Sweet

The Sweet (sometimes known as Sweet) are a British glam rock band who rose to prominence in the 1970s. Their best-known line-up consisted of lead vocalist Brian Connolly, bassist Steve Priest, guitarist Andy Scott and drummer Mick Tucker. As well as having success with singles in the UK and USA, Sweet have sold over 35 million albums worldwide.The band formed in London in 1968, originally under the name The Sweetshop. They 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 showed a marked progression, from the Archies-like bubblegum style of "Funny, Funny" to a Who-influenced hard rock style, supplemented by a use of high-pitched backing vocals.The band had thirteen UK Top-20 hits (ten of which entered the Top 10) in the 1970s. "Co-Co" reached number two in 1971, then "Block Buster!" topped the charts in 1973. The band scored another four number-two hits: "Hell Raiser" and "The Ballroom Blitz" (1973), "Teenage Rampage" (1974) and "Fox on the Run" (1975). Popular in Europe, the group achieved success in the US with the top ten hits "Little Willy", "The Ballroom Blitz", "Fox on the Run" and "Love Is Like Oxygen".Sweet had their last international success in 1978 with "Love Is Like Oxygen". Connolly left the group in 1979 to start a solo career and the remaining members continued as a trio until they disbanded 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, Tucker in 2002 and Priest in 2020. Andy Scott is still active with his version of the band.The Sweet's origins can be traced back to British soul band Wainwright's Gentlemen. Mark Lay's history of that band states they formed around 1962 and were initially known as Unit 4. Founding members included Chris Wright (vocals), Jan Frewer (bass), and Jim Searle and Alfred Fripp on guitars. Phil Kenton joined on drums as the band changed its name to Wainwright's Gentlemen (due to there being another band known as Unit 4+2). Managed by Frewer's father, the band performed in the Hayes, Harrow and Wembley area. By 1964 the group was also playing in London, including at the Saint Germain Club on Poland Street.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.