NAZARETH – MANHEIM 1990 SOUNDBOARD (CD-R)

Description

Mainmarkthalle, Mannheim, Germany 14th November 1990 STEREO SBD
★Ultra-high-quality stereo soundboard

　Nazareth in 1990 was at a major turning point with the departure of originator Manny Charlton. Now, a soundboard album has arrived that will pour that live performance into your brain.

　This recording captures the “Mannheim concert on November 14, 1990,” and is a stereo soundboard recording. As mentioned earlier, 1990 was the year Manny left the band, and one of the original four members was gone. Even a slight difference in timing can greatly alter the meaning of the show, so let’s first take a look at the band’s activities at the time to understand the flow of events.

●1989:
January – “SNAKES ‘N’ LADDERS” released
; June 23: Sydney performance
; July 5 – October 31: Europe #1 (25 performances)
●1990
: February 1 + 17: Russia (2 performances)
; April 14 – May 13: Europe #2 (6 performances)
(May: Manny Charlton → Billy Rankin replacement)
; June 10: Appearance at Glopperock 1990
; June 24 – July 22: North America (11 performances)
; September 17 + 19: UK (2 performances)
; November 3 – 17: Germany (12 performances) ←★HERE★
; December 14: Curitiba performance

[An ultra-direct connection soundboard that feels like you’ve stuck your head into an amplifier]
　This is Nazareth in 1989/1990. Manny left the band in May 1990 and Billy Rankin returned. Nazareth is famous for being more popular in Germany than in their home country of the UK, and this Mannheim performance was the ninth show of their “Germany” leg, a major voting bloc.

　This isn’t Billy’s first return; he was in the band once before in the mid-80s, so his rejoining should have been smooth. Nevertheless, it’s still a period of change, as the band has lost a key member since its formation. The new lineup is solidifying through practical experience in Germany, a strong foundation, and this is the stage right in the middle of that process.

　This recording, captured at such a show, is a powerful, intensely direct soundboard recording. While “soundboard” recordings can vary greatly in their characteristics, this one is a direct connection to the mixing console. There’s no echo or overdubs of crowd noise that would create the concert atmosphere; the raw performance and vocals burst forth unprocessed and uninhibited. While it doesn’t offer any sense of being there in person, it’s the kind of recording that lets you immerse yourself in the pleasure of being completely in sync with the live performance.

　I’ve used similar expressions with every direct-connect soundboard recording, but the sense of directness in this one is even more pronounced than usual. If a typical direct-connect soundboard recording feels like being present at a studio live performance without an audience, this one gives you the immersive feeling of sticking your head into an amp. The music is full of the thrill of a live performance where everyone plays together in unison, but in terms of sound quality, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a stage or a studio. It’s an otherworldly experience, like “the live performance is inside your head.”

[A super-concentrated set that condenses the essence of the golden age]
　This otherworldly sound delivers a super-concentrated setlist centered around Nazareth’s signature 70s hits. Let’s summarize it here.

● 70s (7 songs)
– Razamanaz: Night Woman / Razamanaz / Vigilante Man
– Prestige and Glory: This Flight Tonight
– Man-Eating Dog: Whiskey Drinkin’ Woman / Hair Of The Dog / Love Hurts
● Others (3 songs)
– Dream On / Big Boy / Tush

…And that’s how it is. 70% of the album is concentrated in their golden age of the 70s, with all four of their biggest killer tunes—”Razamanaz,” “Hair Of The Dog,” “Love Hurts,” and “This Flight Tonight”—present. They also include some 80s repertoire with “Dream On” and “Big Boy,” and finish off with a thrilling rendition of ZZ Top’s “Tush” (it’s a shame it fades out!). Billy’s guitar is sharp and wild throughout, as if to say that you can’t feel Manny’s absence, and Dan McCafferty’s raspy voice is as wild as ever. Despite its compact length of 44 minutes, it’s a dense album that perfectly captures the essence of the band NAZARETH.

　Having overcome the shock of the departure of original members, NAZARETH, in 1990, swept through their home base of Germany with a new lineup. This is an exhilarating album that delivers that live performance in a direct, immersive soundboard recording that will make you feel like you’re right there in your head. Please enjoy it to the fullest.

★A first-ever stereo soundboard recording of the “Mannheim concert on November 14, 1990.” This is a record of the German tour undertaken by the band with a new lineup after Manny Charlton’s departure and Billy Rankin’s return. This is a thrilling album that lets you pour golden hits such as “Razamanaz,” “Hair Of The Dog,” and “Love Hurts” into your brain with raw sound directly from the mixing console.

(44:05)
01 Night Woman
02 Razamanaz
03 Whisky Drinking Woman
04 Dream On
05 Big Boy
06 Vigilante Man
07 Hair Of The Dog
08 Love Hurts
09 This Flight Tonight
10 Tush (Fades out early)

Dan McCafferty – vocals
Billy Rankin – guitar, Backing Vocals
Pete Agnew – bass, Backing Vocals
Darrell Sweet – drums