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Sweet (referred to as "The Sweet" on one album) were a popular British glam rock group of the 1970s.
Although Sweet were largely known for their Glam image and several teeny bop anthem top 40 singles, they were nevertheless a fine hard rock/pop act that released some excellent albums throughout a 10 year career. At their peak in the 1970s, Sweet had sold 50 million records worldwide. Such was their domination of the charts in Europe that the band scored no less than 8 number 1 singles in Germany with such pop orientated tunes as ‘Co Co’, ‘Little Willy’, ‘Wig Wam Bam’ before the success continued apace with the Rock anthems ‘Blockbuster’, ‘Hellraiser’, ‘Ballroom Blitz’, ‘Teenage Rampage’ and ‘Fox On The Run’. Worldwide, Sweet scored 15 top 40 hit singles during an 8 year period.
Sweet consisted of singer Brian Connolly, drummer Michael Tucker, bassist Steve Priest, and guitarist Andy Scott. A product of the very successful Chinnichap songwriting team (Nicky Chinn/ Mike Chapman), Sweet are perhaps best remembered for their outrageous stage gear - glitter and platform boots and heavy makeup - practically defining the camp extreme of the glam rock look. Scott would later say it only happened because they needed an excuse to meet Top Of The Pops dancers Pan's People and figured that going to the make-up room was a good method of doing so.
History
Formed during 1968 in London by members from UK group Wainwright's Gentleman, vocalist Brian Connolly and drummer Mick Tucker, as Sweetshop, they soon added bassist Steve Priest and guitarist Frank Torpy and shortened the band's name to Sweet.
After signing to Fontana and releasing the instant flop single ‘Slow Motion', Torpy quit and in came guitarist Mick Stewart. Sweet then signed to Parlophone, releasing three successive singles, which failed to chart. Stewart then left and was replaced by ex-Elastic Band guitarist Andy Scott.
In March of 1971 Sweet's 'Funny Funny’ single became their first British hit, climbing to number 13. This was to herald no less than 14 hit singles in a row; the most successful being their first UK number 1 hit 'Blockbuster'.
As the group's popularity grew, Sweet put in a heavy schedule of TV appearances, including numerous ‘Top Of The Pops' slots, and soon picked up an eager teenage audience. The band capitalised on the Glam explosion to the full, rivalling Gary Glitter, Wizzard and Slade for outrageous stage gear.
From 1971 to 1974 the band employed the services of songwriters Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, who also wrote at the time for Mud and Suzi Quatro. The duo penned the majority of Sweet's big hit singles. The band themselves only started to take the songwriting reins from the 'Sweet Fanny Adams' album onwards, ironically giving Sweet their first top 40 chart album and proving that beneath all the glitz and glamour there was a heavy Rock band of considerable talent.
Most observers feel that ‘Sweet Fanny Adams’, released in 1974, to be the band’s first legitimate album as further chart success with ‘Teenage Rampage’ promoted the record and another album track, 'Peppermint Twist', gave the band a no.1 single in Australia.
A second album was released during 1974, called ‘Desolation Boulevard’. Sweet had also gained public praise from The Who's guitarist, Pete Townshend. Unfortunately, in June of 1974 Brian Connnolly was attacked prior to the group going on as support to The Who at Charlton Athletic’s Football Ground ‘The Valley’, and had to take time out from singing as his throat was badly bruised.
In late 1974, Sweet dropped their Glam image in favour of a more conventional hard rock appearance. Sweet were now concentrating on proving their considerable musical talents on album tracks.
During 1976, Sweet attempted to crack America promoting their ‘Give Us A Wink' album with a punishing schedule of over 50 dates and at one point jammed with Ritchie Blackmore in a tribute to mark the death of FREE guitarist Paul Kossoff.
The 1976 and 1977 years featured Sweet as a heavy metal pop act. Albums such as 'Give Us a Wink, and 'Off the Record', undoubtedly were the Sweet's heaviest studio albums.
The Sweet split from from RCA in late 1977. The first album for new label Polydor, ‘Level Headed’, found Sweet experimenting with classical music, which was a approach not too dissimilar to UK band ELO. The band undertook a successful British tour in early 1978. Love is Like Oxygen was their last UK hit in 1978.
In 1979 Brian Connolly left the band under acrimonious circumstances and neither he nor the band fully recovered. Brian was particularly suffering from the effects of substantial alcohol intake. Brian suffered several cardiac arrests at the height of his excess.
Before Connelly announced his departure in February 1979, his vocals were wiped from the recorded material for the ensuing ‘Cut Above The Rest' album and Sweet soldiered on as a trio, with Scott and Priest now handling lead vocals.
In 1988, Sweet briefly re-formed to complete a video musical documentary. Some re-worked studio versions of Action, Ballroom Blitz, were also recorded.
Brian died from liver failure in 1997 having been content in his final years to appear in retrospective documentaries to demonstrate the damage he had inflicted upon himself.
Mick Tucker died in 2002 from leukaemia at the age of 54.
Andy Scott continues to tour as the only remaining member of Sweet. Steve Priest is now a session musician.
Discography
- Gimme Dat Ding (1 side only), 1971
- Funny How Sweet CoCo Can Be, 1971
- Biggest hits, 1972
- Sweet Fanny Adams, 1974
- Desolation Boulevard, 1974
- Strung Up (Double Album),1975
- Give Us A Wink, 1976
- Off The Record, 1977
- Level Headed, 1978
- Cut Above The Rest, 1979
- Water's Edge, 1980
- Identity Crisis, 1982
Hit singles
- 1971 "Funny Funny" #13 UK
- 1971 "Co-Co" #2 UK
- 1971 "Alexander Graham Bell" #31 UK
- 1972 "Poppa Joe" #11 UK
- 1972 "Little Willy" #4 UK; #3 US (1973 release)
- 1972 "Wig-Wam Bam" #4 UK
- 1973 "Blockbuster" #1 UK
- 1973 "Hell Raiser" #2 UK
- 1973 "The Ballroom Blitz" #2 UK; #5 US (1975 release)
- 1974 "Teenage Rampage" #2 UK
- 1974 "The Six Teens" #9 UK
- 1975 "Fox on the Run" #2 UK; #5 US (1976 release)
- 1975 "Action" #15 UK; #20 US (1976 release)
- 1976 "The Lies in Your Eyes" #35 UK
- 1977 "Fever of Love" #8 Germany
- 1978 "Love is Like Oxygen" #9 UK; #8 US