'Snaz

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IT'SNAZ
Live album by
ReleasedSeptember 1981
Recorded23 May 1981
GenreHard rock
Length95:15 (original vinyl release and 2001 CD edition)
LabelA&M
ProducerJohn Punter
Nazareth chronology
The Fool Circle
(1981)
IT'SNAZ
(1981)
2XS
(1982)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

IT'SNAZ is a double live album by the Scottish hard rock band Nazareth, released in September 1981.[2]

The full album title is It's Naz but the artwork spread the title, in block-capitals, fully over the outside of the gatefold-sleeve: when not opened only 'S NAZ is visible on the front. The back of the original album cover includes the letters "I" and "T" causing many to misinterpret the title of the album as "'Snaz" which is incorrect. That no space was left between the 'S' and 'NAZ' seems deliberate, as contemporary adverts for the album in the music press write it as IT'SNAZ. The band's official website gives the title as It's Naz.

The album was recorded at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, Canada, in May 1981 during the band's 1981 North American tour. The band recorded several of the dates on the tour but felt this one show was fine in its entirety. The album was mixed at The Manor, Oxfordshire.

The original LP featured two bonus studio tracks, "Juicy Lucy" and a re-recording of "Morning Dew". Together with "Crazy (A Suitable Case for Treatment)", from the Heavy Metal soundtrack, these were the first studio recordings of the new 6-piece line-up. In Germany, the LP originally came with a free bonus 1-sided 7", a remix of "Morning Dew" with the vocals sung in German, and thus titled "Morgentau". This was never issued separately, although it is sometimes (incorrectly) listed as a promo single.

Due to time-constraints, the original 1987 single-CD release dropped five tracks from the original vinyl ("Every Young Man's Dream", "Big Boy", "Let Me Be Your Leader" and the two studio cuts). The 1997 remaster by Rob Corich, on the Castle Communications / Essential label, again did not include all tracks, as the label did not consider a 2-CD set to be financially viable. However, it did restore "Let Me Be Your Leader", whilst the remaining four absent tracks were included on the 1998 reissue of The Fool Circle.

Eagle Records acquired the Nazareth back catalogue at the turn of the century, and set about reissues. In 2001 Snaz was finally transferred to CD in its entirety, being a "30th Anniversary Edition" 2CD release, including all live tracks in the correct running-order, plus the two studio tracks that finish side D of the original vinyl. A sticker on the front drew attention to the fact, reading "Original complete double album available for the first time on CD. Digitally remastered."

In 2011 Salvo Records re-released the album with additional material from a Seattle concert together with "Crazy (A Suitable Case for Treatment)" and the German version of "Morning Dew" (titled Morgentau).[3] Salvo's CD 1 comprises sides 1-3 of the original vinyl (tracks 1-15), while CD 2 consists of side 4 of the original vinyl, expanded with bonus tracks.

Reception[edit]

In 2005, IT'SNAZ was ranked number 430 in Rock Hard magazine's book The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time.[4]

Track listing[edit]

Side 1[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Telegram: On Your Way/ So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star/ Sound Check"Chris Hillman, Roger McGuinn/Agnew, Charlton, McCafferty, SweetClose Enough for Rock 'n' Roll (1976)6:33
2."Razamanaz"Manny Charlton, Dan McCafferty, Pete Agnew, Darrell SweetRazamanaz (1973)4:23
3."I Want To (Do Everything for You)" (Joe Tex cover)Joe TexPlay 'n' the Game (1976)5:16
4."This Flight Tonight" (Joni Mitchell cover)Joni MitchellLoud 'N' Proud (1973)3:46
5."Beggars Day" (Grin cover)Nils LofgrenHair of the Dog (1975)3:37

Side 2[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Every Young Man's Dream"SweetThe Fool Circle (1981)3:54
2."Heart's Grown Cold"Zal CleminsonMalice in Wonderland (1980)5:51
3."Java Blues" (Rick Danko cover)Emmett Grogan, Rick Danko 5:06
4."Cocaine" (J.J. Cale cover)J.J. CaleThe Fool Circle (1981)5:04
5."Big Boy"CleminsonMalice in Wonderland (1980)5:19

Side 3[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Holiday"Manny Charlton, Dan McCafferty, Pete Agnew, Darrell SweetMalice in Wonderland (1980)3:40
2."Dressed to Kill"Manny Charlton, Dan McCafferty, Pete Agnew, Darrell SweetThe Fool Circle (1981)3:55
3."Hair of the Dog"Manny Charlton, Dan McCafferty, Pete Agnew, Darrell SweetHair of the Dog (1975)6:07
4."Expect No Mercy"Manny Charlton, Dan McCafferty, Pete Agnew, Darrell SweetExpect No Mercy (1977)4:37
5."Shapes of Things" (The Yardbirds cover)Jim McCarty, Keith Relf, Paul Samwell-SmithRampant (1974)6:22

Side 4[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Let Me Be Your Leader"CharltonThe Fool Circle (1981)4:44
2."Love Hurts" (The Everly Brothers cover)Boudleaux BryantHair of the Dog (1975)3:59
3."Tush" (ZZ Top cover)Frank Beard, Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill 4:55
4."Juicy Lucy (Studio Track)"Manny Charlton, Dan McCafferty, Pete Agnew, Darrell Sweetstudio4:17
5."Morning Dew (1981 Studio Version)" (Bonnie Dobson cover)Bonnie Dobson, Tim Rosestudio3:55

2011 Salvo Disc 2 bonus tracks[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Java Blues" (live in Seattle)Emmett Grogan, Rick Danko4:13
7."Cocaine" (live in Seattle)J.J. Cale5:09
8."Big Boy" (live in Seattle)Zal Cleminson5:04
9."Holiday" (live in Seattle)Manny Charlton, Dan McCafferty, Pete Agnew, Darrell Sweet3:34
10."Let Me Be Your Leader" (live in Seattle)Manny Charlton4:34
11."Dressed to Kill" (live in Seattle)Manny Charlton, Dan McCafferty, Pete Agnew, Darrell Sweet3:47
12."Hair of the Dog" (live in Seattle)Manny Charlton, Dan McCafferty, Pete Agnew, Darrell Sweet5:48
13."Morgentau" (German version of Morning Dew)Bonnie Dobson, Tim Rose4:01
14."Crazy (A Suitable Case for Treatment)" (from Heavy Metal soundtrack)Manny Charlton, Dan McCafferty, Pete Agnew, Darrell Sweet3:26
  • Disc 1 of the 2011 Salvo Remaster includes Sides 1-3 of the original vinyl release. Disc 2 includes Side 4 plus the 9 bonus tracks listed above.
  • Morgentau and Crazy (A Suitable Case for Treatment) are also available on Salvo reissue of The Fool Circle album; Morgentau is also available on the 30th anniversary edition of The Fool Circle album.

Personnel[edit]

Nazareth

Charts[edit]

Chart (1981) Peak
position
UK Albums (OCC)[5] 78
US Billboard 200[6] 83

References[edit]

  1. ^ Allmusic review
  2. ^ Strong, Martin Charles (1995). The Great Rock Discography. p. 577. ISBN 9780862415419.
  3. ^ Listing for the remastered version of the It's Naz album on Discogs.com, (accessed 15 March 2015).
  4. ^ Best of Rock & Metal - Die 500 stärksten Scheiben aller Zeiten (in German). Rock Hard. 2005. p. 37. ISBN 3-89880-517-4. OCLC 62273803.
  5. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  6. ^ "Nazareth Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 6, 2024.