Block Buster!: The True Story Of The Sweet

by Dave Thompson

Athe story of the Sweet as they lived it, a vibrant helter skelter of delectable drama and dynamic detail. The book also includes a full worldwide discography including albums, singles, and audio-visual material.

Genres: Music

440 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 19, 2010

About the author

English author Dave Thompson has spent his entire working life writing biographies of other people, but is notoriously reluctant to write one for himself. Unlike the subjects of some of his best known books, he was neither raised by ferrets nor stolen from gypsies. He has never appeared on reality TV (although he did reach the semi finals of a UK pop quiz when he was sixteen), plays no musical instruments and he can’t dance, either.

However, he has written well over one hundred books in a career that is almost as old as U2’s… whom he saw in a club when they first moved to London, and memorably described as “okay, but they’ll never get any place.” Similar pronouncements published on the future prospects of Simply Red, Pearl Jam and Wang Chung (oh, and Curiosity Killed The Cat as well) probably explain why he has never been anointed a Pop Culture Nostradamus. Although the fact that he was around to pronounce gloomily on them in the first place might determine why he was recently described as “a veteran music journalist.”

Raised on rock, powered by punk, and still convinced that “American Pie” was written by Fanny Farmer and is best played with Meatloaf, Thompson lists his five favorite artists as old and obscure; his favorite album is whispered quietly and he would like to see Richard and Linda Thompson’s “I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight” installed as the go-to song for the sad, sappy ending for every medical drama on TV.

Kurt Cobain, Phil Collins, Alice Cooper, Joan Jett, David Bowie, John Travolta, Eric Clapton, Jackson Browne, Bob Marley, Roger Waters and the guy who sang that song in the jelly commercial are numbered among the myriad artists about whom Thompson has written books; he has contributed to the magazines Rolling Stone, Alternative Press, Mojo and Melody Maker; and he makes regular guest appearances on WXPN’s Highs in the Seventies show.

Reviews

[Margena Adams Holmes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this after reading Are You Ready, Steve? and it's a great companion book to Steve Priest's book. It goes into detail of the band from their early start to their untimely finish. They could have been really big if all their unfortunate missed opportunities had panned out. I had a hard time putting it down, even though I knew how it was going to end--and it rips your heart out. It does have details of other bands from this time period, as a lot of them are intertwined with Sweet or their songwriters and/or producers, but if you don't want to read those parts, it's easy to skip past them and not lose any of the story.

[Jacqueline Jansen · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a sad book , about such a great band. They made so many bad decisions, or they were made for them, I don't know. They seem to have so much bad luck, it's unbelievable. This book is depressing and has way too much stories and notes about other bands and artists. For The Sweet fans I would recommend" Are you ready Steve?" written by Steve Priest. It's my opinion though.

[Elleanor Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

So who upset the Gypsy?

Wow. Not often such a book deserves 5 stars but this does. Going to track down "Are You Ready Steve" the bio by Steve Priest now. This book is all about the band, the songs, the tours, the life and the era , something I well remember tho I was just a shade too young to be a real part of it and see them live. If you want to know the navel gazing stuff which school, how many brothers, mum n dad, best friend, name of pet dog it's NOT here. If you want to know how many groupies were bedded again your out of luck. If you want to know the shows, the tours, the studio and how they were streets ahead of the opposition and unfairly accused of ripping off Queen when quite clearly they did it all first together with the songs, the song writers and read about some of the extraordinary bad luck that seemed to doggedly stick to them ( two major ones being invited to play with the Who at Charlton Athletic Football Club which would have seen their exposure as a real rockin band they were live and on B sides rather than the pigeon holed teenybopper bubblegum claimed) just soar and also when they were trying to really break big in America (to support Aerosmith and play massive thousands venues). With the latter perhaps there was a silver lining to that I guess. They were already coke heads and being with the toxic twins would certainly not have got them any cleaner. Both times however they had to turn down these big breaks and because of Brian. So sad they were so good and never really got the breaks partly I think their lousy managers didn't help all they cared about was selves as Steve so aptly summed up in the lyrics of "Action". Shame they couldn't have had Chas Chandler instead. Great muso and look how Slade fared under him. I learned a hell of a lot I didn't know, some good some just showing just how damned unlucky they were. Only now are the real plaudits coming and many admitting that actually they liked Sweet. The Who did openly and that's more than enough serious praise and accolade for me. Only Andy Scott left now. Keep the flame burning Andy and thanks for the music. 10 out of 10 for this enlightening read as well.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well presented

Well presented guide for beginners. However, the author consistently criticizes Connolly and appreciates Andy.

[Graham Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the Sweet and its great to hear there real true story. They where a band that was unappreciated in some ways. But the struggle with management and songwriters,and realising what was good for them and what was not. Also the Sweet changing going into another Heavy rock band journey genre was wrong concentrating on America was a wrong decision changing there image, it all led to downfall in the end. They should have split at the top but it was left to long and the sweet broke up being quite mixed up and unsatisfied.

[Bob Fairbrother · Rating 3 out of 5]

I essentially wanted a casual quick dip into nostalgia about a band that I liked when I was young. It had the added bonus of some general 'glam' history which was fun.

It is a bit laboured, or to be fair 'dense', probably making it a read for the more 'hardened' fan.

An enjoyable read.

[Jim Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably more than you ever want to know about The Sweet, but a total guilty pleasure. Who knew that none of the band except Brian C. played on their first US hit "Little Willy"? This was a band plauged by bad luck and bad decisions, but they put out some of the best mindless glam pop of the '70's. They will always be one of my favorite bands! Thompson is an except on Glam Rock and his little asides in the book about people like Suzi Quatro and Marc Bolan are wonderful!