This album was on sale at the various venues during the recent U.K mini tour and I do have it Bohemian - it is good and is promoted as having been recorded with the current line - up, although timeline-wise, could possibly have used another singer as well as this was toured in Europe starting a while back now.
Of course Andy has to be there as the go - to man for consistency... All vocals are good though. Hope you enjoy your copy. (Would love to hear them attack more of Off the Record live - my personal fave period ... undiscovered album!)
Incidentally, I see that your (same) album is now being repositioned as Desolation Boulevard Revisited for maximum reach... canny fellow, Andy Scott....
On the subject of a potential new studio album Bohemian, there was a link on the very Facebook page you mention for a long interview given by Andy to www.metalexpressradio.com where he does refer to his difficulty with writing a new studio album, maybe the link is still alive now if you give it a go...
You are definitely right to say there was a tie-up between Queen and Sweet - roughly the same content of hard rock and four part vocals - and Def Leppard and Axl Rose seemed to agree!
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Hi Bohemian, just checked and the Facebook link to www.metalexpressradio.com was posted there on 29 Dec 2012 and that audio stream is still alive on that page under their interviews area - enjoy!
Thanks for that link wheelsares
I actually had heard that interview once before, but it was really good hearing it again, as there was some very interesting detail packed into it. Especially near the end of the interview.
I had overlooked that bit about Andy not knowing how new songs would come out, as its been ten years since Sweetlife. Makes him creatively fresh I think. He also says that he thinks that the album he would write would come out sounding like Topographical Oceans. However he said what was needed was another Sweet Fanny Adams. That might be right, but I also think that a bit of substance is what took Sweet up to the next level. And if Sweet hadn't evolved, there wouldn't have been a Love Is Like Oxgyen.
And you simply can't pretend that you haven't developed. And he pretty much says that beforehand in the interview when he says he probably couldn't write stuff like Sweet FA and the old b-sides any more as its symphonies that he has now swirling around in his head. And I think that's probably true for the fans as well since they are much older and have developed with bands like Sweet and Queen, and many others for that matter as well. So I think Andy and the boys need to put their hearts and souls into whatever they do, rather than do something solely for the market. Much like they did with NYC. It doesn't need to be Topographical Oceans but its got to be genuine I think. And that way they will bring the market with them.
And I totally agree with you about more Off the Record. A wonderful undiscovered album that wasn't marketed properly at the time. Although personally I reckon they should take songs from across the catalogue, and not just any one album.
Re the current lineup, Andy says that they are the best vocally since the classic lineup, and I agree. He also says that some of the other musicians that have played with him have been excellent on their instruments. I am guessing, but I would think that the one he might be most specifically referring to with that is Steve Grant, who left last year when Tony O'Hora rejoined. Tony was previously a lead singer in the band in the mid noughties, if you didn't know.
Just on your point about Desolation Boulevard Revisited being a smart move to reposition the Sweet Fanny Adams album with US fans, well that's definitely true I think. Although I would have preferred it with the complete original song listing on these albums. I certainly would have bought both of them if that had happended, as I'm sure a lot of the core Sweet nuts would have as well. Oh well, can't have everything I guess.
The other thing that caught my attention listening to that interview with Andy again was him saying that he is going to be doing a thing on a boat out of Sydney in August called Rock the Boat. I have checked the related website, but can't see anything on that to say that Sweet are doing it. But I will keep following it up, because if they are doing that, I would definitely want to be there. So once again, thanks for bringing the link to my attention for that bit of info too!
I actually had heard that interview once before, but it was really good hearing it again, as there was some very interesting detail packed into it. Especially near the end of the interview.
I had overlooked that bit about Andy not knowing how new songs would come out, as its been ten years since Sweetlife. Makes him creatively fresh I think. He also says that he thinks that the album he would write would come out sounding like Topographical Oceans. However he said what was needed was another Sweet Fanny Adams. That might be right, but I also think that a bit of substance is what took Sweet up to the next level. And if Sweet hadn't evolved, there wouldn't have been a Love Is Like Oxgyen.
And you simply can't pretend that you haven't developed. And he pretty much says that beforehand in the interview when he says he probably couldn't write stuff like Sweet FA and the old b-sides any more as its symphonies that he has now swirling around in his head. And I think that's probably true for the fans as well since they are much older and have developed with bands like Sweet and Queen, and many others for that matter as well. So I think Andy and the boys need to put their hearts and souls into whatever they do, rather than do something solely for the market. Much like they did with NYC. It doesn't need to be Topographical Oceans but its got to be genuine I think. And that way they will bring the market with them.
And I totally agree with you about more Off the Record. A wonderful undiscovered album that wasn't marketed properly at the time. Although personally I reckon they should take songs from across the catalogue, and not just any one album.
Re the current lineup, Andy says that they are the best vocally since the classic lineup, and I agree. He also says that some of the other musicians that have played with him have been excellent on their instruments. I am guessing, but I would think that the one he might be most specifically referring to with that is Steve Grant, who left last year when Tony O'Hora rejoined. Tony was previously a lead singer in the band in the mid noughties, if you didn't know.
Just on your point about Desolation Boulevard Revisited being a smart move to reposition the Sweet Fanny Adams album with US fans, well that's definitely true I think. Although I would have preferred it with the complete original song listing on these albums. I certainly would have bought both of them if that had happended, as I'm sure a lot of the core Sweet nuts would have as well. Oh well, can't have everything I guess.
The other thing that caught my attention listening to that interview with Andy again was him saying that he is going to be doing a thing on a boat out of Sydney in August called Rock the Boat. I have checked the related website, but can't see anything on that to say that Sweet are doing it. But I will keep following it up, because if they are doing that, I would definitely want to be there. So once again, thanks for bringing the link to my attention for that bit of info too!
Not sure what the schedule will be like down under but keep watching as I am sure they should be really committed to the Aus mkt and would definitely go for the boat ride!
As you correctly suggest Sweet were never marketed properly, particularly in the States where they did seem to start taking off on the back of the US version of Desolation Boulevard (the superior album version I thought) and also Give Us a Wink - another excellent but maligned album in the press. The apparent lack of an obvious single on Off the Record seemed to affect sales there with a minor hit there for Funk it Up, but I cannot imagine what was supposed to be wrong with Fever of Love for that mkt then - if Def Leppard had redone that 10 years later another hit I reckon!
It was a sizeable hit in my native South Africa though, and I see Andy is set to go there for the first time later this year. Incidentally Sixties Man was a number 1 hit in Malawi next door (of all places - they had a DJ there who just kept pushing away at it on the old short wave! Can't imagine Sweet got their royalties though!). Anyway never knew a band like Sweet to stir critical comment - even inside this thread earlier on by the way! You could argue for the Who, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd (and I love them too!), but Queen and Sweet usually started a fight!
As you correctly suggest Sweet were never marketed properly, particularly in the States where they did seem to start taking off on the back of the US version of Desolation Boulevard (the superior album version I thought) and also Give Us a Wink - another excellent but maligned album in the press. The apparent lack of an obvious single on Off the Record seemed to affect sales there with a minor hit there for Funk it Up, but I cannot imagine what was supposed to be wrong with Fever of Love for that mkt then - if Def Leppard had redone that 10 years later another hit I reckon!
It was a sizeable hit in my native South Africa though, and I see Andy is set to go there for the first time later this year. Incidentally Sixties Man was a number 1 hit in Malawi next door (of all places - they had a DJ there who just kept pushing away at it on the old short wave! Can't imagine Sweet got their royalties though!). Anyway never knew a band like Sweet to stir critical comment - even inside this thread earlier on by the way! You could argue for the Who, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd (and I love them too!), but Queen and Sweet usually started a fight!
Anyway Heavenite, you are right about Tony O'Hara - he gets it just right with the Steve Priest-like interjections and is also a really good showman - a very good addition for the band. I suppose the present line-up could last depending on the crowd support and the $$! Aus + Germany critical there - I gather they can still draw 2000-3000 people in Germany on their own.
Changing tack (and loyalties!) for a minute Heavenite, have you listened to Steve Priests' band in the States? They are excellent as well if you haven't heard them yet. A live run on all the classics on 'Sweet Live - Are you Ready?' from 2009 turned the songs a little AOR but again stayed true to the 'brand' albeit going just slightly Heavy Metal! Bet Andy was just a little impressed! And right now I am listening to their Amazon download playing Won't Get Fooled Again on the Who tribute album Who Are You an All-Star Tribute - thats really good too!
Changing tack (and loyalties!) for a minute Heavenite, have you listened to Steve Priests' band in the States? They are excellent as well if you haven't heard them yet. A live run on all the classics on 'Sweet Live - Are you Ready?' from 2009 turned the songs a little AOR but again stayed true to the 'brand' albeit going just slightly Heavy Metal! Bet Andy was just a little impressed! And right now I am listening to their Amazon download playing Won't Get Fooled Again on the Who tribute album Who Are You an All-Star Tribute - thats really good too!
Yes, I really like Tony O'Hora. I saw him last year in Hobart where I live. They have also been to Australia three of the last four years, and I reckon they will come here this year again on their New York Connection tour too.
Re Steve's band, I have their live CD too. Its extremely well played! And yes, I think Andy might have been a bit impressed given the quality of the recording. Haven't got the latest Who single yet, but I need to cos it really is a top notch version. Andy has promised that new album of original songs as well, so I'm really looking forward to that. And it would be great if Stevie could do the same. Hope he can get to Australia as well at some point too!
Re Steve's band, I have their live CD too. Its extremely well played! And yes, I think Andy might have been a bit impressed given the quality of the recording. Haven't got the latest Who single yet, but I need to cos it really is a top notch version. Andy has promised that new album of original songs as well, so I'm really looking forward to that. And it would be great if Stevie could do the same. Hope he can get to Australia as well at some point too!
Found this old link bookmarked on my laptop - Try this weblink
< www.daveling.co.uk/docsweet.htm > for a past article in Classic Rock magazine about the band.
Also ref the acknowledgment links for further reading at the foot of that article, you could add books:
'Blockbuster!' by Dave Thompson
and espicially the very well researched
'The Sweet:Biography. No Matter What They Say.' by Australian(?) fan Mick Duthie. I think this is only available now in hard copy fm eBAY via Australia. Its not cheap but was probably never priced for mass circulation and should be quite affordable in Australia where my copy posted from - both good reads!
Enjoy.
HI Wheelsares
Yes nice article that one. And Dave Thompson and Mick Duthie's books are great too! Mick's book is also available as a download from the Sweet website last time I checked. And Steve Priest's book is also, although he is doing a revised edition of his book "Are You Ready Steve". that should be out in a few months. Knowing Steve it's going to be dynamite!
Yes nice article that one. And Dave Thompson and Mick Duthie's books are great too! Mick's book is also available as a download from the Sweet website last time I checked. And Steve Priest's book is also, although he is doing a revised edition of his book "Are You Ready Steve". that should be out in a few months. Knowing Steve it's going to be dynamite!
Hi Heavenite,
I wonder how that expanded version will read then - Steve needs to do more recording to offer that extra scope - lol maybe he is upping the rockstar soft porn content of the original version (of course I'm jealous!- it is usually Brian and Mick who get most of that credit according to Andy!). Sadly though, his guitarist Steve Smith left the band at the end of last year so not sure how that will pan out now... pity.
It would be great if Steve would join Andy for one last hurrah but Steve does appear to be totally anti all things Andy/U.K... he had even pencilled in a small UK tour in 2010 but the promoter turned out to be a fraud!
Which were your favourite Sweet and Queen albums Heavenite?
For me all of Sweet except around the edges - Funny How Sweet Co-Co... and Identity Crisis missing the spot personally, with my high points being OTR, GUAW, SFA and the live Strung Up - cracking that one! And maybe even NYC and CATR!
By the way did you ever hear their BBC version of Paperback Writer (mainly Brian there)? B-Sides were always better in 1971-72!
And ALL of Queen except Hot Space, the Game and Flash Gordon for me... loved the growth through Queen/Queen II/Sheer Heart Attack etc plus the Works and esp. the grand finale Innuendo... not a bad effort for a man in poor health!
Unfortunately Freddie was always going to be particularly irreplaceable being one of rock premier class acts, totally up there with Daltrey, Plant and Jagger I think, as well as being an essential writer for the band too. Legend! George Michael was exceptional on Five Live at Wembley though...
I wonder how that expanded version will read then - Steve needs to do more recording to offer that extra scope - lol maybe he is upping the rockstar soft porn content of the original version (of course I'm jealous!- it is usually Brian and Mick who get most of that credit according to Andy!). Sadly though, his guitarist Steve Smith left the band at the end of last year so not sure how that will pan out now... pity.
It would be great if Steve would join Andy for one last hurrah but Steve does appear to be totally anti all things Andy/U.K... he had even pencilled in a small UK tour in 2010 but the promoter turned out to be a fraud!
Which were your favourite Sweet and Queen albums Heavenite?
For me all of Sweet except around the edges - Funny How Sweet Co-Co... and Identity Crisis missing the spot personally, with my high points being OTR, GUAW, SFA and the live Strung Up - cracking that one! And maybe even NYC and CATR!
By the way did you ever hear their BBC version of Paperback Writer (mainly Brian there)? B-Sides were always better in 1971-72!
And ALL of Queen except Hot Space, the Game and Flash Gordon for me... loved the growth through Queen/Queen II/Sheer Heart Attack etc plus the Works and esp. the grand finale Innuendo... not a bad effort for a man in poor health!
Unfortunately Freddie was always going to be particularly irreplaceable being one of rock premier class acts, totally up there with Daltrey, Plant and Jagger I think, as well as being an essential writer for the band too. Legend! George Michael was exceptional on Five Live at Wembley though...
Yes Wheelsares
I think Steve does need to do some more recording if he is going to be relevant in a contemporary sense once again . Sadly I think the moment has passed, as his band are now doing a new album as Heaven and Earth. It's called "Dig", which is going to be released in April. It looks like it's going to be top notch. In an interview with bandleader Stuart Smith recently, he says that Steve didn't want to do anything new, which is why he and the rest of the band went out and made "Dig". Not sure if that was because Steve was having his knee done or maybe at age 65, he is happy with his lot and just wants to do the odd concert in the States every now and then and that's all.
I reckon the revisions to Steve's book will be more in the form of an extension to his original edition. Stuff like the attempt to reform with Brian and Mick and without Andy would be my guess on the sort of thing we will see included in it. So it could well blow the lid on the inner politics between the the bandmembers since the demise of the classic lineup up. Well at least until Brian's and Mick's deaths. As I said in my last post, it could be dynamite!
I remember the Steve tour debacle in 2010. Very unfortunate! But he did get to Germany with his band for a couple of dates a bit later on. Just he never got to England.
It would of course be great to see Steve and Andy together again, but I think the chances of that happening have well and truly passed (sadly). Maybe for a live date or two at the very most, but that's it! Steve has been the one that didn't want to do anything for years, whereas Andy did. But these days I think Andy has very much moved forward with his band with the excellent NYC and SFA Revisited albums.
And even more exciting is the prospect of a new album. That would be so special if it happens, which I think it will, subject to health etc.
I do have the Live at the BBC album with all those early Sweet recordings, including Paperback Writer. Very nice! Early b-sides were awesome as you say and should get more exposure in concert these days. Favourites are Burning and Done Me Wrong Alright.
The b-sides were actually included on an album in Australia with the four big glam hits and was called The Sweet Singles. It was a huge seller, and had a lot to do with why Sweet are so highly regarded here. Similarly I think to the way in which the US Desolation Boulevard is so higly regarded over in the US, although probably even more so.
I actually hope they use The Sweet Singles as a template for any 40th anniversary reissues they might be planning on releasing next year. I know that the 2005 reissue of Desolation Boulevard, which included the glam rock tracks and their b-sides as extras, is now well out of production and hard to get. So just maybe they'll do it differently next time.
Re my favourite Sweet albums, the live part of Strung Up is awesome with that version of Done Me Wrong Alright, which has that mega guitar solo on it. But I love all their albums including Identity Crisis. They really are all great.
My least favourite albums are the bubblegum ones and probably Waters Edge. But even WE isn't bad! far from it! CATR could also have easily broken them super big in the States if Brian had still been around. They were still getting better in my book! But sadly he wasn't.
As far as Queen is concerned, their albums are all also great. My least favourite is A Kind Of Magic, then next least is very difficult. I actually love Flash Gordon, and Made in Heaven was surprisingly good despite the fact that Freddie was no longer with us when it came out.
But the top Queen albums for me would be Queen 2, Sheer Heart Attack, A Night at the Opera, News Of the World, Jazz, The Game, Flash Gordon, Innuendo and Made in Heaven. I hope there is something that is decent enough that is still left that we might hear one day. I liked the recent reissue with all the different live versions, demos and alternate takes. Very nice! I also picked up The Singles Collection and heard some of the b-sides that I had missed along the way. Some of those were really great too!
I think Steve does need to do some more recording if he is going to be relevant in a contemporary sense once again . Sadly I think the moment has passed, as his band are now doing a new album as Heaven and Earth. It's called "Dig", which is going to be released in April. It looks like it's going to be top notch. In an interview with bandleader Stuart Smith recently, he says that Steve didn't want to do anything new, which is why he and the rest of the band went out and made "Dig". Not sure if that was because Steve was having his knee done or maybe at age 65, he is happy with his lot and just wants to do the odd concert in the States every now and then and that's all.
I reckon the revisions to Steve's book will be more in the form of an extension to his original edition. Stuff like the attempt to reform with Brian and Mick and without Andy would be my guess on the sort of thing we will see included in it. So it could well blow the lid on the inner politics between the the bandmembers since the demise of the classic lineup up. Well at least until Brian's and Mick's deaths. As I said in my last post, it could be dynamite!
I remember the Steve tour debacle in 2010. Very unfortunate! But he did get to Germany with his band for a couple of dates a bit later on. Just he never got to England.
It would of course be great to see Steve and Andy together again, but I think the chances of that happening have well and truly passed (sadly). Maybe for a live date or two at the very most, but that's it! Steve has been the one that didn't want to do anything for years, whereas Andy did. But these days I think Andy has very much moved forward with his band with the excellent NYC and SFA Revisited albums.
And even more exciting is the prospect of a new album. That would be so special if it happens, which I think it will, subject to health etc.
I do have the Live at the BBC album with all those early Sweet recordings, including Paperback Writer. Very nice! Early b-sides were awesome as you say and should get more exposure in concert these days. Favourites are Burning and Done Me Wrong Alright.
The b-sides were actually included on an album in Australia with the four big glam hits and was called The Sweet Singles. It was a huge seller, and had a lot to do with why Sweet are so highly regarded here. Similarly I think to the way in which the US Desolation Boulevard is so higly regarded over in the US, although probably even more so.
I actually hope they use The Sweet Singles as a template for any 40th anniversary reissues they might be planning on releasing next year. I know that the 2005 reissue of Desolation Boulevard, which included the glam rock tracks and their b-sides as extras, is now well out of production and hard to get. So just maybe they'll do it differently next time.
Re my favourite Sweet albums, the live part of Strung Up is awesome with that version of Done Me Wrong Alright, which has that mega guitar solo on it. But I love all their albums including Identity Crisis. They really are all great.
My least favourite albums are the bubblegum ones and probably Waters Edge. But even WE isn't bad! far from it! CATR could also have easily broken them super big in the States if Brian had still been around. They were still getting better in my book! But sadly he wasn't.
As far as Queen is concerned, their albums are all also great. My least favourite is A Kind Of Magic, then next least is very difficult. I actually love Flash Gordon, and Made in Heaven was surprisingly good despite the fact that Freddie was no longer with us when it came out.
But the top Queen albums for me would be Queen 2, Sheer Heart Attack, A Night at the Opera, News Of the World, Jazz, The Game, Flash Gordon, Innuendo and Made in Heaven. I hope there is something that is decent enough that is still left that we might hear one day. I liked the recent reissue with all the different live versions, demos and alternate takes. Very nice! I also picked up The Singles Collection and heard some of the b-sides that I had missed along the way. Some of those were really great too!
Another old link for you Heavenite - http://www.alwynwturner.com/glitter/sweet.html
As much as they seem to be dismissed, I actually LOVE Cut Above the Rest and Water's Edge.
Nice thread. I love Sweet. A mixed bag to be fair, but overall definitely one of my favs.
Here's my YT upload (in medley form) from 2017 - Sweet were supporting Ritchie's Rainbow at Birmingham