Sweet is a glam rock band that had their peak of success in during the glam rock movement in the 1970’s. The band achieved the huge success in their home country, the U.K. and were very successful abroad.

Intro (Edit)

Sweet is a glam rock band that had their peak of success in during the glam rock movement in the 1970’s. The band achieved the huge success in their home country, the U.K. and were very successful abroad.

In 1968, Mick Tucker and Brian Connolly formed a band called The Sweetshop. They recruited a bassist named, Steve Priest. Then the band found Frank Torpey to play guitar for them. It didn’t take long for the band get gigs and get signed to a record label.

During this time another band released a single under the name Sweetshop and the band shortened their name to The Sweet.

Their debut single, Slow Motion, failed to chart, so the band was released from their recording contract. When that happened, Frank Torpey left.

Then in 1969, Torpey was replaced by guitarist Mick Stewart. The band got signed again and they released three more singles, which all failed to chart again. With the failure to chart, Stewart quit the band and guitarist Andy Scott replaced him.

In December of 1970, the band had a split album with The Pipkins called, Gimme Dat Ding. Side one contained six songs by The Sweet, and side two contained six songs by The Pipkins. The split album was released by EMI’s budget record label called, MFP, Music For Pleasure.

With the new line-up and worldwide record contract with RCA Records, they released their official debut album in 1971. The album, Funny How Sweet Co-Co Can Be, gave the band their first taste of success with the successful single, Funny Funny. By March of 1971, the song was climbing into the Top 20 on most world wide charts. The following singles were, All You’ll Ever Get From Me, which failed to chart, Co-Co, which became a hit, and the last single was, Alexander Graham Bell was only a minor hit. The album itself failed to chart.

In December of 1972, the band released a greatest hits compilation. Although being a greatest hits album, some singles were released. The song, Poppa Joe, was released and peaked at number 11 on the U.K. charts. The next two singles, Little Willy, and, Wig-Wam Bam, both peaked at number 4 on U.K. charts. After a re-issue in 1973, Little Willy peaked at number 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Little Willy was the bands biggest U.S. hit to that date.

The band’s next album, The Sweet, was released in July of 1973. It was the first album to be released in the U.S. by the band. It contains some of the singles that the band had played on. It contained hits from the U.K. such as, Little Willy, Wig-Wam Bam, Hell Raiser, and Block Buster. The album peaked at number 191 in the U.S. charts.

By 1974, the band had began to be tired of the way the band was going. So the band decided to record the next album without Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, who had taken artistic control from the band. The result of this decision was the band’s first entry into the U.K. Albums Chart. The album was called, Sweet Fanny Adams. It was the first of two album to be released in 1974 by the band. The album peaked at number 27 in the U.K. charts. The album was not released in the U.S. but a handful of songs from the album appeared on the band’s next American release.

The band’s next album was called, Desolation Boulevard, and was released in November of 1974. There were two versions of the album released, the U.K. version and the U.S. version. The albums had different track listings. The U.S. version contained the major hit, The Ballroom Blitz. The first single, The Six Teens, was, in the U.K., a Top 10 hit. The next single, Turn It Down, peaked at number 41 on the U.K. charts and only received minimal airplay.

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History (Edit)

In 1975, the band released a compilation album called, The Sweet Singles Album. It contained successful songs such as, Ballroom Blitz and Block Buster. The album was only released in Australia and New Zealand and was relased by RCA Records.

Strung Up, was the bands next release. The double album was released in November of 1975. Side one was a live album that was recorded on December 12th, 1973. The second album was a mix of studio songs and more recent singles. The album was not originally released in the U.S. But in the U.K., Japan, and Italy. In time, the album did get released in other countries.

In 1976, the band released their next album, Give Us A Wink. This was the first album that was written entirely by the band. The album peaked at number 27 in the U.S., but didn’t even chart in the band’s own country. The band had two successful singles prior to the album, and they charted in the U.S. and the U.K., but their third single, released to Australia only, failed to chart. The U.S. version also had a slightly different  track listing.

Off The Record, the band’s next album, was released in April of 1977. The first single was released before the album was released, the song, Lost Angels, was only a hit in Germany. The next single projected the band as having a Europop rock direction. This was the band’s last studio album with their current label.

In 1977, the band decided to release another greatest hits compilation called, The Golden Greats. This was the band’s last album with RCA Records.

The band’s next studio album was called, Level Headed. It was a successful album propelled by successful singles such as, Love Is Like Oxygen, and California Nights. This was the last album to feature the ‘classic’ Sweet line-up.

After a tour of many drunken performances and not so great studio performances, Brian Connolly, left the band. It was publically said that he wanted to pursue a solo career. Despite the loss of Connolly, the band continued as a three piece for a while.

The band’s next album, Cut Above The Rest, was released in 1979. Two songs were included from recording sessions with Connolly, but besides those two songs, bassist Steve Priest and guitarist Andy Scott sang on the album.

The band’s eighth studio album was released in 1980 and called, Waters Edge. The album has two different versions that were released, the European version and the U.S. version. The U.S. version was called, VI, because it was the sixth album to be released in the U.S. by the band. The two versions also had different track listings.

The band’s next album, Identity Crisis, was released in 1982. Shortly after the band released this album, they disbanded. This would be the band’s last album.

After a few years off, Scott and Tucker tried to reform the band with new members. Priest was asked to join, but he declined. So they found singer Paul Mario Day, keyboarist Phil Lanzon, and bass player Malcolm McNulty.

Due to having to travel so much, Day had to leave the band. Bassist, McNulty moved to singer, as he now sings for Slade, the band hired Jeff Brown to play bass guitar.

Keyboardist, Phil Lanzon was also in the band Uriah Heep and when Uriah Heep’s schedule had gotten to much, he had to leave the band. His replacement was Steve Mann. Steve was with the band for a five and a half year term.

In 1991, drummer Mick Tucker had to leave the band because of health reasons.

On February 9th, 1997, Brian Connolly died of liver failure and repeated heart attacks from his chronic alcoholism. His remains were cremated and scattered over water.

In February 14, 2002, Mick Tucker died of leukemia. He was buried in an unmarked grave in Chorleywood House Cemetary.

Today, there are two versions of Sweet, Andy Scott’s version and Steve Priest’s version. Neither bands have released any new studio albums, but they do tour.

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