This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Bivariate-correlator (talk | contribs) at 00:30, 11 March 2005. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 00:30, 11 March 2005 by Bivariate-correlator (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)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 teenage 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 had 8 number 1 singles in Germany with pop orientated tunes as ‘Co Co’, ‘Little Willy’, ‘Wig Wam Bam’ before the success continued with the rock anthems ‘Blockbuster’, ‘Hellraiser’, ‘Ballroom Blitz’, ‘Teenage Rampage’ and ‘Fox On The Run’. Worldwide, Sweet achieved 16 top 40 hit singles during 1971-1978.
Sweet consisted of singer Brian Connolly, drummer Michael Tucker, bassist Steve Priest, and guitarist Andy Scott. A product of the very successful Nicky Chinn/ Mike Chapman songwriting team, Sweet are perhaps best remembered for their outrageous stage clothing - glitter and platform boots and 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
Sweet's origins go back to 1965. UK band Wainwright's Gentleman included drummer Mick Tucker and Ian Gillan. When Gillan quit in May 1965 to join Episode Six, he was replaced by vocalist Brian Connolly. Tucker and Connolly remained with the band until 1968.
In 1968, Brian Connolly and Mick Tucker left Wainwrights Gentleman to form another band. They recruited a bass guitarist/lead vocalist named Steve Priest from a local band called "The Countdowns". Along with a guitarist named Gordon Fairminer, the band was called "Sweetshop". Gordon Fairminer's stay was brief and he was replaced by Frank Torpy. It didn't take long for Sweetshop to develope a following on the pub circuit and as a result were signed to the Fontana Label. At the time another UK band released a single under the same name "Sweetshop", hence the band finally shortened the name to "Sweet". Sweet's debut single was titled "Slow Motion". This single failed to chart. Sweet were released from their contract and Frank Torpy decided to leave the band.
In 1969, a new guitarist named Mick Stewart joined the group. Sweet signed a new record contract with EMI's Parlophone Label. The three singles, "Lollipop Man", "All You'll Ever Get From Me", and "Get on The Line", all failed to chart. Stewart then left and was replaced by ex-Elastic Band guitarist Andy Scott.
Sweet initially attempted to combined various musical influences, including bubblegum acts such as the Archies, with more rock orientated influences such as The Who, and The Beatles.
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 15 hit singles in a row; the most successful being their first UK number 1 top 40 hit 'Blockbuster'.
As the group's popularity grew, Sweet put in a heavy schedule of TV promotional appearances, including numerous ‘Top Of The Pops' slots, and soon picked up an large teenage audience. The band capitalised on the Glam explosion, rivalling Gary Glitter, Wizzard and Slade for outrageous stage clothing.
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 early big hit singles. Sweet 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 glamour there was a heavy rock band of considerable talent.
Many writers 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 now concentrated on proving their musical talents on self-written hard rock/pop tracks such as Action and Fox on the Run.
During 1976, Sweet attempted to gain popularity in America by promoting their ‘Give Us A Wink' album with a heavy schedule of over 50 dates. During one appearance, Sweet played 'All Right Now' with Ritchie Blackmore in a tribute to mark the death of Free guitarist Paul Kossoff.
The 1976 and 1977 years featured Sweet as an album orientated heavy metal pop act. Albums such as 'Give Us a Wink', and 'Off the Record', were undoubtedly Sweet's heaviest studio albums.
Sweet split from from RCA in late 1977. The first album for new label Polydor, ‘Level Headed’, found Sweet experimenting with combining rock and classical music, which was an approach not dissimilar to UK band ELO. Sweet 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 cardiac arrests at the height of his excess.
Before Brian Connelly announced his departure in February 1979, his vocals were erased from the recorded material for the ensuing ‘Cut Above The Rest' album and Sweet continued on as a trio, with Scott and Priest now handling lead vocals. Sweet finally disbanded in 1982.
In 1988, Sweet briefly re-formed to complete a video musical documentary. Some re-worked studio versions of Action, and Ballroom Blitz were also recorded.
Brian Connolly 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 under Andy Scott's Sweet. Steve Priest is now a Los Angeles session musician and recording engineer.
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
- Sweet Singles Album, 1975 (released in Australia)
- 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