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Sweet (referred to as "The Sweet" on one album) were a popular British rock group of the 1970s.
Although Sweet were largely known for their Glam Rock image and several teenage anthem top 40 singles, they released many 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 eight 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 consecutive top 40 hit singles during 1971-1978.
Sweet consisted of vocalist Brian Connolly, drummer Michael Tucker, bassist Steve Priest, and guitarist Andy Scott. A product of the very successful Nicky Chinn / Mike Chapman song writing team, Sweet are perhaps best remembered for their glam 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 reasoned that going to the make-up room was a good method of doing so.
History
Sweet's origins go back to 1965, with UK band Wainwright's Gentleman, which included drummer Mick Tucker and vocalist Ian Gillan. Gillan eventually joined Deep Purple. 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 develop 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.
With the new line-up now in place, a management deal was secured with a newly formed and unknown song writing team of Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman. This management deal also included a worldwide (except USA) record contract with RCA.
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. This fusion of Bubblegum and Hard Rock would be a central trademark of Sweet's music.
In March 1971, Sweet's "Funny Funny" single became their first international hit, climbing to number one on many of the world's charts. "Co Co" was the next single issued, which outsold "Funny Funny". The next single, "Alexander Graham Bell" was only a minor hit. Their first LP, titled "Funny How Sweet Coco Can Be", was released towards the end of 1971 but failed to chart. As the LP faded into obscurity, Sweet found themselves being labelled as nothing but a top 40 singles band.
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 Sweet worked with 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 started to take the song writing reins from the 1974 "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 fans consider that the 1974 "Sweet Fanny Adams" album was the first indication of the band's ability to write apart from Chinn and Chapman. Indeed, Chinn and Chapman only contributed two songs on this album. This trend would continue until late 1974 when Sweet wrote all their own material on subsequent single and album releases.
A second album was released during 1974, called "Desolation Boulevard". Sweet had also gained public praise from The Who's guitarist, Pete Townshend. Sweet also frequently cited The Who as being one of their main influences. Unfortunately, in June of 1974 Brian Connnolly was attacked prior to the group going on as support to The Who at Charlton Athletics' Football Ground ‘The Valley’, and had to take time out from singing as his throat was badly bruised.
In 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".
In 1975, Sweet's first self-written and produced single, "Fox on the Run", was released worldwide and instantly became their biggest selling hit, going to number one on many of the world's charts.
During 1976, Sweet attempted to gain popularity in America by promoting their "Give Us A Wink" album with a heavy schedule of over 50 concert 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 RCA in late 1977. The first album for new label Polydor, "Level Headed", found Sweet experimenting by 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 top 10 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 both handling lead vocals. Keyboard player Gary Moberley completed the four-piece line-up. Sweet finally disbanded in 1982.
In 1988, Connolly, Scott, Priest, and Tucker briefly re-formed to record music for the first time in seven years. Some re-worked studio versions of "Action", and "Ballroom Blitz" were recorded in Los Angeles.
In 1990, all four members were again re-united. This time for the promotion of a video release titled "Sweet's Ballroom Blitz". This UK release, which contained UK television performances from the 1970s, including current-day interviews, was released at Tower Records, London.
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 (one side only), 1971
- Funny How Sweet Coco Can Be, 1971
- The Sweet's Biggest hits, 1972
- Sweet Fanny Adams, 1974
- Desolation Boulevard, 1974
- The Sweet Singles Album, 1975 (released in Australia/NZ)
- 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 Sixteens" #9 UK
- 1974 "Turn it Down" #41 UK
- 1974 "Peppermint Twist" #1 Australia
- 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