Welcome to another edition of From My Collection. Unfortunately, this week’s entry comes off the heels of some tragic news. Yesterday, classic Nazareth singer Dan McCafferty passed away at the age of 76. Those who have been following this site know that we hold Nazareth in high regard. Hair of the Dog was one of the first albums spotlighted in FMC, and earlier this year, we counted down our Top 10 Nazareth Songs to commemorate the passing of guitarist/songwriter/producer Manny Charlton. Today, we pay tribute to McCafferty and this groundbreaking outfit yet again, this time by revisiting the oft overlooked No Mean City. What separated album #10 from past Nazareth releases? Could it be Nazareth’s heaviest outing? Why wasn’t it bigger in America? We’ll attempt to answer all these questions and more in this week’s edition of From My Collection.
In the world of 70s rock n’ roll, a year feels like a lifetime. Every major record company hardwired these bands to record, tour, and repeat, with virtually no breaks. Nazareth was no exception to this rule. Hot off the heels of their platinum selling smash, Hair of the Dog (1975), A&M quickly issued a Greatest Hits compilation of their earlier work. This was followed by two more studio albums (1976’s Close Enough for Rock ‘n’ Roll and Play ‘n’ the Game) and another “best of” compilation (1976’s Hot Tracks). Yet despite all their efforts to replicate the commercial success of Hair of the Dog, Nazareth was never able to do so. At least not in America.
Sure, Close Enough for Rock ‘n’ Roll charted moderately well, coming in at #24 on the Billboard 200, and “Telegram” received some airplay on FM rock radio. However, the 8 minute epic that is “Telegram” just didn’t resonate with Yankees the way the balls out, sweaty metal of “Hair of the Dog” did. The pop leaning Play ‘n’ the Game was an even bigger commercial disappointment, only peaking at #75 on the Billboard 200. This led to Nazareth going back to the basics for 1977’s Expect No Mercy. The album, while not a commercial smash, was a creative triumph, and easily their finest since Hair.
Nazareth ended the 70s with not just a bang, but a personnel change as well. After spending the past decade as a quartet, Nazareth expanded into a five piece, introducing guitarist Zal Cleminson of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band fame for their 10th album, No Mean City. Perhaps this was an effort to keep up with the twin axe attacks of bands like Judas Priest and Scorpions. After all, these bands were at the forefront of heavy music in ‘the late 70s, and would be pivotal to metal’s evolution into the 80s. Although No Mean City is not a metallic revelation on the scale of Priest’s Stained Class (1978) or Scorps’ Lovedrive (1979), it is a force to be reckoned with, and arguably Naz’s heaviest hour.
The album opens with the rambunctious “Just to Get into It”. With one foot in the boogie rock of yesteryear and the other in the fierce riffing that’d become characteristic of the NWOBHM in a matter of months, “Just to Get into It” is a barn burner of ass-kicking proportions, showcasing the dynamic duo of Cleminson and Manny Charlton in all their blistering glory. The folksy, acoustic tinged “May the Sunshine” is a nod to the singer/songwriter material Naz have scattered throughout their output, but still boasts enough crunchy riffs to appease headbangers.
“Simple Solution (Parts 1 & 2)” is one of two songs on this album featuring writing credits from Cleminson. In fact, it was solely written by Cleminson, making one wonder if this sweaty, balls out rocker was initially intended for SAHB. The lead riff does have a swaggering groove not far removed from “Hair of the Dog”, but stand on its own as a composition, especially when it switches moods about halfway through. Closing out side A is the melodic, AM radio ballad, “Star”. While it wasn’t a hit here in the States, it did chart in various other countries. Being the poppiest cut on the album, it’s no wonder it was the lead single, if only to push units.
As we flip over to side B, we’re greeted by the doomy “Claim to Fame”. Powered by a lumbering Sabbathian riff and the trademark barbed wire vocals of McCafferty, “Claim to Fame” is nasty and unrelenting. Although Nazareth tends to shun the “heavy metal” label, favoring “hard rock” instead, songs like this are far too abrasive and menacing to be branded hard rock. This is metal, whether Nazareth likes it or not. Contrasting this is another sugar coated slab of melody in “Whatever You Want Babe”. It’s moments like these that aren’t exactly the most compelling, but from a commercial standpoint, you can see where the band was coming from.
Naz kicks things up again boogie woogie style with the driving “What’s in It for Me”. It’s hard to believe boogie rock would be all but dead come the following decade. Well, I guess “dead” isn’t the right word. It would mutate into NWOBHM bands like Chevy, Raven, and Vardis. That said, these bands were far more amped up and an evolution of what was beforehand, as opposed to a continuation per se. Closing it all out is the epic title track, which is divided into two parts. The first part is rather straightforward Naz metal, albeit wrapped in a cloak of nocturnal mystery. It’s the second part in which things get eerie, doubling down on atmospheric passages, enthralling lyrics, and intricate lead guitar melodies.
Cleminson would stick around for one more album in 1980’s Malice in Wonderland, which saw the band retreating back to the clutches of commercialism. By no means is it a “bad album”, but it does pale in comparison to the musical and songwriting genius of No Mean City. In recent years, I’ve noticed more and more metalheads repping No Mean City shirts at shows. I’m not sure if it’s because the artwork is cool or the album has gained a new appreciation as of late. The truth likely lies somewhere in between. If this essay has helped expand that appreciation or perhaps even introduced you to the heavy rock n’ rolling world of Nazareth, then mission accomplished. Rest in power Dan, Manny, and Darrell.