Very underrated band. Sweet is a memory of my childhood growing up in the 70s. Their music reminds me of better times. Thank you for covering them. I always wondered why they faded away after so many hits.
It’s such a great song. They even used it in a very popular Australian comedy show called “Kath & Kim”. Hysterical! I highly recommend the show. The song gets stuck in your head for days…not a bad thing! 😎
It was used in a soundtrack of a movie I watched on DVD recently (yep I still like DVDs) Can't remember which movie it was but I was totally delighted to hear Sweet.
Not sure they're under-rated. It's where they fit into things. Great band but their sound was somewhere in between hard rock and bubblegum rock, a tough space.
@@Dave5843-d9m Not true. I love jazz, classical and even some pop and trance-dance but my heart is with rock and blues. But I despise hip-hop and rap because both are the absolute antithesis of what music should be.
Mick Tucker’s opening snare shuffle of Ballroom Blitz in 1974. 50 years later, I’m still drumming and was able to chat with Mick before he passed in 2003 from cancer, to tell him his impact on me and inspiration. Love this band then and still decades later, I play along many Sweet songs on my drum kit.
1979. I was 15. Neighbor came knocking. He had an extra ticket to a concert at The Capitol Theatre Passaic, New Jersey. I'd never been to a concert. I told him I'd have to ask my mom if I could go. Ticket Price - $7.50 So, I went. Headliner was Journey, Opening band - Sweet. Happened 45yrs ago and a jaw dropping show I will never forget.
I simply must agree with you that Queen and sweet were cut from the same cord, so to speak, but one question remains and that is how can you listen to Love is like Oxygen and not think of 10cc?
Despite all of the personal struggles and adversity they faced, Sweet will always be legendary, each and every member. Their music lives on. There is a video on YT of Steve Priest playing at his daughters wedding reception. As 'Fox on the Run' begins, Brian Connolly joins him on stage. They sounded great. I almost cried. Then they played 'Action'. Amazing!
I was a brand new 12 year old guitar player when this song came out and it was what kept me playing. That guitar riff was so awesome to me that I immediately started learning it after the first time I heard the song. I still play it to this day.
Saw The Sweet at Hammersmith Odeon in 1979. In 1973 I was visiting some friends in Hayes, London and told them I was a fan of The Sweet. They said "Oh the singer lives round the corner". Went to an end of terrace dour looking house, landlady opened the door and said Brian wasn't in. An hour later we are playing in the street and a limo drives back with all the guys in the back.
@@travtravis2917 I was one of those people who never thought about keeping their concert tickets and was trying to make the best guess from whether I travelled from Stafford or Stoke to go to London.
@@satyb Lucky enough i did keep them & have still got a lot of tickets from other bands of that sort of time, I also knew it was 1978 as they were plugging Level Headed & Love is like oxygen 👍
Had a few Sweet records back in the day. They were a good band. But my biggest record buying decade was the eighties, once I was working. The late seventies I was more into Blondie, Stranglers and Boom Town Rats. Punk was in. Glam rock was out.
Growing up in the UK, I had a few aunts that were HUGE fans on Sweet during their run, going to their concerts as teenage girls, and coming home with mascara running down their face. Ditto for stories about Bay City Rollers concerts. They have so many great tracks, and growing up in the 80's, they were most definitely a big part of the soundtrack of my childhood. Songs like Little Willy, Co-Co, Block Buster, Hell Raiser, and my personal favorite to play on guitar, Wig-Wam Bam, as it's such a fun song. I have vivid memories of more than one aunt deciding "Todays the day for a Spring clean", opening every window in the house, and blaring Sweet albums from the hi-fi. Simpler, happier times.
It's a shame. Yes, they should have been in the hall of fame for their work. Just now, 50+ years later, they are coming back for the world to hear them. In those times, the 70's were in a "redefinition" period. The war between Rock and Disco was very real. The decade was known for the end of disco and the rise of the greatest rock and roll bands of that era. Very big competition and yet, the ones that emerge are the timeless songs we remember.
+ you also had Punk entering the mix towards the end of the decade which I think affected the music industry (and many bands) a lot. Its strange how both Sweet and Slade are now being recognised for their stellar work 50+ years after they emerged....
Sweet were so ahead of their time and highly influential with such a unique fusion of irresistible melodies and fantastic vocal harmonies this band would go on to inspire so many up and coming bands
Brian Connolly was a huge influence on Vince Neil. Motley Crue's other big influences were Raspberries and Slade. Hard to imagine those three synthesized into Motley Crue but it happened. The first lines of "Girls, Girls Girls" are lifted from "Sweet F.A.".
My sister bought my first record for me in 1973 - it was "Blockbuster". I was only thinking about this the other day, and now I find this site. A great band, ahead of their time.
Man, this band stamped their greatness in my early teen years. STILL listen to them and love them. Saw what was left of them right before Steve passed in Pasadena. Great show, but it brought home how old we all are now. Steve had to do the show sitting down, but he did it. Life sure goes by fast. And without music, it would suck. My first Jr High dances were laced with Sweet hits. Miss those times... Ready Steve - a ha!
I’m as perplexed as you, Adam. Why such a great, influential band is not more recognized has been a mystery to me as well. One of my all-time favorites!!
Growing up in the 70's I remember Sweet as being an AM band. Us kids at the time gravitated to stereo FM which played harder rock like Zeppelin. Sweet was considered too bubble gum for FM except for Ballroom Blitz. One song was not enough to carry over the others which got little to no play on FM. Shame because they're a great band.
sweet were brilliant their thumping glam rock striking looks were fan bloody tastic !!! still get goose bumps when i hear " ball room blitz " start up let alone blockbuster !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! sweet and slade were proper rockers
...the tune confused me (then), though.....I started hearing it Fall 1978, then thought it was Supertramp, when they hit with "Breakfast In America"! ...go figga.......
I remember hearing Sweet songs being played regularly on radio stations from the early 70s till the end of the 70s. Those were my best years because I was between 13 & 20 years old. Great time to be young in the 1970s
My big sister had the Bell Records 45 of Little Willy/Love Is Like Oxygen. When I was 7 "Little Willy" was my favorite song. Years later I learned the song is about a stray cat.
I was only 6 years old and I remember little Willie and it was so much fun to listen to and sing as a child. It was on that radio like no other I love this band and yes they have been left out because you never hear of him but I picked up on them again a couple months back and I listen to all their songs so it's great that I came across this right now
To me "Love is Like Oxygen" by Sweet IS ONE OF THE BEST SONG IN ALL HISTORY. I love Sweet with all my soul. I like all their record. To me they were one of power pop pinnacles on 1970's.
The Sweet... four U.S. Billboard top ten hits in the mid-70s - Little Willy, Ballroom Blitz, Fox On The Run, Love Is Like Oxygen. The very definition of glam rock. You could not turn on the radio and not hear their songs.
Sweet were bigger & better than just those 4 songs...their whole frikking catalogue is genius...even the post-Brian stuff & after the split...there was even a supergroup called QSP of Suzi Quattro, Andy Scott & Don Powell of Slade...made a great album in 2017...oh and Steve Priest did not pass in 2002, more like 2023...I saw the Steve-led band in NYC in around 2022...it was both good & sad...Steve sitting in a chair at around 300 pounds while his band mates gave their all...
As a teenager here in Australia, Sweet was my fav band in the 70’s. Such a brilliant band & Mick Tucker a very underrated drummer! They’re touring Oz with their Farewell Tour in November.
The Sweet was the Band of my teen years along with April Wine. For the time the music was far ahead a lot of bands. Their song Action hit hard for the era. I have 6 of their albums in my collection. They were on the Capital label in Canada. Great show. Loved this episode.
Loved Sweet so much, I was absolutely crazy for them. Drummer was Mick Tucker (not Taylor) - he was my big crush. Got his drumsticks and his beer can after a concert in 1975 ❤
Sweet...pffft...just another 18-hit wonder story. 😁 But seriously...glam, pop....whatever...they were a GREAT rock band. "Set Me Free" is my favorite Sweet song but - dang - their greatest hits release would have to be at least a double LP. Thanks for featuring them in your video. Enjoyed it!
I am a Sweet fan since I was 8, and I am 62 this year. Thank you for introducing The Sweet from time to time, to new generations. Love your videos, Professor, keep'em coming, please... Love from Istanbul, Türkiye! 🥀 💖
Wow! Same age. I couldn't get enough of Little Willie. My dad purchased an 8-track at a convenience store. It was called Fantastic. Of course, obviously, one of the MANY problems with 8-tracks is one can't "rewind". I would have to listen to one or two songs before I could hear my song again.
This would have made a great "Number One in our Hearts" episode. I can't believe this didn't reach #1 anywhere. Its one of my favorite songs of the 70s.
I saw Sweet in concert back on June 4, 1978 when I was 16 yeras old! Sweet is still remembered today (September 18, 2024) by those of us that Love their music and even some of us have passed that on to our children and grandchildren! Also performing on that day with Sweet was Foreigner, Foghat, Nazareth, Atlanta Rhythm Section and Rainbow in Providence, Rhode Island for what was billed as Summer Slam 1978 with a general admission ticket price of $20.00 for 6 of the Top Rock Bands of the late 1970s!
I saw Nazareth, Nugent and April Wine in one show in Chicago when I was like 12, or something like that. Im 61, it was in the '70's, but I'm not sure exactly when. Went to a lot of concerts when I was young. Ya' go to a concert, get wasted, and have a blast for $20, or less. Average price for tickets was less than $10 usually. I saw Pink Floyd for $15 way back when. Those were the days..........................
I remember that tour, Sweet, Foghat, Rainbow, and Nazareth were my "Big Four" and Foreigner and ARS were great too... I was still young enough that I couldn't legally get "blitzed" but It was a great show and among my earliest concerts and I Rocked OUT! I kind of remember my ears were still ringing the next day and my throat was trashed... LOL What a time to be alive!
Awesome episode Professor! One of those bands I grew up with! I loved " Little Willy" when it came out as a young boy when I was just getting into music, then was blown away with the "Desolation Boulevard " album as a teenager only to hear " Love is like oxygen " in high school! It's like they were with me all the way! Sad we've lost all of them but Andy. They will always be in my heart and soul! Thanks for keeping the music alive Professor!👍
I graduated in 1975 from Walla Walla high School that band The near music has rock me ever since I've been a truck driver for 49 years and I still listen to them every day. Thank you sweet for what you gave me
I love Sweet so much, and when I was curating my seventies list on Spotify, just like I did with Heart, the Bee Gees, Fleetwood Mac, Gordon Lightfoot, etc. I went looking for my favorite Sweet tunes to add. I listen all the time, and given the fact that they're still getting nearly 2, 100,000 listens on a contemporary streaming platform, I'm not alone in my admiration for this band.
Thank you! One of my favourite bands since I was 12. So much great music, so many great memories. I could never understand why they weren't better known and respected. It seems that those who know, know!
This band IS revered! My vinyl collection contains Sweets' full catalogue. Mick TUCKER is a monster. I've loved this band from an early age and, fortunately for me, I found Sweet when you said the band was being forgotten. Sweet is a classic, epic and substantial influence in my life's musical journey and I wouldn't have it any other way.
I'll always remember a coworker asking if I knew who sang the "Our love is like a popsicle" song. Took me forever to figure out what song he'd heard wrong.
I loved The Sweet, unforgettable band. Im a UK black kid and had a lot of Jamaican Dub Reggae, US soul, funk and jazz in my eardrums at that time. But I always had my ear out for any good music on the airwaves regardless of genre. like Bowie, Roxy Music and T-Rex, The Sweet knocked out background themes to my 70s childhood in Northern England. They were a bunch of brilliant talented musicians, not just relying on that ridiculous glam rock image, and were perhaps the most underrated band of the era with those memorable songs. Thank you Prof. for that great rundown of one of the UKs great unsung heroes in pop and rock.
Sweet was way ahead of their time. Tragic that the kick in the throat injury happened. They were great. Hell they are still great today. A sin that such a significant band that saturated the radio airwaves of my childhood in the 70s is so unknown today ( except for my kids , lol) thanx for covering Sweet Proff. They deserve cred. They were so influential for what came after. Sweet is a staple in my playlists. It is a sin that they arent in the rock hall of fame. Its Just wrong !
Erased from history? Not here in Europe. To us, Sweet is one of the most legendary, influential and enduring bands of the 70s. with a devoted fanbase to this day. Same as Thin Lizzy, Deep Purple, Rainbow, Slade, Status Quo ... plenty of great bands who regrettably only became known for the occasional hit, if that, in the US.
I'm from the UK and lucky enough to have been entering my teens when glam rock took the charts by storm. The Sweet were one of the bands who used to feature regularly on Top of the Pops. Musical styles and tastes change over the years, but I wouldn't have wanted to have been born in any other era musically.
A wonderful and very respectful summary of the final chapter(s) of a truly great band. Thank you Adam for your careful and unbiased research, great story-telling and genuine absolute love of music .... no matter what genre
I went to my first concert 1976 and it was Sweet. I was 13 and I was there with my daddy - it was great! They should be in the Rock hall of fame. Period
My first concert, Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA in Feb 1976 was Sweet. Eric Carmen opened. What a show! We currently do a few Sweet songs in our 70s Glam tribute.
@@grok023 Very cool. Artful Dodger was supposed to open but canceled at the last minute. Had upper balcony seats but right before Sweet came on, a friend escorted us to some empty seats in the 3rd row center! I think the tickets were like $6. LOL
I agree, One of the most underrated bands of all time. The Sweet influence on SO many different bands and genres is legend. The bubblegum and glam of their career is always an earworm for Me!🎉
Saw Sweet in 1975 in St. Paul Minnesota. First concert ever for me it was a wonderful experience and to say I was a little lit up would be an understatement. Eric Carmen was there too.
How Sweet is NOT in the RRHoF is a mystery to me. Desolation Boulevard is one of the greatest rock n roll albums of all time. Their catchy hooks and amazing harmonies always blew me away...and still do to this day.
Me and my friend played Blockbuster all afternoon soon as we got it and hollered out that siren all weekend. Fun days, the seventies was great for quirky musicians.
I didn't realize Sweet isn't in the Rock Hall of Fame🤯. Desolation Boulevard is 1 of the great albums of all time.. certainly of the 70s; and if you were alive in the early 70s, their music was a big part of the soundtrack of your life.
Ahhh Sweet, Professor, that was a moving tribute to a 4some which made some of the most fun music of the 70’s. In 1975, my ultra cool aunt, bought me Desolation Boulevard, knowing we both loved Fox on the Run. I was 11 and discovered that EVERY track on that album was amazing. If you’ve never listened to Sweet FA, you’ve missed out on an early heavy metal/punk meets glam legendary track! I love that Andy is still putting out music and I believe his name is mentionable with the all time great guitarists. Within the last few years he put out a song called Will I ever see your face again, it’s a keeper! Sweet’s influence will do nothing but get stronger with video and UA-cam.
After hearing Fox on the Run from Guardians 2 and realizing that it was from the same band that did Ballroom Blitz, I went out and bought Sweet's "Anthology". I listened to that compilation repeatedly for weeks! I recognized so many songs from when I was a little kid. Sweet is awesome and they deserve more play on classic rock radio!
For my one of the greatest popular Rockbands of all times - my favorite hits: The Six Teens, Teenage Rampage, Action, WigWam Bam, Fox on the Run, Blockbuster, Little Willy, Turn it down, Ballroomblitz, Alex Grah. Bell, ....
As you said "should be more revered" is close to an understatement. Brilliant is a word that should be applied. I think the operative factor is that they are mostly misunderstood. You want heavy rock, clever pop, left turns and serious chops? The Sweet is what you need.
Desolation Boulevard is one of my favorite albums of all time. Ballroom Blitz. Fox On The Run. Sweet F.A. A.C.D.C.... I remember my buddy Mike putting in the cassette while we were on our way to see an Aerosmith concert for their Permanent Vacation tour. I complained we should be listening to them. Glad Mike didn't let me change the music!!
I absolutely agree with the words you have spoken....Great video, well done. I have a little story about Brian. Many, many years ago a friend of mine was a doorman at a local club, Brian was doing his stuff there. My friend was asked by Brian if he would look after him, get his alcohol. My friend agreed, after his gig they both were talking. That's when Brian told him about a greatly kept secret...he was the brother of an actor who played Taggart on TV. This secret has since come out, but at the time to me it was a revelation.....by the way I loved Sweet, they were brilliant... Nigel Mitchell.
This band should be in the hall of fame. So underrated. I think they were at their best with the more heavy side of their music. I still thing one of their best singles was”Turn it Down”.
I bought the album "Desolation Boulevard" when it was released in Australia in 1975. I was a university freshman that year. "Fox on the Run" was a song I always liked, and I agree with you about how good "Love is Like Oxygen" is. Certainly it's comparable to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", and the songs of Supertramp. Yes, I had "Crime of the Century" too. What a great time for music!
I've been waiting for you to do a show about Sweet! I was 13 years old and just starting to learn to play drums when Love Is Like Oxygen was in heavy rotation on Boston radio, and I went insane! It's unbelievable that they weren't more popular in the US.
Being born and raised in northern New York I was exposed to alot of Canadian music groups.My all time favorite is April Wine but there are SO many great groups.Chilliwack , Toronto,Point Blank,Aldo Nova,Saga,Great WhiteBrian Adams,RushBTO,Guess Who,and so many others.Great music and it will live on.
Love is like oxygen is one of my all time favorite songs love this group I remember hearing this song on the radio all the time as a kid in the 70s and was hooked on them
Thanks for this, well explained and researched video, these were some of the best vocalist's in the business and had great and very popular hits, RIP to the members that have left the stage and all good wishes to Andy
Great band from 1973 to 1978. The band were amazing live with their 4 part harmonies. Sweet were extremely influential. Every 80's band that's worth their salt were influenced by Sweet. Check out the U.K. version of the album "Sweet Fanny Adams". Absolutely KILLER!
I remember listening to Sweet on Summer holidays beside the sea. Their music always made people dance in the camp's nightclub. But not just that, one of my favourite albums was Sweet Fanny Adams, especially the songs Into The Night, Rebel Rouser and Peppermint. I also loved the songs, Burning, Man With A Golden Arm, Love Is Like Oxygen and Fox On The Run. When I listened to the albums Sweet Fanny Adams and Desolation Boulevard I realised they were moving away from Glam Rock and becoming a true rock band. Listening to them now brings up nostalgic memories of that time period. Times have changed, I really miss those days.
The first LP I bought was Sweet Fanny Adams in 1974 I was 9 yrs old. I was literally listening to Desolation Boulevard yesterday which is a different version to Europe, it came out in 1975 in Australia on RCA. Gotta love some glam rock baby.
Little Fun fact: Mick Tucker played drums with “Wainwright's Gentlemen” before Sweet. The singer back then was Ian Gillan (Deep Purple). But then Gillan left the band and Brian Connolly became Gillan's successor.
Professor YOU write Rock history. Just like the Hosts & DJs Before you. Keep Researching & LISTENING to the Music You Love. Yes the bands and singers also, but without the fans there is no Music
Thank you for this amazing video of my favorite band of the 70s. Still a very underrated band to this day. Unfortunately alcohol is a very serious disease that has killed many.
Poll: What is the greatest "OUT OF LEFT FIELD" Song of the rock era? A song that sounded unlike anything else?
Centerfield.
Spanish Caravan - The Doors
Chicago - Free Form Guitar
Santo and Johnny - Sleepwalk
Sigue Sigue Sputnik - Love Missile F1-11
Love Hurts - Nazerath
*".....HEYYYYYYYY, MACARENA, ALL RIGHT!!"* ...ha-HAA!
Very underrated band. Sweet is a memory of my childhood growing up in the 70s. Their music reminds me of better times. Thank you for covering them. I always wondered why they faded away after so many hits.
Love Is like oxygen, One of the Best rock and roll songs ever!
@@betocastillop1 truly amazing composition the unedited studio version. Too bad it unraveled shortly after.
I still hear “Fox on the Run” sometimes on the radio. When they’re still playing a song 50 years later, that’s a great song.
What about Ballroom Blitz?
It’s such a great song. They even used it in a very popular Australian comedy show called “Kath & Kim”. Hysterical! I highly recommend the show. The song gets stuck in your head for days…not a bad thing! 😎
@@ProfessorofRock haven’t heard that on the radio lately (in Dallas) but it does get played in movies from time-to-time. Underrated band. No doubt. 👍
@@ProfessorofRockThat was my favorite song of theirs!
It was used in a soundtrack of a movie I watched on DVD recently (yep I still like DVDs) Can't remember which movie it was but I was totally delighted to hear Sweet.
I agree Prof, Sweet is highly under-rated by the critics. But we fans know better.
Not sure they're under-rated. It's where they fit into things. Great band but their sound was somewhere in between hard rock and bubblegum rock, a tough space.
Clearly you don't.
Rock industry is fixated on music genre. Anyone who does not fit their grid is toast.
@@Dave5843-d9m Not true. I love jazz, classical and even some pop and trance-dance but my heart is with rock and blues. But I despise hip-hop and rap because both are the absolute antithesis of what music should be.
Mick Tucker’s opening snare shuffle of Ballroom Blitz in 1974. 50 years later, I’m still drumming and was able to chat with Mick before he passed in 2003 from cancer, to tell him his impact on me and inspiration. Love this band then and still decades later, I play along many Sweet songs on my drum kit.
He was powerful, antic, precise, born to hit borderline crazed. They all left way too early.
Intro homaged by The The (Matt Johnson) in Armageddon Days Are Here (Again)
You'd of made a great drummer , but you were one beat off ! Lmao !
SO DO I !! mick tucker is one of the best drummers of the 1970s. He sadly died young but I have never forgotten his ability.
Their vocal harmonies, though barely talked about, were stellar!!
100%...and solid rock musicianship 👍🙏👍🙏
Brian May has said they were a huge influence on how Queen layered their vocals
I love the interaction of the group also! The seemed like they were just parts of a whole. Just shows how solid they were.
I was never a fan of Sweet but I believe they were the best rock band, especially live. Perfect.
1979. I was 15. Neighbor came knocking. He had an extra ticket to a concert at The Capitol Theatre Passaic, New Jersey. I'd never been to a concert. I told him I'd have to ask my mom if I could go. Ticket Price - $7.50 So, I went. Headliner was Journey, Opening band - Sweet. Happened 45yrs ago and a jaw dropping show I will never forget.
Ticket Price - $7.50... those were the days...
Oh man
Nice
WOW! I would love to have been there! Two great groups!
Oh man, "Love Is Like Oxygen"! What a great video to wake up to today. This is such a great song, a true classic. One of my all-time favorites.
COOL! Thanks Bart!
Those of us who loved Sweet will never forget how great they were…and they were awesome 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Sweet is so underrated. They might not be Led Zeppelin or Queen, but they had some great songs and deserve recognition.
@@Silentscreamer37 Queen ripped Sweet off badly...their harmonies & musical style...
I simply must agree with you that Queen and sweet were cut from the same cord, so to speak, but one question remains and that is how can you listen to Love is like Oxygen and not think of 10cc?
@@69voxbeetle more ELO than 10cc really...
@@lawrencedavis4406 Or City Boy
They had Led Zeppelin and Queen talent but were ignored.
Despite all of the personal struggles and adversity they faced, Sweet will always be legendary, each and every member. Their music lives on. There is a video on YT of Steve Priest playing at his daughters wedding reception. As 'Fox on the Run' begins, Brian Connolly joins him on stage. They sounded great. I almost cried. Then they played 'Action'. Amazing!
Andy Scott is now the only surviving band member. I always loved their songs, "Ballroom Blitz", "Fox on the Run" and "Little Willy" being bops.
All three were great songs
Keep the music alive, Andy.
Teenage Rampage.
Don't forget "Action"......and also the B side of either Ballroom Blitz, or Fox on the Run...called MEDUSA
I love the desolation boulevard album had it on vinyl cassette 8track and cd! The north American version!
I was a brand new 12 year old guitar player when this song came out and it was what kept me playing. That guitar riff was so awesome to me that I immediately started learning it after the first time I heard the song. I still play it to this day.
Saw The Sweet at Hammersmith Odeon in 1979. In 1973 I was visiting some friends in Hayes, London and told them I was a fan of The Sweet. They said "Oh the singer lives round the corner". Went to an end of terrace dour looking house, landlady opened the door and said Brian wasn't in. An hour later we are playing in the street and a limo drives back with all the guys in the back.
If it was with Brian Connolly that would of been 1978 😊
Hammersmith was 78
@@travtravis2917 I was one of those people who never thought about keeping their concert tickets and was trying to make the best guess from whether I travelled from Stafford or Stoke to go to London.
@@satyb Lucky enough i did keep them & have still got a lot of tickets from other bands of that sort of time, I also knew it was 1978 as they were plugging Level Headed & Love is like oxygen 👍
Had a few Sweet records back in the day. They were a good band. But my biggest record buying decade was the eighties, once I was working. The late seventies I was more into Blondie, Stranglers and Boom Town Rats. Punk was in. Glam rock was out.
Growing up in the UK, I had a few aunts that were HUGE fans on Sweet during their run, going to their concerts as teenage girls, and coming home with mascara running down their face. Ditto for stories about Bay City Rollers concerts. They have so many great tracks, and growing up in the 80's, they were most definitely a big part of the soundtrack of my childhood. Songs like Little Willy, Co-Co, Block Buster, Hell Raiser, and my personal favorite to play on guitar, Wig-Wam Bam, as it's such a fun song. I have vivid memories of more than one aunt deciding "Todays the day for a Spring clean", opening every window in the house, and blaring Sweet albums from the hi-fi. Simpler, happier times.
It's a shame. Yes, they should have been in the hall of fame for their work. Just now, 50+ years later, they are coming back for the world to hear them. In those times, the 70's were in a "redefinition" period. The war between Rock and Disco was very real. The decade was known for the end of disco and the rise of the greatest rock and roll bands of that era. Very big competition and yet, the ones that emerge are the timeless songs we remember.
Thanks for your comment!
+ you also had Punk entering the mix towards the end of the decade which I think affected the music industry (and many bands) a lot. Its strange how both Sweet and Slade are now being recognised for their stellar work 50+ years after they emerged....
'Oxygen was an excellent tune. I still include it in my mix, even today. Especially the guitar work. Great band.
Sweet were so ahead of their time and highly influential with such a unique fusion of irresistible melodies and fantastic vocal harmonies this band would go on to inspire so many up and coming bands
No question. You get it George!
Boston, for instance.
@@paulwagner688 absolutely good call on that one
Brian Connolly was a huge influence on Vince Neil. Motley Crue's other big influences were Raspberries and Slade. Hard to imagine those three synthesized into Motley Crue but it happened. The first lines of "Girls, Girls Girls" are lifted from "Sweet F.A.".
@@dustybrand that's really cool I would also add Joe Elliot from Def Leppard as highly influenced by Brian Connolly as well
My sister bought my first record for me in 1973 - it was "Blockbuster". I was only thinking about this the other day, and now I find this site. A great band, ahead of their time.
Man, this band stamped their greatness in my early teen years. STILL listen to them and love them.
Saw what was left of them right before Steve passed in Pasadena. Great show, but it brought home how old we all are now. Steve had to do the show sitting down, but he did it.
Life sure goes by fast. And without music, it would suck.
My first Jr High dances were laced with Sweet hits. Miss those times...
Ready Steve - a ha!
Amen, Brother!
Love it! 60 years old!
I’m as perplexed as you, Adam. Why such a great, influential band is not more recognized has been a mystery to me as well. One of my all-time favorites!!
Thanks for commenting!
Growing up in the 70's I remember Sweet as being an AM band. Us kids at the time gravitated to stereo FM which played harder rock like Zeppelin. Sweet was considered too bubble gum for FM except for Ballroom Blitz. One song was not enough to carry over the others which got little to no play on FM.
Shame because they're a great band.
sweet were brilliant their thumping glam rock striking looks were fan bloody tastic !!! still get goose bumps when i hear " ball room blitz " start up let alone blockbuster !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! sweet and slade were proper rockers
Been a fan of Sweet since hearing Little Willy back in 1973. That was a huge hit. You could barely turn on the radio without hearing it.
...the tune confused me (then), though.....I started hearing it Fall 1978, then thought it was Supertramp, when they hit with "Breakfast In America"! ...go figga.......
I remember hearing Sweet songs being played regularly on radio stations from the early 70s till the end of the 70s. Those were my best years because I was between 13 & 20 years old. Great time to be young in the 1970s
My big sister had the Bell Records 45 of Little Willy/Love Is Like Oxygen. When I was 7 "Little Willy" was my favorite song. Years later I learned the song is about a stray cat.
I was only 6 years old and I remember little Willie and it was so much fun to listen to and sing as a child. It was on that radio like no other I love this band and yes they have been left out because you never hear of him but I picked up on them again a couple months back and I listen to all their songs so it's great that I came across this right now
Such an infectious song!
To me "Love is Like Oxygen" by Sweet IS ONE OF THE BEST SONG IN ALL HISTORY. I love Sweet with all my soul. I like all their record. To me they were one of power pop pinnacles on 1970's.
Complete agreement
"Love Is Like Oxygen" was used in The Betsy starring Laurence Olivier in 1978.
Totally agree.
Sweet blows !
Their hard rock songs were their best
Sweet was a big part of my teen years. Oxygen was all over the radio!! I never forgot about them.
The Sweet... four U.S. Billboard top ten hits in the mid-70s - Little Willy, Ballroom Blitz, Fox On The Run, Love Is Like Oxygen. The very definition of glam rock. You could not turn on the radio and not hear their songs.
Amen! Thanks for sharing.
They also did some very good covers.
Them and Kiss.
Sweet were bigger & better than just those 4 songs...their whole frikking catalogue is genius...even the post-Brian stuff & after the split...there was even a supergroup called QSP of Suzi Quattro, Andy Scott & Don Powell of Slade...made a great album in 2017...oh and Steve Priest did not pass in 2002, more like 2023...I saw the Steve-led band in NYC in around 2022...it was both good & sad...Steve sitting in a chair at around 300 pounds while his band mates gave their all...
@@lawrencedavis4406 Steve Priest died in 2020.
Sweet is one of those bands whose songs you know but whose name you don't. One of the saddest rock'n'roll stories. Great video, Prof. Thanks!
I’m totally guilty of that! ☺️
Still very well known over here in the UK,even with the younger generation.
I agree, under-rated band.
Thanks!
As a teenager here in Australia, Sweet was my fav band in the 70’s. Such a brilliant band & Mick Tucker a very underrated drummer! They’re touring Oz with their Farewell Tour in November.
Never forgotten by me. I always loved the band from the first time I heard them.
The Sweet was the Band of my teen years along with April Wine. For the time the music was far ahead a lot of bands. Their song Action hit hard for the era. I have 6 of their albums in my collection. They were on the Capital label in Canada. Great show. Loved this episode.
Two great bands.
Love them both! Southern U.S. Classic Rock fan.
I have been “singing”!their praises for so long!! I love this band, great catalog!!💪🏼💪🏼🥳🥳
Very cool. I agree!
I totally agree they should be in the Hall.. great band.. no one sounded like them and they inspired so many.. I'm a big fan
Can we not agree that the Rock Hall is a pathetic joke?
Loved Sweet so much, I was absolutely crazy for them. Drummer was Mick Tucker (not Taylor) - he was my big crush. Got his drumsticks and his beer can after a concert in 1975 ❤
Inspiration for Queen, listen to the harmonies, tempo changes and acapella singing. Fantastic group.
I think Brian never got over the trauma of the vicious attack he suffered. I those days mental health was not popular. They certainly deserved better.
Yes, I believe that had a devastating effect and certainly worsened his alcoholism.
Sweet...pffft...just another 18-hit wonder story. 😁
But seriously...glam, pop....whatever...they were a GREAT rock band. "Set Me Free" is my favorite Sweet song but - dang - their greatest hits release would have to be at least a double LP. Thanks for featuring them in your video. Enjoyed it!
Ah Ha
I am a Sweet fan since I was 8, and I am 62 this year. Thank you for introducing The Sweet from time to time, to new generations. Love your videos, Professor, keep'em coming, please... Love from Istanbul, Türkiye! 🥀 💖
Wow! Same age. I couldn't get enough of Little Willie. My dad purchased an 8-track at a convenience store. It was called Fantastic. Of course, obviously, one of the MANY problems with 8-tracks is one can't "rewind". I would have to listen to one or two songs before I could hear my song again.
Another 62er here. Loved them then and still love them now. Wish I could have seen them in concert back in the day.
Yup, same age, air guitar was invented ❤🎉😂😊.
Blockbuster, what a smash hit, those sirenes still give me chills.
This would have made a great "Number One in our Hearts" episode. I can't believe this didn't reach #1 anywhere. Its one of my favorite songs of the 70s.
I saw Sweet in concert back on June 4, 1978 when I was 16 yeras old! Sweet is still remembered today (September 18, 2024) by those of us that Love their music and even some of us have passed that on to our children and grandchildren! Also performing on that day with Sweet was Foreigner, Foghat, Nazareth, Atlanta Rhythm Section and Rainbow in Providence, Rhode Island for what was billed as Summer Slam 1978 with a general admission ticket price of $20.00 for 6 of the Top Rock Bands of the late 1970s!
I saw Nazareth, Nugent and April Wine in one show in Chicago when I was like 12, or something like that. Im 61, it was in the '70's, but I'm not sure exactly when. Went to a lot of concerts when I was young. Ya' go to a concert, get wasted, and have a blast for $20, or less. Average price for tickets was less than $10 usually. I saw Pink Floyd for $15 way back when.
Those were the days..........................
@@donlange1491 Awesome concerts and memories of the 1970s!
@@donlange1491 I think I went to that one too! Great Times!
I remember that tour, Sweet, Foghat, Rainbow, and Nazareth were my "Big Four" and Foreigner and ARS were great too... I was still young enough that I couldn't legally get "blitzed" but It was a great show and among my earliest concerts and I Rocked OUT! I kind of remember my ears were still ringing the next day and my throat was trashed... LOL What a time to be alive!
@edwardpaulsen1074 Glad you seen the show back then! And yes,
I hadn't heard any of their music until the 80s and 90s. Thank you very much for featuring their music on your channel.
Awesome episode Professor! One of those bands I grew up with! I loved " Little Willy" when it came out as a young boy when I was just getting into music, then was blown away with the "Desolation Boulevard " album as a teenager only to hear " Love is like oxygen " in high school! It's like they were with me all the way! Sad we've lost all of them but Andy. They will always be in my heart and soul! Thanks for keeping the music alive Professor!👍
I graduated in 1975 from Walla Walla high School that band The near music has rock me ever since I've been a truck driver for 49 years and I still listen to them every day. Thank you sweet for what you gave me
I love Sweet so much, and when I was curating my seventies list on Spotify, just like I did with Heart, the Bee Gees, Fleetwood Mac, Gordon Lightfoot, etc. I went looking for my favorite Sweet tunes to add. I listen all the time, and given the fact that they're still getting nearly 2, 100,000 listens on a contemporary streaming platform, I'm not alone in my admiration for this band.
Thank you! One of my favourite bands since I was 12. So much great music, so many great memories. I could never understand why they weren't better known and respected. It seems that those who know, know!
This band IS revered!
My vinyl collection contains Sweets' full catalogue.
Mick TUCKER is a monster.
I've loved this band from an early age and, fortunately for me, I found Sweet when you said the band was being forgotten.
Sweet is a classic, epic and substantial influence in my life's musical journey and I wouldn't have it any other way.
I'll always remember a coworker asking if I knew who sang the "Our love is like a popsicle" song. Took me forever to figure out what song he'd heard wrong.
Couldn't agree more... Totally underrated. I still listen to all of their stuff today.
I never knew about the attack, so sad to hear. Sweets music energised the school disco like nothing else! Thanks for the wonderful vibes Brian, RIP
The chorus is very ELO- that is a compliment.
Definitely grew up listening to The Sweet on FM radio.
Or should you say ELO were very Sweet seeing as they around first.
👍
Can't stand ELO.
The symphonic version is right up there with Bohemian Rhapsody, Bat Out of Hell, and Tom Sawyer. Totally a work of art.
Don't forget Come Sail Away. All of them are great!
@@pg1171 You're right!
I've been a fan of Sweet since Little Willy dropped! They were amazing and deserved so much better than they got! RIP Brian, Mick, and Steve!!
I loved The Sweet, unforgettable band. Im a UK black kid and had a lot of Jamaican Dub Reggae, US soul, funk and jazz in my eardrums at that time. But I always had my ear out for any good music on the airwaves regardless of genre. like Bowie, Roxy Music and T-Rex, The Sweet knocked out background themes to my 70s childhood in Northern England. They were a bunch of brilliant talented musicians, not just relying on that ridiculous glam rock image, and were perhaps the most underrated band of the era with those memorable songs. Thank you Prof. for that great rundown of one of the UKs great unsung heroes in pop and rock.
Growing up in Germany in the 70s..they were on the TV here a lot....one of the best bands ever,,
Sweet was way ahead of their time. Tragic that the kick in the throat injury happened. They were great. Hell they are still great today. A sin that such a significant band that saturated the radio airwaves of my childhood in the 70s is so unknown today ( except for my kids , lol) thanx for covering Sweet Proff. They deserve cred. They were so influential for what came after. Sweet is a staple in my playlists. It is a sin that they arent in the rock hall of fame. Its Just wrong !
Erased from history? Not here in Europe. To us, Sweet is one of the most legendary, influential and enduring bands of the 70s. with a devoted fanbase to this day. Same as Thin Lizzy, Deep Purple, Rainbow, Slade, Status Quo ... plenty of great bands who regrettably only became known for the occasional hit, if that, in the US.
Sweet was the prototype for the 80s glam rock scene. So underrated
Love Sweet. Great video. Thank you
Never forgotten! This band is one of my guilty pleasures!
I'm from the UK and lucky enough to have been entering my teens when glam rock took the charts by storm. The Sweet were one of the bands who used to feature regularly on Top of the Pops. Musical styles and tastes change over the years, but I wouldn't have wanted to have been born in any other era musically.
A wonderful and very respectful summary of the final chapter(s) of a truly great band. Thank you Adam for your careful and unbiased research, great story-telling and genuine absolute love of music .... no matter what genre
The Sweet is a pinnacle development of my musical dna. Man from Mecca and Need A’lot of Lovin’ were some of my favorites
I went to my first concert 1976 and it was Sweet. I was 13 and I was there with my daddy - it was great! They should be in the Rock hall of fame. Period
My first concert, Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA in Feb 1976 was Sweet. Eric Carmen opened. What a show! We currently do a few Sweet songs in our 70s Glam tribute.
.....THAT, was a SHOW to SEE.....
I saw Sweet live in the summer of '76, with Eric Carmen, and Styx opened.
@@grok023 Very cool. Artful Dodger was supposed to open but canceled at the last minute. Had upper balcony seats but right before Sweet came on, a friend escorted us to some empty seats in the 3rd row center! I think the tickets were like $6. LOL
Just recently came across this band and Im happy I did! They were one of the most underrated bands in history for sure!
This is not a song, this is a masterpiece.
I agree, One of the most underrated bands of all time. The Sweet influence on SO many different bands and genres is legend. The bubblegum and glam of their career is always an earworm for Me!🎉
Saw Sweet in 1975 in St. Paul Minnesota. First concert ever for me it was a wonderful experience and to say I was a little lit up would be an understatement. Eric Carmen was there too.
I listened to Sweet rather intensely for a long time. I bought all their albums as I came across them. They were all excellent!!!
How Sweet is NOT in the RRHoF is a mystery to me. Desolation Boulevard is one of the greatest rock n roll albums of all time. Their catchy hooks and amazing harmonies always blew me away...and still do to this day.
.....DON'T get me STARTED, Toben - TOO true ; (
Me and my friend played Blockbuster all afternoon soon as we got it and hollered out that siren all weekend.
Fun days, the seventies was great for quirky musicians.
I didn't realize Sweet isn't in the Rock Hall of Fame🤯. Desolation Boulevard is 1 of the great albums of all time.. certainly of the 70s; and if you were alive in the early 70s, their music was a big part of the soundtrack of your life.
The sweet live sessions on " Musikladen 1974" are some of the heaviest rock tunes I've heard & I've been into rock since the very early 70's.
I still listen to Sweet. I have them on my iPods.
Ahhh Sweet, Professor, that was a moving tribute to a 4some which made some of the most fun music of the 70’s.
In 1975, my ultra cool aunt, bought me Desolation Boulevard, knowing we both loved Fox on the Run. I was 11 and discovered that EVERY track on that album was amazing. If you’ve never listened to Sweet FA, you’ve missed out on an early heavy metal/punk meets glam legendary track!
I love that Andy is still putting out music and I believe his name is mentionable with the all time great guitarists.
Within the last few years he put out a song called Will I ever see your face again, it’s a keeper!
Sweet’s influence will do nothing but get stronger with video and UA-cam.
After hearing Fox on the Run from Guardians 2 and realizing that it was from the same band that did Ballroom Blitz, I went out and bought Sweet's "Anthology". I listened to that compilation repeatedly for weeks! I recognized so many songs from when I was a little kid.
Sweet is awesome and they deserve more play on classic rock radio!
For my one of the greatest popular Rockbands of all times - my favorite hits: The Six Teens, Teenage Rampage, Action, WigWam Bam, Fox on the Run, Blockbuster, Little Willy, Turn it down, Ballroomblitz, Alex Grah. Bell, ....
As you said "should be more revered" is close to an understatement. Brilliant is a word that should be applied. I think the operative factor is that they are mostly misunderstood. You want heavy rock, clever pop, left turns and serious chops? The Sweet is what you need.
Desolation Boulevard is one of my favorite albums of all time. Ballroom Blitz. Fox On The Run. Sweet F.A. A.C.D.C.... I remember my buddy Mike putting in the cassette while we were on our way to see an Aerosmith concert for their Permanent Vacation tour.
I complained we should be listening to them. Glad Mike didn't let me change the music!!
I absolutely agree with the words you have spoken....Great video, well done. I have a little story about Brian. Many, many years ago a friend of mine was a doorman at a local club, Brian was doing his stuff there. My friend was asked by Brian if he would look after him, get his alcohol. My friend agreed, after his gig they both were talking. That's when Brian told him about a greatly kept secret...he was the brother of an actor who played Taggart on TV. This secret has since come out, but at the time to me it was a revelation.....by the way I loved Sweet, they were brilliant...
Nigel Mitchell.
This band should be in the hall of fame. So underrated. I think they were at their best with the more heavy side of their music.
I still thing one of their best singles was”Turn it Down”.
I bought the album "Desolation Boulevard" when it was released in Australia in 1975. I was a university freshman that year. "Fox on the Run" was a song I always liked, and I agree with you about how good "Love is Like Oxygen" is. Certainly it's comparable to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", and the songs of Supertramp. Yes, I had "Crime of the Century" too. What a great time for music!
I've been waiting for you to do a show about Sweet! I was 13 years old and just starting to learn to play drums when Love Is Like Oxygen was in heavy rotation on Boston radio, and I went insane! It's unbelievable that they weren't more popular in the US.
Thank you Professor of Rock - this is a wonderful, beautiful reminiscence about "The Sweet"!
Being born and raised in northern New York I was exposed to alot of Canadian music groups.My all time favorite is April Wine but there are SO many great groups.Chilliwack , Toronto,Point Blank,Aldo Nova,Saga,Great WhiteBrian Adams,RushBTO,Guess Who,and so many others.Great music and it will live on.
Max Webster.
Honeymoon Suite
Yes and so many others.One can't remember them all.Thanks for the input guys.
TRIUMPH?
Pagliaro
Outstanding band and yes very talented always listening for the next great hit and thinking back was a blast at parties great times
Love is like oxygen is one of my all time favorite songs love this group I remember hearing this song on the radio all the time as a kid in the 70s and was hooked on them
I always play Sweet on my Classic Rock FM radio show each weekend!
Thanks for this, well explained and researched video, these were some of the best vocalist's in the business and had great and very popular hits, RIP to the members that have left the stage and all good wishes to Andy
Great band from 1973 to 1978. The band were amazing live with their 4 part harmonies. Sweet were extremely influential. Every 80's band that's worth their salt were influenced by Sweet. Check out the U.K. version of the album "Sweet Fanny Adams". Absolutely KILLER!
I remember listening to Sweet on Summer holidays beside the sea. Their music always made people dance in the camp's nightclub. But not just that, one of my favourite albums was Sweet Fanny Adams, especially the songs Into The Night, Rebel Rouser and Peppermint. I also loved the songs, Burning, Man With A Golden Arm, Love Is Like Oxygen and Fox On The Run. When I listened to the albums Sweet Fanny Adams and Desolation Boulevard I realised they were moving away from Glam Rock and becoming a true rock band. Listening to them now brings up nostalgic memories of that time period. Times have changed, I really miss those days.
One of the Greatest and unrated Bands of ALL TIME!!!! I just bought their Anthology CD and it is amazing!!!!
Thank you for the dive into the story of a band whose songs I've enjoyed for sooo long, without really knowing the backs! Very cool!
I agree with you! I've been listening to Sweet since 1975. They put out some great music.
The first LP I bought was Sweet Fanny Adams in 1974 I was 9 yrs old. I was literally listening to Desolation Boulevard yesterday which is a different version to Europe, it came out in 1975 in Australia on RCA. Gotta love some glam rock baby.
Little Fun fact: Mick Tucker played drums with “Wainwright's Gentlemen” before Sweet. The singer back then was Ian Gillan (Deep Purple). But then Gillan left the band and Brian Connolly became Gillan's successor.
Professor YOU write Rock history. Just like the Hosts & DJs Before you. Keep Researching & LISTENING to the Music You Love. Yes the bands and singers also, but without the fans there is no Music
Thank you for this amazing video of my favorite band of the 70s. Still a very underrated band to this day. Unfortunately alcohol is a very serious disease that has killed many.