SCOTTISH ROCK WITH A SWISS TWIST
With powerful rock songs and dreamy ballads, Nazareth has made a name for itself worldwide over the past 58 years. Since late 2025, a Swiss frontman has been breathing new life into the veteran band: Basel native Gianni Pontillo is the new voice of the Scottish rockers. He’s looking forward to a highly emotional home show at the Prattel Rock Temple.
Founded in 1968 in the Scottish city of Dunfermline, Nazareth—along with bands like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, and Black Sabbath—belongs to the first “hard ’n’ heavy” generation in music history. With nearly 60 million records sold worldwide, Nazareth is, alongside Simple Minds, Scotland’s most internationally successful band. Gianni Pontillo has been at the helm since last December. Over the past thirty years, the Basel native has made a name for himself with Pure Inc, The Order, Fun Halen, Pontillo & The Vintage Crew, and most recently with the German heavy rockers Victory. Now, with Nazareth, he’s taking the next step in his career. Bassist Pete Agnew, the last remaining original member of this rock institution, first contacted Gianni in late 2025. “Pete called me personally after someone from the scene sent him a video of me. I could hardly believe it. The cult band Nazareth. The legendary co-founders of hard rock. I’ve known and loved this band since I was a kid. I used to watch my parents dance around the living room to ‘Love Hurts,’ and they even had a Nazareth ‘Greatest Hits’ album in their record collection.”
Nazareth has now played several concerts with Pontillo, and the newcomer feels right at home in his new role: “It’s just awesome! The guys in the band, the crew, and the whole scene are really amazing. Respect is everything here. You hardly ever find that in the music business these days.” The fans’ reactions have also been very positive. “I’ve already met a lot of die-hard fans, and they’re all really happy to have me as the new frontman. They’ve also told me some fascinating stories about the band and the original singer, Dan McCafferty.” Pontillo really enjoys performing Nazareth’s timeless classics. When asked about his personal favorites, he replies: “I actually like all the songs. But ‘Hair Of The Dog’ and ‘Whiskey Drinkin’ Woman’ are definitely two absolute highlights. One has a really awesome rock groove, the other is an amazing blues number with some really funny lyrics. Pete and I sing in unison here, and our voices just harmonize perfectly.” In November, Pontillo will be coming to Pratteln for the first time with his new band. A very special moment for the singer: “The Z7 is my home; I grew up with the venue, so to speak. This is where I attended my very first concert, and I’ve also played here many times as the opening act for great bands. The venue is legendary, the sound is top-notch, and the whole team is just amazing. I’m already looking forward to this concert. It’s going to be very emotional because friends and family will all be there. It’s going to be a fantastic celebration.”
Translated with DeepL
