wish you all, on behalf of Jimmy, Lee, Linton and myself, a very happy Christmas and peaceful New Year.
Pete
Above: cover for Nazareth’s latest album release: Rock ‘N’ Roll Telephone. Release date in USA: June 17th, 2014.
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NAZARETH:
Linton Osborne -Vocals
Pete Agnew – Bass
Jimmy Murrison – Guitar
Lee Agnew – Drums
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LONG LIVE NAZARETH.
Stone.
I have owned the vinyl album of No Mean City by Nazareth since 1983. No, I could never part with this album at all over the years, never. For years I could never find No Mean City on CD, it most likely had been out of print for some time. To this day, No Mean City does not seem to be that readily available anywhere, on CD and especially on vinyl. Who knows, maybe there is an independent record store somewhere that has dozens of copies in their inventory… I just never come across this Nazareth classic myself. With the brilliant, Old School, Classic Hard Rock heard on this album, combined with the album cover artwork, makes for a keeper. I actually bought this album as a cut-out, back when Strawberries Records & Tapes was around. Back in the early 1980’s, cut-out bins found in any record store was Rock and Roll Heaven! You could always find cool albums in these cut-out bins at real discounted prices, many times there were hidden heavy gems in them. My copy of No Mean City has a cut in the top right corner of the album jacket – this never bothered me one bit. The enjoyment this album’s music has given me all these years more than makes up for any cosmetic defect on it’s exterior.
In continuing my personal search for the greatest Metal album of all time, I will now submit to the world, list #3! Here are 10 more solid choices, that I have personally chosen as nominees. Again, this is a delicate and important process for me, as a life long metalhead to be making such a personal choice of greatest Metal album ever. Agree or disagree, this journey for me making this decision is more fun than watching reruns of “Monster Quest – The Legend of the Lochness Monster.” Please refer to my prior “Greatest Metal Album of all time” articles for past nominees. (as always, the list here is in no particular order, nominees only)
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
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