sweet – SMART

Haze 13th Jan and Sweet 20th Jan – Aquarius 1973

January 13, 2024January 13, 2024 by Alan Esdaile

Haze photo supplied by Robert Searle

Ticket supplied by Diane Leigh, autograph is on the back of the ticket

Robert Searle… Back left is Robert Searle on bass, Les Harding guitar,Colin Rotheroe guitar. Front is Les Pennock vocals Bernie Marchant vocals and Dave Funnel drums. Bob, Les Harding and Colin Rotheroe backing vocals. Got my trusted Fender bass in my right hand. Hated those steps at the back of Aquarius where we bought the gear up but had a great night. We also did the Cobweb before the Aquarius opened. John booked us.

Robert Searle… Saw the Sweet at the Aquarius.Ive heard bad reports of the Sweet but that night , they were brilliant.Their playing was just as good as say Deep Purple ,their vocal harmonies were fantastic. That night at the Aquarius proved how good they were.A great rocking group with great vocals.

Alan Esdaile… I was at that Sweet gig and we were packed in like sardines. They were very good.

Leigh Wieland-Boys… I was there too, remember it like it was yesterday!

Robert Searle… A real great thumping backing ,great musicians.Vocals were fantastic with Andy Scotts high vocals were unbelievable, real professionals.

Chris Giles… I saw Sweet at the Aquarius …my friends dragged me along…. I wasn’t keen to see them… I was shocked they were brilliant one of the best acts I’ve seen.

Barry French… I was knocked out by Sweet at the Aquarius, I was expecting a pop band, & if my memory serves me correct I think they opened up with a WHO medley.

Matt Thomas… Too young but got sweets autographs

Ian McGilvray… Great Band. My favourite

Ronald Burgoyne… That must be when we saw them Mac

Ian McGilvray.. I think it was Ron. Great band with excellent harmonies.

Merv Kennard… that was a good night, so was the dlwp gig last December.

Seaside Treats Festival – Sweet, Neville Staple Band and Sham 69 plus more to be confirmed. White Rock Theatre 3rd June 2017

February 4, 2017February 4, 2017 by Alan Esdaile

more information… https://whiterocktheatre.org.uk

This unique event takes place in one day to raise money for the Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity that aids and assists children with learning difficulties. The gathering of such bands that have made an impact on generations of people over the years are performing in aid of this worthy charity. As well as the acts, with more to come, there will be stalls and other points of interest. This is a great chance to see something that is for a worthy cause and also to see everyone rockin’ down the front. Current line up includes: The Sweet, Neville Staple Band, Sham 69 and more to be confirmed.

Mike Raxworthy… Right on my Jazz, Blues and Soul Festival weekend – that’s unfortunate….probably a different audience though…that’s the thing about Hastings, always plenty of choice!

Alan Esdaile… Went to the Sunday Jazz Blues and Soul Festival last year Mike and was excellent. Hoping for more of the same this year.

Mike Raxworthy… The pubs who were involved last year suggested I double it up – so it will kick off Friday evening 2nd June in pubs and hopefully some restaurants, then from 1pm on the Stade on Saturday 3rd June thru till 9ish then back to the pubs till 11. Liane has agreed to play Saturday on the Stade as my headline. We continue with a jazz orchestra at Butlers Gap on Sunday 4th at 12.30 then over to The Stade till 7pm…then back to the pubs! I’m doing it as a fund-raiser for The Winkle club again (you can’t put stuff on The Stade for profit) and I am seriously looking for some good sponsors. Entrance to most venues and of course on The Stade will be free!

SMART SOUNDS by Colin Bell… reviews new cd’s from Sweet, Butterscotch and Robin George

January 28, 2023April 2, 2015 by Alan Esdaile

SWEET ‘New York Groove Plus’

Are you ready Bruce? Pete? Andy? Tony? lets go!! OK, so that’s not quite the same as it once was but Andy Scott has kept the flame burning all these years and let me tell you he’s done a bloody good job. This is a thumpingly good album right from the kick off. Knowing in this market dominated by Cowell clones, airplay for a new Sweet album aint gonna happen he’s astutely ‘Sweetified’ some classics and come up with a gem. ‘New York Groove’, ‘Because The Night’ ‘Join Together’ are just some of the highlights. And yes all the ‘classic’ Sweet ingredients are there, the layered harmonies, sawing guitar riffs and driving drum beats that made them such a great band. In fact listening to the ‘new’ version of ‘New York Connection’ (the original b side of Wig Wam Bam) you are transported back to those heady days of the 70’s. But this is no retro album its Sweet in 2015 doing what they do best rocking hard. I hope this release brings them new fans who will discover what a seminal band they are. I can feel Brian and Mick looking down and nodding their heads and their feet in approval. Rock on Andy and Co, I wish we had a (happy) ballroom to blitz!! And now if this was a radio link I guess i’d be saying from one sweet to another (groan!)……….

BUTTERSCOTCH ‘Don’t You Know Its Butterscotch’

Is it really 45 years almost to the day I received a promo single of ‘Don’t You Know’? yes it is and I don’t know where the time has gone! Released in May 1970 this slice of sunshine pop hit the top twenty and once heard stuck in your head all day. Butterscotch was the brainchild of talented songwriters Arnold, Martin and Morrow (AMMO) who had written for everyone from Elvis to Edison Lighthouse. Much like Edison Lighthouse, White Plains etc Butterscotch were a studio concoction originally. Never released before this CD contains all their recorded material, they never bettered DYK and didn’t trouble the charts again but if you like ‘Sunshine pop, harmony ala Harmony Grass style there is much to enjoy ‘Surprise Surprise’ and ‘Sunday Wont be Sunday Any More’ being two highlights. And as aforementioned you’ll be humming DYK for the rest of the day!

ROBIN GEORGE ‘Dangerous Music ii’

Following on from the album Dangerous Music, comes the never released til now part 2. Robin had a worldwide hit from that first album in 1985 in the shape of ‘Heartline’, a track I have played many many times on my radio shows and a personal favourite. A fan of Little Feat (great band) Robin has a great pedigree playing with amongst others. Phil Lynott, Robert Plant, Roy Wood and Diamond Head. Dangerous Music 11 is clearly an Eighties production, I can imagine some of the tracks playing in scenes from Miami Vice, glossy synth pop overladen with Robins guitar work. Despite some high quality writing there sadly isn’t a track as immediate as ‘Heartline’. Overall its a good listen, best in a convertible heading down a freeway I suspect. And that side of the pond I think is his natural market. However good to see its release after 30 years!

All the above are Angel Air releases. For more information go to www.angelair.co.uk

Til next time bye for now and have a great Easter… Colin colin-head