On this day, 25 June 1972, The Sweet played at Cardiff’s Top Rank Suite. That and the recent death of their charismatic bassist Steve Priest, brought to mind how I became a member of The Sweet fan club, for at least a couple of hours!
As a very impressionable 11-year-old The Sweet, along with Slade, Bowie and T-Rex were captivating with Thursday nights being the highlight of the week and at 7.30pm, it was time for Top of the Pops.
From their earlier bubblegum pop they found their musical chops with a harder glam rock sound guided somewhat by the songwriting team of Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn, with Blockbuster being a break out single.
With their new-found sound came a new look of sparkling outfits and makeup. During a break in filming TOTP, Priest had a chat with Bowie, who advised they take a more subtle approach to their make up. “I was plastering this make-up on, and Bowie's going: 'Oh no, no, no. You've got to be subtle.' Bowie just didn't get it. It isn't supposed to be subtle. I'm supposed to look like an old tart."
Such was the impact of these bands that I wrote off to various fan clubs hearing nothing from Bowie or Slade, I received a letter from the Sweet record label ( my letter to the band was addressed - The Sweet, RCA Records, London). In their letter were details of the official fan club, an address, plus instructions to include a ten schilling postal order.
I pestered my mum for several weeks and used the little pocket money I had and eventually purchased a postal order and sent it off…and waited, and waited.
One Saturday, several months later, after my routine visit to the newsagents for my comics, via the back of Mr Pollard, our neighbour’s moped, I came home to find a small brown package had been posted. These were the days when your mail arrived in the morning, and not mid-afternoon.
Inside, to my amazement, was a signed picture of The Sweet, a membership card and newsletter. Still in a state of shock, I bundled the package into my coat pocket and made off to the bus stop with mates for a visit to Empire Pool swimming baths on the 61 bus from Pentrebane to the bus station, excitedly showing my envious mates the contents.
Sadly my enthusiasm was to take a devastating turn for the worse as when I got to the changing rooms, the package had vanished. In a matter of an hour or so, my membership for The Sweet Fan Club had been lost and some lucky soul had found and taken my package.
Whilst it was devastating at the time, during the time it had taken for the package to arrive, I’d found numerous other bands to follow. For a very small amount time, on that day, I thought I was a member of a very exclusive club.
If anyone knows the whereabouts…
Credit : Tony Woolway
