The Sweet (band)

***The Sweet*** (also known as Sweet) is a British glam rock band that rose to worldwide fame in the 1970s. Their best known line-up consisted of lead vocalist Brian Connolly, bass player Steve Priest, guitarist Andy Scott, and drummer Mick Tucker. The group was originally called Sweetshop.

The band was formed in London in 1968 and achieved 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 turned to a more hard rock style with their mid-career singles (1974/75). They also achieved success and popularity in the US with three top ten hits.

Sweet had their last Top 10 hit in 1978. Connolly left the group in 1979 to start a solo career and the remaining members continued as a trio until disbanding in 1981. From the mid-1980s, Scott, Connolly and Priest each played with their own versions of Sweet at different times. Connolly died in 1997 and Tucker in 2002. The two surviving members are still active in their respective versions of the band; Scott's is based in the UK and Priest's in the US.

### Classic Lineup (1968 - 1981)

#### Brian Connolly

* **Born** October 5, 1945
* **Died** February 10, 1997

#### Mick Tucker

* **Born** July 17, 1947
* **Died** February 14, 2002

#### Steve Priest

* **Born** February 23, 1948

***Steve Priest*** made his own bass guitar and began playing in local bands as a young teenager, after being influenced by artists such as Jet Harris of the Shadows, the Rolling Stones and the Who.

In January 1968, Priest was invited to form a four-piece band with vocalist Brian Connolly, drummer Mick Tucker, and guitarist Frank Torpey – the band that was to become the Sweet. Torpey was replaced by Mick Stewart in 1969. Guitarist Andy Scott joined in August 1970, following Stewart's departure and the classic line-up established.

Priest often directly backed up Brian Connolly's vocals and took distinctive short high pitched vocal leads which was a key to their musical style at that time. After Brian Connolly left the Sweet in early 1979, Priest became the main singer. This continued until 1982, when the original Sweet disbanded.

Invited in 1985 by former bandmate Andy Scott to reform the Sweet, Steve Priest declined. In January 2008, Priest formed a new version of the Sweet, not related to Andy Scott's version of the band.

**Find out more** at thesweetband.com. **Follow** Steve Priest's Sweet on Twitter and Facebook.

### Sweet Hits

#### 1971

"Funny Funny"

* **Released** January 29, 1971
* UK #13; Silver

"Co-Co"

* **Released** May, 1971
* UK #2; Gold
* US #99

#### 1972

"Poppa Joe"

* **Released** January 28, 1972
* UK #11; Silver
* US #12

"Little Willy"

* **Released** May 19, 1972
* UK #4; Gold
* US #9; Gold

"Wig-Wam Bam"

* **Released** September 1,1972
* UK #4; Gold
* US #8

#### 1973

"Blockbuster"

* **Released** January, 1973
* UK #1; January 27, 1973; five weeks; Gold
* US #7

"Hell Raiser"

* **Released** April 27, 1973
* UK #2; Silver

"Ballroom Blitz"

* **Released** September, 1973
* UK #2; Silver
* US #3

#### 1974

"Teenage Rampage"

* **Released** January 11, 1974
* UK #2; Silver

*Sweet Fanny Adams*

* **Released** April 26, 1974
* #27; Gold

"The Six Teens"

* **Released** July, 1974
* UK #9; Gold

*Desolation Boulevard*

* **Released** November 15, 1974
* Silver
* US #25; Gold

#### 1975

"Fox On the Run"

* **Released** March 7, 1975
* UK #2; Silver
* US #1; Gold

"Action"

* **Released** July, 1975
* UK #15

#### 1978

"Love Is Like Oxygen"

* **Released** January 1, 1978
* UK #9; Silver

#### 1996

*Ballroom Hitz - Very Best Of*

* **Released** December 21, 1995
* #15; Silver