Sweet : S/D/C/D?

Search: being Taggart's long lost brother.

"Sugar & spice"

"Sugar": all the 1968-1972 bubblegum/pre-rawk material
"Spice": starting with "Little Willy", all the hit singles/best songs until and including the Level Headed album.

I'll post the list here and on the Rough Guide, Dom, so you can have a list.

SPICE:
1.Little Willy
2.Wig Wam Bam
3.Blockbuster
4.Hellraiser
5.Ballroom Blitz
6.Rock N' Roll Disgrace
7.Teenage Rampage
8.No You Don't
9.Rebel Rouser
10.Peppermint Twist
11.The 6 Teens
12.Fox On The Run (single version)
13.Sweet F.A.
14.Action (U.S. single version)
15.The Lies In Your Eyes
16.Lost Angels
17.Fever Of Love
18.Live For Today
19.Stairway To The Stars
20.Love Is Like Oxygen
21.Dream On

"SPICE" is pretty much the American "Best Of Sweet" CD collection minus the later crap, and some good stuff and blatant ommissions injected here and there.

I've still never figured out the whole Desolation Blvd. saga. I should pick up a copy of the UK version sometime.

I hate the Cubs, but I occasionally listen to their broadcasts on WGN and at least once a game they play that intro to "Fox on the Run" as segue music when they come back from commercial; that big synthesizer riff. I love them for that.

And yeah, the U.S. Desolation Blvd. from 1975 is basically most of U.K. Sweet Fanny Adams from 1974 with one track from U.K. Desolation Blvd. ("Solid Gold Brass"), one track from those sessions I think previously unreleased until then ("I Wanna Be Committed"), and the single version of "Fox On The Run".. basically.
Otherwise, the U.K. version of Desolation Blvd. is completely different. Even the version of "Fox On The Run" is different and sounds like an earlier version. I don't think there has ever been a more warped track list changing from UK to US on any album than on Desolation Blvd..

That said, Repertoire has done a good job of the European issues, for the most part.

Fox on the Run ROXX0R as well, sounds like everyone else has already touched on the other high points. Great band, totally funny with their sexually confused image as well.

"I'm A Man" > "Blockbuster" > "Critical Mass" > "Jean Genie" > "Muckraker"

"Ballroom Blitz" was my most beloved 45 when I was seven, and I had great taste. I liked to play along, imitate the drumbeats using my mom's knitting needles and a little round cushion, until the time I accidentally poked a hole through the cushion's vinyl covering while trying to imitate the really fast part.

Classic!

I think AC/DC, the band, were just fucking around with the interviewer when they said they named themselves after the Sweet song, since a) they formed a year before the song was released (but possibly under a different name, but I don't think so), and b) AC/DC is a common term amongst electric engineers and is not something specific to rock music. This all increases my respect for AC/DC, the band, in my opinion.

Apologies if there's already been a thread about the January BMG reissues, but I just bought Sweet Fanny Adams and it's fantastic. I own nothing else - what should I get next?

Total classic, of course.

Allright, allright, allright, allright!
Rebel rouser, rebel rouser
High speed king worship everything
'Bout the rebel rouser, rebel rouser
Juvenile jive, gotta be a rebel rouser
Gotta be a rebel rouser!
Gotta be a rebel rouser!

How I was oftentimes yelled at by some of my classmates, way back in secondary school (that's mid-70s, huh), for playing 'way too many Sweet songs' while Dj-ing at the school discos...

Secondly, one of the record shops in my hometown at present has several very low-priced Sweet compilations but I haven't so far bought any of them.
Which might change tomorrow :)

e.g.
So you think you'll take another piece of me to satisfy your intellectual greed?
Do you want action?
I was suicidal cos you were my idol,
Baby, baby, baby bring me to my knees
Do you want action?

"Action"

All alone without a telephone
Into the night!

"Into the Night"

Although Rebel Rouser above is obv. "in the style of" B. Gillespie.

Doesn't mean Sweet aren't great though.

I turned a lot of friends on to Sweet when I made an alternate soundtrack to Velvet Goldmine. Has it really been ELEVEN years since that movie came out?? Some of the later songs that sound like an unholy marriage of Queen and ELO got under my skin, and I finally ordered a copy of Level Headed, and can't wait to get it.

Mr. AMG Erlewine - "...It was one part of an ambitious sonic mosaic where Sweet tried a little bit of everything, cloaking it all in a neo-prog aesthetic. If it was hard to hear the candy crunch of early Sweet on "Love Is Like Oxygen," it seems like "Little Willy" in comparison to the rest of Level Headed, where the group runs wild in the studio. Throughout the first half, they indulge in catchy pop, dressing it up with mild psychedelia, elongating melodies with breezy harmonies and studio swirl. This is just a teaser for the second side, where they delve deep into album rock weirdness, trying on classical-inspired art rock with "Anthem No. 1" and "Anthem No. 2," waltzing along with the Europop "Lettres d'Amour," and livening the proceedings with "Strong Love," a horn-spiked disco tune."

Admittedly I don't know much else by Sweet but surely Ballroom Blitz is one of the best songs ever. Also, it's awesome for singing at karaoke.

Just wrote this yesterday morning: Lost Classics: Sweet - Sweet Fanny Adams (RCA) 1974

S: "Wig Wam Bam", "Fox on the Run", "Ballroom Blitz" - all classics

is there anyone who prefers the synth-free, album version of "fox on the run"? because the single version is sooooo much better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJS_eio4DTc&feature=related

Sweeeeet!

lol

Been on a deeply enjoyable Sweet kick lately.

“Wig Wam Bam” is the most joyfully addictive badass jam ever. I love how nonsensical it is but how precise & sharp the rhymes are, like a playground chant.

I’ve dangled a toe in the post-Connolly stuff but god it’s a a slog, nowhere near as enjoyable. I’d much prefer to stay in that glorious run through the 70’s.

When those hits hit, they are fkn MAJESTIC. Like a sequinned satin freight train. :D

All accurate.

"Minne-HA-HA."

Mr Veg reminded me of Krokus’ cover of Ballroom Blitz ... it’s a v amusing novelty on the one hand
...but to get boring for a second, I have to say that musically it’s so depressing to hear that song covered with zero joy & completely devoid of swing. It sounds like the drummer is being dragged along behind them whapping on wet cement. (And yeeesh they really were NOT an attractive band, were they. File under the Accept category of listen but do not look)

https://youtu.be/_fPjQZwhrOE

Sorry for Krokus detour!!

Both Sweet and Slade had really great drummers, which is not insignificant, I feel.

Agree

Man... I've come to the conclusion 'Ballroom Blitz' is the best rock song ever recorded

Well, I'm gonna big up "The Six Teens" if no one else is.

I know everybody is all about the US version of Desolation Boulevard, but I have to say the s/t album (possibly US-only?) w/"Little Willy" and "Blockbuster" kicks major ass too.

Wig Wam Bam is my jam

Ha, I'm co-DJing a '70s Rock night this evening, and I just popped in here to say exactly what I already did two posts up.

That S/T album is straight fire.

no idea what you are referring to by "s/t album", which does not show up on wiki or discogs

This one:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/52/The_Sweet_album_cover.jpg

The spine on mine is worn where the title should be.

Also has "Wig Wam Bam" and "Hell Raiser". Probably a USA-only release.

ah, yeah I have a similar, later comp that's p much the same track listing. those early singles are great.

this one: https://www.discogs.com/The-Sweet-Hell-Raisers/release/3493205

only difference is the totally unnecessary addition of two of their early bubblegum singles (which are v bad)

wall to wall jams

Silly post script: I was cueing up "Hell Raiser" last night when my DJ partner told me the bar was suddenly having to close for the night because somebody messed up the toilets.

Ah man, apparently Steve Priest has passed on:

Very sad to hear that Steve Priest of (The) Sweet has passed away. Genuinely one of my all-time pop heroes. Embodied the essence of Glam: effeminate, but menacing. The original Stormtrooper In Drag.

And had possibly the best title of any autobiography ever: Are You Ready, Steve? pic.twitter.com/CfTxatSm5c

— Simon Price (@simon_price01) June 4, 2020

RIP

aw 😕

RIP Steve ;_;

I still maintain Sweet circa Give Us A Wink, second row center, was one of the best concerts I have ever experienced. RIP, Steve.

What were things that Priest sang lead/co-lead on? He's credited as "bass guitar, lead vocals" on Desolation Boulevard.

I will never tire of "Fox on the Run." I was hoping to post a good movie clip on Facebook--it's used in both Dazed and Confused and Mindhunter (probably other films, too)--but couldn't find anything.

And had possibly the best title of any autobiography ever: Are You Ready, Steve?

Didn't know that--that is indeed great. I hope Andy followed up with Andy? and Mick with Mick?

On the US version it’s only “No You Don’t” according to Wiki. (xp)

Thanks! Up 'til now I had thought Connolly was one of those Robin Zander 'man of 1000 voices'* types and sang everything.

*Not that he wasn't, mind you!

You…You talk about just every band.