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| The New York Optimist March 2009 |
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Sweet's origins go back to 1965, with UK soul band "Wainwright's Gentlemen", which included drummer Mick Tucker and vocalist Ian
Gillan. The group were limited to small UK clubs playing a mixture of R&B and psychedelia. Gillan quit in May 1965 to join Episode Six,
and, later, Deep Purple. Gillan's eventual replacement was vocalist Brian Connolly. Tucker and Connolly remained with Wainwright's
Gentlemen until early 1968.
In January 1968, Brian Connolly and Mick Tucker left Wainwright's Gentlemen to form another band, calling themselves The Sweetshop.
They recruited a bass guitarist/lead vocalist named Steve Priest from a local band called 'The Army', having previously played with another
local band 'The Countdowns'. Frank Torpey, a friend of Tucker's, was recruited to play guitar. It did not take long for Sweetshop to
develop a following on the pub circuit, and they were signed to the Fontana record label. At the time, another UK band released a single
under the same name Sweetshop, so the band shortened the name to The Sweet. Their debut single "Slow Motion" (July 1968) failed to
chart. Sweet was released from the recording contract, and Frank Torpey left. Steve Priest in his autobiography says Gordon Fairminer
was approached to play for them when Torpey decided to leave but turned the job down as they were only receiving £15.00 per week at
the time.
Gillan. The group were limited to small UK clubs playing a mixture of R&B and psychedelia. Gillan quit in May 1965 to join Episode Six,
and, later, Deep Purple. Gillan's eventual replacement was vocalist Brian Connolly. Tucker and Connolly remained with Wainwright's
Gentlemen until early 1968.
In January 1968, Brian Connolly and Mick Tucker left Wainwright's Gentlemen to form another band, calling themselves The Sweetshop.
They recruited a bass guitarist/lead vocalist named Steve Priest from a local band called 'The Army', having previously played with another
local band 'The Countdowns'. Frank Torpey, a friend of Tucker's, was recruited to play guitar. It did not take long for Sweetshop to
develop a following on the pub circuit, and they were signed to the Fontana record label. At the time, another UK band released a single
under the same name Sweetshop, so the band shortened the name to The Sweet. Their debut single "Slow Motion" (July 1968) failed to
chart. Sweet was released from the recording contract, and Frank Torpey left. Steve Priest in his autobiography says Gordon Fairminer
was approached to play for them when Torpey decided to leave but turned the job down as they were only receiving £15.00 per week at
the time.
