Sweaty
ThE OtHeR rAmOnE
The Sweet
Sweet are a British rock band that were a massive glam rock act throughout the 1970s, fronted by lead vocalist Brian Connolly and accompanied by bass player Steve Priest, guitarist Andy Scott, and drummer Mick Tucker.
It started in January 1968, Brian Connolly and Mick Tucker left Wainwright's Gentlemen to form another band, calling themselves The Sweetshop. They then recruited the bass guitarist and lead vocalist Steve Priest. Frank Torpey, a friend of Tucker's, was recruited to play guitar. It did not take long for Sweetshop to develop a following on the pub circuit and they were signed to the Fontana record label. At the time, another UK band released a single under the same name Sweetshop, so the band changed the name to The Sweet. Their debut single "Slow Motion" released in July 1968 failed to chart. Sweet was released from the recording contract and Frank Torpey left.
Their first hit "Funny Funny" in 1971 after teaming up with songwriters Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman and record producer Phil Wainman. During 1971 and 1972, their musical style followed a marked progression from the Archies-like bubblegum style of "Funny Funny" to a Who influenced hard rock style supplemented by a striking use of high-pitched backing vocals. The band achieved notable success in the UK charts, with thirteen Top 20 hits during the 1970s alone, with "Block Buster!" (1973) topping the chart, followed by three consecutive number two hits in "Hell Raiser" (1973), "The Ballroom Blitz" (1973) and "Teenage Rampage" (1974). Their first self-written and produced single "Fox on the Run" (1975) also reached number two on the UK charts. From 1976 the success started to decline and Sweet had their last Top 10 hit in 1978 with "Love is Like Oxygen". The year after, Connolly left the group to start a solo career and the remaining members continued as a threesome until they finally disbanded in 1981.
The three albums that were released after Brian Connolly left the group did not do very well at all with the first of the three "Cut Above The Rest" having limited success, "Water's Edge" and "Identity Crisis" did not even chart.
Since the mid-1980's, Andy Scott, Brian Connolly and Steve Priest have each played with their own versions of Sweet during different periods of time. Connolly died in 1997, and Tucker in 2002. The two surviving members are still active in their respective versions of the band; Andy Scott's is based in the UK and Steve Priest's in California.
Their last studio album was called "Sweetlife" this was released in 2002 and had a more AOR sound with only some songs slightly reminiscing back to the heady days of the 70's with a less heavy sound. The line up featured Andy Scott on lead / backing vocals and guitar, Jeff Brown Lead vocals, Bruce Bisland drums and Steve Grant keyboards and Backing vocals.
Steve Priest has also released a cover version of " The Beatles" "I Saw Her Standing There" as The Sweet in 2010 which is available on iTunes only.
Thanks to Wikipedia and other sites and books for some of the info.
Here is a classic song performed by The Sweet with Ritchie Blackmore on guest guitar...
All Right Now
Sweet are a British rock band that were a massive glam rock act throughout the 1970s, fronted by lead vocalist Brian Connolly and accompanied by bass player Steve Priest, guitarist Andy Scott, and drummer Mick Tucker.
It started in January 1968, Brian Connolly and Mick Tucker left Wainwright's Gentlemen to form another band, calling themselves The Sweetshop. They then recruited the bass guitarist and lead vocalist Steve Priest. Frank Torpey, a friend of Tucker's, was recruited to play guitar. It did not take long for Sweetshop to develop a following on the pub circuit and they were signed to the Fontana record label. At the time, another UK band released a single under the same name Sweetshop, so the band changed the name to The Sweet. Their debut single "Slow Motion" released in July 1968 failed to chart. Sweet was released from the recording contract and Frank Torpey left.
Their first hit "Funny Funny" in 1971 after teaming up with songwriters Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman and record producer Phil Wainman. During 1971 and 1972, their musical style followed a marked progression from the Archies-like bubblegum style of "Funny Funny" to a Who influenced hard rock style supplemented by a striking use of high-pitched backing vocals. The band achieved notable success in the UK charts, with thirteen Top 20 hits during the 1970s alone, with "Block Buster!" (1973) topping the chart, followed by three consecutive number two hits in "Hell Raiser" (1973), "The Ballroom Blitz" (1973) and "Teenage Rampage" (1974). Their first self-written and produced single "Fox on the Run" (1975) also reached number two on the UK charts. From 1976 the success started to decline and Sweet had their last Top 10 hit in 1978 with "Love is Like Oxygen". The year after, Connolly left the group to start a solo career and the remaining members continued as a threesome until they finally disbanded in 1981.
The three albums that were released after Brian Connolly left the group did not do very well at all with the first of the three "Cut Above The Rest" having limited success, "Water's Edge" and "Identity Crisis" did not even chart.
Since the mid-1980's, Andy Scott, Brian Connolly and Steve Priest have each played with their own versions of Sweet during different periods of time. Connolly died in 1997, and Tucker in 2002. The two surviving members are still active in their respective versions of the band; Andy Scott's is based in the UK and Steve Priest's in California.
Their last studio album was called "Sweetlife" this was released in 2002 and had a more AOR sound with only some songs slightly reminiscing back to the heady days of the 70's with a less heavy sound. The line up featured Andy Scott on lead / backing vocals and guitar, Jeff Brown Lead vocals, Bruce Bisland drums and Steve Grant keyboards and Backing vocals.
Steve Priest has also released a cover version of " The Beatles" "I Saw Her Standing There" as The Sweet in 2010 which is available on iTunes only.
Thanks to Wikipedia and other sites and books for some of the info.
Here is a classic song performed by The Sweet with Ritchie Blackmore on guest guitar...
All Right Now
