featuredmetalmanny charltonnazareth
17:45 Thursday, 7 July 2022
In an interview with Classic Rock, Nazareth vocalist Pete Agnew talked about the influence of founding guitarist Manny Charlton on the band in terms of working on their material.
Scottish hard rock band Nazareth gained popularity in the ’70s with their album, ‘Hair of the Dog.’ They had many hit songs like ‘Love Hurts,’ ‘Razamanaz,’ and ‘Broken Down Angel.’ Throughout the band’s success, the founding member Manny Charlton contributed to the band’s sound.
After a long tour to promote their ‘Snakes ‘n’ Ladders’ album, Charlton has decided to retire from Nazareth. After ten years apart from the stage, his first solo album ‘Drool’ was released. Several other tracks under his solo works followed this release. ‘Solo’ was the last one to come out in 2016.
Last year, Charlton decided to return to the studio for the last time. He recorded a new version of Nazareth’s 1976 hit ‘Telegram’ to celebrate his 80th birthday. Shortly after, he was confirmed dead by band member Pete Agnew.
Agnew talked about the time Charlton joined the band and how his proposal to write songs for their album changed all their perceptions as a band. They used to sing, but Charlton’s vision changed that not just for themselves but for other bands like Zeppelin, Purple, and Spooky Tooth.
Pete Agnew’s words on Manny Charlton:
“When Manny joined, he was the first guy to suggest writing songs of our own. We’d never even thought of it until then because they employed you as a human jukebox. Then suddenly Zeppelin, Purple, and Spooky Tooth started to appear, and a whole range of possibilities opened up.”
No cause of death was disclosed for the beloved guitarist. Charlton was loved and appreciated not only by his former band members but also by the metalheads. His legacy will continue to inspire up-and-coming bands and musicians.
