dave , if I knew how , I would. It's a wonder I can do this much , as I'm self - taught.
"Little Willy" was the first 45 I bought with my own money. Still , it was about 6 years until Sweet had another major U.S. hit , and that's a long time when you're a kid.....I was'nt really into them for a long time , but , when I did some investigating , I discovered that this was a fucking ace band , as their peeps would say.....Every facet of their career (Except maybe the post - Brian Connolly era. Even some of that is OK. NOT ESSENTIAL.), including the very early Psych and Bubblegum stuff , has it's charms. I saw the reformed group in , I think , '89.It was Andy Scott and Mick Tucker , both of whom had my jaw on the floor , and , subbing for Brian Connolly was Mel McNulty of very early Iron Maiden , and later , Slade II , now known as "Slade" . And even THAT has'nt got Noddy out of his easy chair to take back what's his. Oh , well. It's his affair , he does'nt have to prove he sounds like Bikini Atoll.
They came back a couple of times , sand Mick Tucker. Bet your ass I went to all three shows . We don't get this stuff handed down to us on a platter. Slade's last US tour , in '83 , was cancelled due to medical issues. Our own Suzi Quatro (S'cuse me , I mean , wor Suzi...) has'nt toured the states , to my knowledge , since 1979 (I could have seen her , then , at an all ages festival , but I only knew her thru "Happy Days" , and thought it was OK at the time.) ..... Then , a pre - scandal Gary Glitter sang a total of two songs in the whole of his U.S. performing career , when the World Cup was held in Chicago. It was a $40 ticket , and an otherwise abhorral bill (Yes , James , Scorpions , Fleetwood Mac with only Mick and John , and probably not even Billy Burnette....ugh.). I knew , I sensed it , they'd only give him two songs. I was right. I also learned , later , that they were letting people in free , because no one bought advance tickets. I STILL don't know where the Hell the venue is , though.
So , yeah , I saw Andy Scott's Sweet three times. D'jer wanna make something of it ?
BRIAN WAS UP FOR HIS OLD JOB, WHEN THE SWEET WERE DISCUSSING A REUNION , BUT , his drinking HAD LEFT HIM , SADLY , A WRECK . Reportedly , he'd cleaned up by then , but an English guy told me , when he was living , Brian was lovingly called "Shakes". tHERE'S A DOCUMENTARY on Brian , now on You Tube , made about a year before he died. You will not find it easy to get thru.
dave said:
Ha, Slade, alright, ya sold me, I'll be looking up their stuff! Hey, I do like the Sweet now, tho' it took years. You might think about putting those 2 cassettes on youtube, sound screamin' (and no Meteors, thank Christ! Ugh, psycho-billy, non, just gimme Cramps)
John Battles said:
There's so many.....But , since I was just talking about 'em-
Lithium Xmas "Aneurysm" (Cassette only. Some of the same material turned up on a CD , "Bad Karma" (?) , years later. ). Total mindfuck Hard Psych. Covers of Beefheart , Ultimate Spinach , Alice Cooper Group , Nilsson , Red Krayola , Lemon Pipers , George Harrison and the cast of "Godspell". No mere Psych Replacements , they made every song their own , with room for songs of their own.....But , what they could do with "The Iron Butterfly Theme" , now that , you should hear (It appears on "Helldorado" , a collection of then - new originals and covers from the early days.).
Washington Dead Cats (Same?) Also cassette only. French Psych/Psycho/Horror Rock , with Pere Ubu embellishments. They're still around . These hommes did not suck The Meteors' tit. They were into something different , altogether.
David Bowie "The Man Who Sold The World" - Maybe not underrated , so much as overlooked , it has the unfortunate disctinction of preceding "Ziggy Stardust", and , largely , only remembered , today , because Nirvana covered the title track. T. Tex Edwards' version of "Black Country Rock" is so much better , it's not funny. This album reeks of nihilism and paranoia . and it's as heavy , or moreso , as the first two Sabs' records.Marc Bolan's on it , too !
Slade on Stage - I know it's quite likely no one will back me on this , but , of their three official live LPs , I've always thought this one was hands down , no contest , the best.
It's 1982 ,the band is just getting on their feet again . Two years prior to their one good - sized American hit , and more than 5 years since a real chart single in The UK (Barring Re- appearances of "Merry Christmas , Everybody.") , the band had just recently set Reading ABLAZE with a surprise appearance , and they were'nt looking back.
Faster than a speeding Punk record , Heavier than The New Wave of British Heavy Metal , capable of turning England over to The Geordies with one detonation of the atom bomb blast that is Noddy Holder...... LOOK ! UP ON STAGE !!! fuck me , IT's SLAAAAAAAAAAADE !!!!!!