Mod-A-Day: The Sweet

The Sweet aren't at first glance a band you'd think would be all that mod friendly. But at second, and third, and fourth listen you begin to hear it. They have a blend of bubblegum pop, soulful R&B, power pop, and glam along with an overall charm that you just can't resist.

They started out as a soul band, Wainright Gentleman, that morphed into pub rock band Sweetshop. From there it was just a tightening of the sound and shortening of the name to The Sweet. Their early sound, and first hits, were more bubblegum pop oriented pieces largely written for the band. Later on they would write their own material incorporating a heavier sound ala The Who, and always had a hard time combining the harder edged guitar sound with the softer pop vocal harmonies. In the end though it is exactly that sound that made them sucecssful with hits like "Ballroom Blitz", "Hellraiser", "Fox on the Run" and "Block Buster". All of which have an obvious power pop foundation and clearly influenced a slew of later bands from Cheap Trick to even the Cars. If you can get beyond the glam and glitz and listen to the music, you'll see what I mean. And you'll like it.


The Sweet -- Wig Wam Bam

The Sweet -- Fox On The Run