Sweet (band)

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Image:Sweet-1974.jpeg

Sweet (referred to as The Sweet on singles until 1975 and albums until 1974) were a popular British rock group of the 1970s.

1 Synopsis
2 History
3 Album Discography
4 Hit Singles
5 Influences
6 Similar Artists
7 Famous Cover Versions
8 External links

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Synopsis

Although Sweet were largely known for their glam rock image, and several hit singles -- many of them being so-called teenage anthems -- they also released several albums throughout a ten year career. The extent of Sweet's domination of the charts in Europe resulted in eight number one singles in Germany, with pop oriented tunes as "Co Co", "Little Willy", and "Wig Wam Bam". Sweet's success continued with more rock oriented tunes, such as "Blockbuster", "Hellraiser", "Ballroom Blitz", "Teenage Rampage", and "Fox On The Run". The group had a world-wide following (clocking up no less than 18 top 20 hit singles) and were most notably popular in the UK, Germany and Australia.

The classic Sweet line-up consisted of vocalist Brian Connolly, drummer Mick Tucker, bassist Steve Priest, and guitarist Andy Scott. Sweet are perhaps best remembered for their glam stage clothing - glitter, platform boots, chain mail shirts, 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.

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History

Sweet's origins go back to 1965, with playing a mixture of R&B and psychedelia U.K. band Wainwright's Gentlemen, that included drummer Mick Tucker and vocalist Ian Gillan. Gillan quit in May 1965 to join Episode Six, and later, Deep Purple. Gillan's replacement was vocalist Brian Connolly. Tucker and Connolly remained with the band until 1968.

In 1968, Brian Connolly and Mick Tucker left Wainwright's Gentlemen, 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 they were signed to the Fontana Label. At the time, another U.K. band released a single under the same name Sweetshop, so the band shortened the name to Sweet. Their debut single "Slow Motion" (07.1968) failed to chart. Sweet were released from their contract, and Frank Torpy left.

In 1969 guitarist Mick Stewart joined, and Sweet signed a new record contract with EMI's Parlophone Label. Three more bubblegum pop singles were released, "Lollipop Man" (09.1969), "All You'll Ever Get From Me" (01.1970), and Archies cover, "Get On The Line" (06.1970), which all failed to chart. Stewart then quit, 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, consisting of Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman. Phil Wainman was the executive producer. This management deal also included a worldwide (except U.S.A.) record contract with RCA.

Sweet initially attempted to combine various musical influences, including 1960s bubblegum pop groups such as the Archies and The Monkees, with more rock-oriented groups such as The Who. Sweet adopted the rich vocal harmony style of The Hollies, with distorted guitars and a heavy rhythm section. This fusion of pop and hard rock, would remain a central trademark of Sweet's music.

Another influence on Sweet's music was 1960s drummer Sandy Nelson, as heard on Mick Tucker's drumming style. In particular, Sweet tracks such as "Ballroom Blitz", and "Man With The Golden Arm", all contain elements of Sandy Nelson's 1961 U.S. Top 10 hit, "Let There Be Drums".

In March 1971, Sweet's "Funny Funny" single became their first international hit, climbing to number one on many of the world's charts. Although next "All You'll Ever Get From Me" (05.1971) failed to charts, following "Co-Co" (06.1971) became a big hit (U.K. #2), which outsold "Funny Funny". But the follower "Alexander Graham Bell" (10.1971) was only a minor hit (#33 in U.K.). Sweet's 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 by music critics as nothing more than a Top 40 singles band.

In February 1972 single "Popa Joe" was issued and stopped at the gates of British Top 10. Next one, "Wig Wam Bam" (06.1972) always ran at #4. Although this single remained largely true to the style of Sweet's previous hits, the vocals and guitars were stronger, and more rock-oriented than on the group's previous singles. It was in many ways, a transition single, paving the way for the change of musical emphasis that came in January 1973 with "Block Buster" (later often as "Blockbuster"), Sweet's first (and only) single, which quickly reached number 1 on the UK singles chart. "Hellraiser" (sometimes as "Hell Raiser") was released in April and took position #2, that was repeated by the followers "Ballroom Blitz" (09.1973) and "Teenage Rampage" (02.1974).

As the group's popularity grew, Sweet put in a heavy schedule of U.K. and European TV promotional appearances, including numerous Top Of The Pops and Supersonic slots. Sweet soon picked up a large teenage audience. The band also capitalised on the Glam explosion, rivalling Gary Glitter, T. Rex, Queen, Wizzard, and Slade for outrageous stage clothing.

By mid 1974, Sweet had grown tired of the artistic control Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman exerted over their career, hence the group decided to record without the duo. The resulting album, Sweet Fanny Adams, was their first Top 40 chart album, also demonstrating a heavy rock band of considerable talent. Sweet also dropped their Glam image in favour of a more conventional, hard rock, appearance. In response to music critics, Sweet concentrated on proving their musical talents with self-written, hard rock/pop album tracks.

The Sweet Fanny Adams album (first for the band as Sweet) also featured compressed high-pitched backing vocal harmonies, which was a trend that continued on all of Sweet's albums. Sweet, and fellow U.K. band Queen, were both recognised as one of the main exponents of high-pitched harmonies during the 1970s.

The second album released during 1974 was called Desolation Boulevard. One of the tracks off this album was a cover of The Who's "My Generation" (not on the U.S. version of the album). Sweet received public praise from The Who's guitarist, Pete Townshend. Sweet also frequently cited The Who as being one of their main influences. At Townshend's invitation, Sweet were invited to support The Who at Charlton Athletics' Football Ground. Unfortunately, in June of 1974, Brian Connnolly was attacked before the group's went on as support, and he took time out from singing as his throat was badly bruised. The first single to the album, "The Six Teens" (07.1974) made #9 in U.K., but the second, "Turn It Down" (11.1974) could run there only at #41. The third one was "Fox On The Run" (always under name Sweet) in March 1975, their first self-written and producing single, and again easy won U.K. #2, also became a worldwide hit as a newcomer "Action" that July.

In 1975, RCA released a compilation titled The Sweet Singles Album (only in Australia and New Zealand). This LP featured hard rock single recordings of 1973-74, including the hits "Ballroom Blitz", "Teenage Rampage", "Blockbuster", "Hell Raiser" with the B sides as well as a studio part of 1973-75 on a double LP issue of the album Strung Up that November.

During 1976, Sweet attempted to gain popularity in America by promoting new version of single "Action" and whole album Give Us A Wink with a heavy schedule of more than fifty 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. Another single to the LP and opening it, "The Lies In Your Eyes" (01.1976) went into Top 10 in Germany and Holland, but in England was only #35 and failed to U.S. charts at all.

The 1976 and 1977 years featured Sweet as more an album oriented, pop-metal act. Albums such as Give Us a Wink and Off the Record with the pair of 1974 were undoubtedly Sweet's heaviest studio albums. Indeed, U.S. Top 20 breaker "Action" was the group's hardest rocking hit single.

Sweet split from RCA in late 1977. The first album for new label Polydor, Level Headed, found Sweet experimenting by combining rock and classical sounds "a-la clavesin", an approach similar to U.K. band ELO. Sweet undertook a successful British tour in early 1978. But, "Love Is Like Oxygen" (01.1978) was their last U.K. (as well as and U.S.) Top 10 hit.

In February 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. He also suffered cardiac arrests at the height of his excess.

Before Brian Connolly announced his departure in February 1979, his vocals were erased from the recorded material for the ensuing album Cut Above The Rest, 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. Two more studio albums were recorded between 1980 and 1982, that practically became Sweet's final year.

In 1988, Connolly, Scott, Priest, and Tucker briefly reformed to record music for the first time in seven years. Some reworked studio versions of "Action", and "Ballroom Blitz", were recorded in Los Angeles. During the same year, "Blockbuster" was sampled by The Timelords (later The KLF) as part of their number one single, Doctorin' The Tardis. The track also featured samples of Gary Glitter's Rock And Roll (Part 1) and the Doctor Who theme, and reached number one in the UK charts on June 12.

In 1990, all four members were again re-united for the promotion of a video, 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. In 1993 Def Leppard released a successful cover version of Action.

Brian Connolly died from liver failure in 1997, aged 52, having been content in his final years, to appear in retrospective documentaries, to demonstrate the damage he had inflicted upon himself. Mick Tucker also died in 2002 from leukaemia, aged 54.

Sweet's two remaining members are still active in the music industry. Andy Scott currently continues to tour as 'Andy Scott's Sweet'. Indeed, February 2006 saw the release of a new Suzi Quatro album, "Back To The Drive", which was produced by Andy Scott.

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Album Discography

Gimme Dat Ding (one side only), December 1970
Funny How Sweet Coco Can Be, November 1971
The Sweet's Biggest Hits (compilation), December 1972
Poppa Joe (compilation), 1972 (Italy only)
The Sweet, July 1973 (1971-73 singles compilation, US title - "The Sweet featuring Little Willy & Block Buster")
Sweet Fanny Adams, April 1974; #27 UK;
Desolation Boulevard, November 1974; # 3 Australia; # 25 US (US version of 1975)
The Sweet Singles Album (compilation), 1975 (Australia & NZ); # 1 Australia
Strung Up (double live & studio album), November 1975
Give Us a Wink, March 1976; # 27 US
Off the Record, March 1977
The Golden Greats (compilation), October 1977
Level Headed, January 1978; # 52 US
The Sweet (compilation), July 1978
Cut Above the Rest, October 1979
Water's Edge (US title - "Sweet IV"), April 1980
Identity Crisis, November 1982

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Hit Singles

1971 "Funny Funny" - #13 UK; - US; #5 Germany; #1 Holland.
1971 "Co-Co" - #2 UK; # 99 US; # 1 Germany; #3 Holland.
1971 "Alexander Graham Bell" - #33 UK; - US; #24 Germany; #38 Holland.
1972 "Poppa Joe" - #11 UK; - US; #3 Germany; #1 Holland.
1972 "Little Willy" - #4 UK; #3 US (1973 release); #1 Germany; #7 Holland.
1972 "Wig-Wam Bam" - #4 UK; - US; #1 Germany; #6 Holland.
1973 "Blockbuster" - #1 UK; #73 US; # 1 Germany; #1 Holland.
1973 "Hell Raiser" - #2 UK; - US; # 1 Germany; #4 Holland.
1973 "Ballroom Blitz" - #2 UK; #5 US (1975 release); #1 Australia; # 1 Germany; #4 Holland.
1974 "Teenage Rampage" - #2 UK; - US; # 1 Germany; #11 Holland.
1974 "The Six Teens" - #9 UK; - US; #4 Germany; #7 Holland.
1974 "Turn It Down" - #41 UK; - US; #4 Germany.
1974 "Peppermint Twist" (Australia only) - #1 Australia.
1975 "Fox On The Run" - #2 UK; #5 US (1976 release); # 1 Australia; # 1 Germany; #2 Holland.
1975 "Action" - #15 UK; #15 US (1976 release); #2 Germany; #6 Holland.
1976 "The Lies In Your Eyes" - #35 UK; - US; #5 Germany; #9 Holland.
1976 "Lost Angels" - #13 Germany; - UK, US & Holland.
1977 "Fever Of Love" - #9 Germany; - UK, US & Holland.
1977 "Stairway To The Stars" - #15 Germany; - UK, US & Holland.
1978 "Love Is Like Oxygen" - #9 UK; #8 US; #10 Germany; #16 Holland; # 9 Australia.
1978 "California Nights" - #23 Germany; - UK, US & Holland.
1979 "Funk It Up" - #88 US; - UK, Germany & Holland.
1984 "It's... It's... The Sweetest Mix" - #45 UK.