THEY reckoned being in a rock band would be "a bit of fun for a year" or so but half a century on, Nazareth are still rolling and making new records.

Their first studio album was released on November 12, 1971, and the final mix of their 25th was finished exactly 50 years later, on November 12, 2021.

'Surviving The Law' will be released tomorrow (Friday) and will keep Naz out in front as the most studio-recorded Scottish rock band of all time.

Founder member and bassist Pete Agnew laughed: "Not bad going for a bunch of guys who back in 1971, after being asked by our manager to pack in our ‘proper’ jobs and go down to London to record an album of songs we had written and do some touring to promote it, thought it would be a bit of fun for a year."

They were also the first Scottish band to put a ‘rock’ album in the charts, been number one in several countries, kept 'Love Hurts' in the Norwegian top 10 for a record-breaking 62 weeks and were – almost – presented with a gold disc in Brazil.

He added: "The only other Scottish band that comes anywhere close is Simple Minds with 18 studio albums under their belt.

"As well as 25 studio albums, we’ve released eight official live albums and 15 official compilations, but there are dozens more ‘unofficial’ ones out there."

The Dunfermline band have been rocking for six decades – vinyl has been and gone and come back again, they've been around that long – but hadn't anticipated their musical journey lasting beyond 12 months.

Pete recalled: "We started rehearsals as a ‘full-time’ band on July 1, 1971, at an old factory in Jamestown, Inverkeithing.

"That first year as a professional outfit went exceptionally well and so come July 1 in 1972 we phoned each other saying, ‘Fancy giving it another year?’

"And on it went. It became a band tradition that on every July 1 we would call each other and ask, 'Fancy giving it another year?’

"Dan and I were still doing that right up until 2013 when he had to retire."

Despite a lack of recognition on these shores – Pete admitted: "We were never darlings of the press" – they have been awarded more than 40 platinum, gold and silver albums from all around the world.

And they almost got their hands on a gold single for 'Love Hurts' at a lavish reception in Brazil.

Pete laughed: "The president of the record company opened this velvet-covered box to show a beautifully-mounted gold disc and had us gather round to have photos taken.

"He then closed the box, popped it in his briefcase and that’s the last we ever saw of it!"

Nazareth recorded 'Surviving The Law' at Sub Station Studios in Rosyth and hope to embark on a tour, including dates in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, Sweden and Canada, later this year.