SWEET Top 10

Arguably one of the greatest singles act of the 1970s, (The) Sweet racked up no less than 16 UK hits between 1971 and 1978. And although they reached the pole position only once – with 1973’s mercurial Blockbuster – they, impressively, five separate times hit no. 2.
Always something of a schizophrenic proposition, on one hand, a bubblegummy glam act while on the other a bona fide hard rock band, Sweet was never what one might call a critics favourite.  Although all four of them – Brian Connolly (Vocals), Andy Scott (Guitar), Steve Priest (Bass) and Mick Tucker (Drums) – were clearly excellent musicians, they were more often than not perceived merely as a vehicle for the songwriting talents of Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn (AKA Chinnichap) – not unlike the duo’s other high profile clients: Mud, Suzi Quatro and Smokie.
Time has been kind to Sweet though. Nowadays they seem to be viewed not that harshly, musically at least. Even though the often over the top visual appearance and image might predictably still warrant the odd ridicule, the music itself rarely does now.
Pre-Chinnichap, during the late ‘60s, The Sweet recorded a few unspectacular and unsuccessful singles here and there, but by 1971 had teamed up with Chinn & Chapman and began to churn out sticky bubblegum like Funny Funny and Co-Co. At first, apart from merely providing vocals to the proceedings, the band had precious little to do with the hits. The B-sides, though, were always real opportunities for the group to show their harder rocking tendencies.
It wasn’t until the somewhat risqué Little Willy, the fifth Chinnichap Sweet single, the band actually supplied instrumental backing to the A-side.  1975’s Fox on The Run was their first self-penned & produced single and, although one of their best and universally most successful, in hindsight it also signaled the beginning of the end for the band.
By 1978 singer Brian Connolly had left Sweet and they never enjoyed another big hit after that year’s excellent Love Is Like Oxygen.
For fun, I’ve selected my Top 10 of Sweet’s singles and listed them here below with the oblibigatory links to YouTube videos.  If so inclined, feel free to do the same in the comments section below, although I doubt the YouTube thing will work there.
Here goes…

No. 10:  Little Willy (1972)

No. 9:  Wig-Wam Bam (1972)

No. 8:  Lies in Your Eyes (1976)

No. 7:  Action (1975)

No. 6:  The Ballroom Blitz (1973)

No. 5:  Blockbuster (1973)

No. 4:  Teenage Rampage (1974)

No. 3:  Fox On The Run (1975)

No. 2:  Love Is Like Oxygen (1978)

No. 1:  The Six Teens (1974)

Alan Merrill R.I.P.

Chiefly known as the co-writer (or sole writer as he claimed in later years) of a little ditty called I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll, Alan Merrill, born Allan Preston Sachs, sadly succumbed to COVID-19 on 29 March 2020.

Although for the past 50 years Alan worked consistently as a recording artist, both solo and with others, to the ‘70s teenpop community (as if there is such a thing!) however, he will be most fondly remembered as a member of mid-'70s glam act Arrows, who originally recorded I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll as a single B-side in 1975.

I had the good fortune of corresponding via e-mail with Alan back in the early 2000s.  Some of said correspondence found its way into my book Don’t Stop the Music: The Bay City Rollers on Record, and focused mainly on Alan’s passing acquaintance with the Rollers who appeared a couple of times on the Arrows’ UK TV show in ’75 – ’76.

Alan was very articulate, had an amazing memory and was very generous of his time – in short, an ideal interview subject.  I suspect he was also the person behind the fully warranted corrections of my haphazard piece on the Arrows for the ‘70s teenpop blog a number of years later.  I was always hoping he'd write his own book, he was a natural storyteller and knew were many of the bodies were buried...so to speak.

In a long and varied career that was launched in Japan in the early ‘70s with Alan as singing, acting and modeling teen idol, there was seemingly never a dull moment.  After stints as a front-man with the aforementioned Arrows as well as, later on in the ‘70s, with adult-oriented rock band Runner, Alan was humble enough to take the backseat as a guitarist with both Rick Derringer and Meatloaf in the ‘80s.

In 1982, of course, Alan’s ship well and truly came in when Joan Jett & the Blackhearts cover of ILRnR became a massive worldwide hit.  Although Alan later claimed to not have seen any real royalties from the song until Britney Spears covered it twenty years later, it must have been huge validation nonetheless.  Although mere validation musical probably doesn’t pay the rent.

In the late ‘80s, a freakishly tall and buff friend of mine acted as a minder on the Meatloaf band’s brief visit to Iceland.  And knowing my interest in all things glam, he told me of a moment when the whole group went to Hard Rock Café for a meal, and while there ILRnR came on the restaurant’s sound system one member of the group belted out, “That’s my song! I wrote that!”  Indeed he did.

In later years Alan occasionally gigged and recorded, was very active on social media and appeared to be at long last reaping the awards of his life’s labour.  All the more sad and shocking then, when the news of his untimely demise at 69 broke late last month.  The ‘70s teenpop blog sends his friends and relatives its most sincere condolences.  

This COVID-19 crap is royally starting to piss me off.  Late last night I belatedly received the news another brilliant songwriter and musician, namely, Adam Schlesinger, lost his battle with the virus last week. 

Schlesinger, the co-founder of Fountains of Wayne, one of the best bands of the past 25 years IMHO, as well as a prolific writer for films and TV (That Thing You Do, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), not to mention a sought-after producer (The Monkees, They Might Be Giants), was only 52.  RIP.
Soon, hopefully, these "troubled times" shall pass.