Brian Connolly
Encyclopedia
Brian Francis Connolly (5 October 1945 – 9 February 1997)
was a Scottish musician, best known as the lead singer of the British rock band, Sweet
.
, Glasgow
, (some early Sweet biographies claim he was born in 1949). Whilst the true identity of Brian's father was never made public, his mother was a teenage waitress named Frances Connolly who left him in a Glasgow hospital as an infant whilst possibly suffering effects of meningitis. He was fostered, aged two, by Jim and Helen McManus of Blantyre and took their family name. In his earliest years Connolly was also affectionally known as "snowball" referring to his almost white blonde hair. In a radio interview, Connolly reported that singing was a large part of growing up since there was no television, and that he was regularly called upon to sing for family and friends. When Brian was aged about eighteen he inadvertently discovered his lineage and reverted to the name Connolly. Numerous sources have incorrectly asserted that he was a half brother of the late actor Mark McManus
(who found fame in the title role of detective series "Taggart
") but they were not related. Mark "Taggart" McManus was actually the nephew of Brian's foster father.
, Middlesex
, where Connolly played in a number of local bands before eventually replacing singer Ian Gillan
(later of Deep Purple
and Black Sabbath
fame) in a band called Wainwright's Gentlemen, which included drummer Mick Tucker
. Wainwright's Gentlemen split up in 1968 without releasing any recordings. Connolly and Tucker remained together and then recruited guitarist Frank Torpey, and bassist Steve Priest
. They named their new band The Sweetshop. Connolly has credited the Everly Brothers as being his earliest musical influence.
On the eve of releasing their debut single in July 1968, The Sweetshop shortened their name to The Sweet. They recorded a further three unsuccessful singles
; Andy Scott
joined the line-up in late 1970, just before the release of their first hit single "Funny, Funny". After this, Connolly was propelled into the limelight, with many appearances on Top of the Pops
, with the other members of the Sweet. A flood of very successful singles would follow and both The Sweet and Connolly became instantly recognisable around the world with Brian enjoying a large fan base.
Over the course of the next eight years, Connolly sang on many internationally successful singles and six albums with The Sweet until friction with other members caused him to leave the band in late 1978, although the announcement of his departure was not made public until March 1979.
In 1974 Connolly was badly beaten up after leaving a nightclub in Uxbridge
where he received several kicks to his throat which resulted in him being unable to sing for some time and losing some of his vocal range permanently. This happened after he apparently slagged off some bagpipe playing. To this day the perpetrators have not been caught. This event also meant the band missed out on supporting The Who
at Charlton Athletic Football Ground
. Several songs on the Sweet Fanny Adams
had to be sung by other members of the band.
As time progressed, Connolly would find the band excluding him from decisions. During 1977, when no tours were undertaken and two of Sweet's most successful albums were recorded, the power struggle within to run the band became even more apparent. As both business and personal pressure increased Connolly would often fail to show up or would keep his distance. Brian played his last British show with the classic Sweet line-up at Hammersmith Odeon, London on 24 February 1978. His final live performance with the band was in July 1978 in Florida, USA when they supported Alice Cooper.
, out at the Marquee Studios, in London. It was issued as Connolly's first solo single during 1980, by Polydor.
Also in 1979 was Connolly's first major appearance since leaving the Sweet, at the Bravo Super Disco '79 event, held at the Olympic Stadium
in Munich. 10,000 people heard Connolly perform a sneak peek of his first solo Polydor single: "Take Away The Music".
Over the next three years Connolly released a handful of singles ("Take Away The Music", "Don't You Know A Lady", and "Hypnotized" which was written by Joe Lynn Turner
) but these did not chart. The first two singles were released by Polydor because Connolly was still signed to the label.
In 1981, Connolly was admitted to hospital with bloating, and he sustained multiple heart attacks. His health was permanently affected with some paralysis on his left side which would later develop into a nervous system condition. These problems were most likely related to Connolly's excessive alcohol consumption, coupled with the use of prescription diuretic
medicine.
Thus began Brian Connolly's major problems. British Inland Revenue
served Connolly and the other members of the Sweet with a multi-million pound tax assessment for the income earned off their hit records. Connolly sold his house to pay his share of the tax bill. Shortly after, Connolly separated from his first wife Marilyn, divorcing in 1986. His alcohol abuse continued until 1985, when he quit drinking.
In 1982 the Polydor contract had now expired and Connolly signed with French independent label, Carrere Records. Carrere then released the single "Hypnotized". A reworked cover from the US band Fandango, the track was released in Europe with wide distribution by RCA. During this time that Connolly recorded a dozen or so new tracks, most unreleased or demos. The original plan was to have a completed album out by August 1983.
During January 1983, Connolly supported Pat Benatar
for three shows including one at Hammersmith Odeon, London. Connolly's Encore, included most of the members of Verity (fronted by ex-Argent
guitarist John Verity
.) and Terry Uttley, bass player from Smokie
. Songs played included "Windy City", "Fox on the Run", "Hypnotized" and new numbers, "Sick and Tired", "Red Hair Rage" and "Burning The Candle".These three tracks are available on a bootleg 7" Single and CD. The band and Connolly also played two other dates for the Benatar tour in Birmingham and Newcastle.
During 1987, Connolly would meet up again with Frank Torpey, who was the original Sweet lead guitarist from 1968 to 1969. Frank Torpey later explained in interviews that Brian Connolly was trying to get a German recording deal. The two got on very well and Torpey subsequently invited Connolly to go into the recording studio with him, as an informal project. After much trepidation and as always, running very late, Connolly turned up and a track was recorded. This being the track "Sharontina". However, this recording would not be released until 1998, when the Frank Torpey 1998 CD album, "Sweeter", became available.
In 1988, Connolly reunited in Los Angeles, California, with former band members Mick Tucker, Steve Priest and Andy Scott, to rework studio versions of "Action" and "The Ballroom Blitz". This was to be trial to see if a full reunion and new album could be arranged. This was for America's MCA Records. Connolly arrived having had troubles with a local rental car and getting lost on the way to the studio. This Mike Chapman-produced reunion floundered quickly and Brian went back to performing with his band, "The New Sweet".
During July 1990, plans were made for Connolly and his band to tour Australia. A number of dates were planned with the tour starting in Adelaide. This proceeded and took place during November. However, during the very long flight to Australia, his health had suffered and he was hospitalised in an Adelaide Hospital. This was allegedly for dehydration and related problems. The rest of the band played a show in Adelaide without him, so as not to disappoint the waiting fans. After being released from hospital, Connolly joined the rest of the other band members in Melbourne for the first gig, which was at the Pier Hotel, in Frankston. After several other shows, including one at the Dingley Powerhouse, Connolly and his band played the final Australian date of the tour at Melbourne's Greek Theatre. They then flew home to England as it was felt at the time that Connolly's health was sufficient reason for the rest of the tour not to go on, and the rest of the planned dates were abandoned.
During 1990 Connolly reunited with the original Sweet line-up, for the promotion of a music video documentary in London at Tower Records
and again there were rumours of a full band reunion which, ultimately, came to naught.
During the early 1990s Connolly played the European "oldies" circuit and occasional outdoor festivals in Europe with his band. However his plans would suffer a small setback when on 22 March 1992, a heavy duty tape recorder was stolen from the band's van whilst at a gig in the Bristol Hippodrome
with Mud
. It contained demos of four new songs, totalling about 20 mixes.
Legal problems were still going on in the background over the use of the Sweet name between Connolly and Andy Scott. In something of a truce, both parties agreed to distinguish their group's name to help promoters and fans. The New Sweet became Brian Connolly's Sweet and Andy Scott's version became Andy Scott's Sweet. Without the previous difficulty with Andy Scott, Connolly and his band continued to tour, both in the UK and Europe.
In 1994, in somewhat of a departure and proving he was no stranger to a challenge, Connolly and his band played in Dubai. He appeared at the Galleria Theatre, Hyatt
Regency. He also performed in Bahrain.
By this time Connolly had well and truly healed the differences with Steve Priest and Mick Tucker, as shown when he was invited to the wedding of Priest's eldest daughter, Lisa. At the private function, for which Priest specially flew back to England, he and Connolly performed together.
In 1995, Connolly released a new album entitled Let's Go. Available on CD, this was backed up at the time with merchandising as well. Also that year, his partner Jean, whom he had met a few years earlier, gave birth to a son. Also in 1995, Connolly performed in Switzerland.
During 1995, Connolly's partner Jean finally managed to track down his missing biological family. It emerged that he had an aunt in Ontario, Canada. She was able to reveal that Connolly's true birth mother had died in 1989. However, she was also able to inform him that he had a living brother and sister. Both flew almost straight away to England to meet Connolly during November 1995, the result giving him some closure to an issue that had haunted him for a considerable period.
On 2 November 1996, British TV Network Channel 4
aired a programme "Don't Leave Me This Way", which examined Connolly's time as a pop star with The Sweet and the subsequent decline in the band's popularity, and its impact on Connolly and the other band members. The show revealed Brian's ill health but also that he was continuing with his concert dates at Butlins
. Much has been written about the fact he was touring Butlins. In fact his appearances were nothing new. Connolly and his band had appeared at Butlins consistently a number of times on tour during the early 1990s.
Connolly's final concert was at the Bristol Hippodrome on 5 December 1996, with Slade II and John Rossall's Glitter Band Experience.
He was cremated after a ceremony at Most Holy Name Roman Catholic Church at Old Mill Lane, Denham, Buckinghamshire on Monday February 17, 1997 and his ashes were scattered over the water by his adult daughters Nicola and Michelle. He also left an ex-wife, Marilyn, and a two-year-old son called Brian Junior (BJ) by his partner Jean.
Fans then organised a memorial concert for Brian at The Camden Palace London on Sunday 11 October 1998. Money was raised to pay for a plaque dedicated to Brian at Breakspear Crematorium, Breakspear Road, Ruislip, Middlesex; it was unveiled on 9 February 2000.
was a Scottish musician, best known as the lead singer of the British rock band, Sweet
Sweet (band)
Sweet was a British rock band that rose to worldwide fame in the 1970s as one of the most prominent glam rock acts, with the classic line-up of lead vocalist Brian Connolly, bass player Steve Priest, guitarist Andy Scott, and drummer Mick Tucker.Sweet was formed in 1968 and achieved their first...
.
Early life
Brian Connolly was born in 1945 in GovanhillGovanhill
Govanhill is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated south of the River Clyde between the Gorbals, Mount Florida and Queen's Park...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, (some early Sweet biographies claim he was born in 1949). Whilst the true identity of Brian's father was never made public, his mother was a teenage waitress named Frances Connolly who left him in a Glasgow hospital as an infant whilst possibly suffering effects of meningitis. He was fostered, aged two, by Jim and Helen McManus of Blantyre and took their family name. In his earliest years Connolly was also affectionally known as "snowball" referring to his almost white blonde hair. In a radio interview, Connolly reported that singing was a large part of growing up since there was no television, and that he was regularly called upon to sing for family and friends. When Brian was aged about eighteen he inadvertently discovered his lineage and reverted to the name Connolly. Numerous sources have incorrectly asserted that he was a half brother of the late actor Mark McManus
Mark McManus
Mark McManus was a Scottish actor best known for his portrayal of Detective Chief Inspector Jim Taggart in the long-running ITV television series Taggart for eleven years until his death.-Career:...
(who found fame in the title role of detective series "Taggart
Taggart
Taggart is a Scottish detective television programme, created by Glenn Chandler, who has written many of the episodes, and made by STV Productions for the ITV network...
") but they were not related. Mark "Taggart" McManus was actually the nephew of Brian's foster father.
Early music career and Sweet
At the age of twelve Connolly moved to HarefieldHarefield
Harefield is a village in the London Borough of Hillingdon in northwest London, England. It is situated on top of a hill, northwest of Charing Cross, near the Greater London boundary with Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the north...
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, where Connolly played in a number of local bands before eventually replacing singer Ian Gillan
Ian Gillan
Ian Gillan is an English rock music vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lyricist for Deep Purple. During his career Gillan also fronted his own band, had a year-long stint as the vocalist for Black Sabbath, and sang the role of Jesus in the original recording of Andrew Lloyd...
(later of Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
and Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
fame) in a band called Wainwright's Gentlemen, which included drummer Mick Tucker
Mick Tucker
Michael Thomas "Mick" Tucker was the drummer and backing vocalist of the English glam rock band, Sweet.-Bands:...
. Wainwright's Gentlemen split up in 1968 without releasing any recordings. Connolly and Tucker remained together and then recruited guitarist Frank Torpey, and bassist Steve Priest
Steve Priest
Steve Priest is a founding member and bass player/backing vocalist of the glam rock band Sweet.-Biography:...
. They named their new band The Sweetshop. Connolly has credited the Everly Brothers as being his earliest musical influence.
On the eve of releasing their debut single in July 1968, The Sweetshop shortened their name to The Sweet. They recorded a further three unsuccessful singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
; Andy Scott
Andy Scott (guitarist)
Andy Scott is a British musician and songwriter. He is best known for being the lead guitarist and a vocalist in the band Sweet.-Early years:Scott started out playing bass guitar...
joined the line-up in late 1970, just before the release of their first hit single "Funny, Funny". After this, Connolly was propelled into the limelight, with many appearances on Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
, with the other members of the Sweet. A flood of very successful singles would follow and both The Sweet and Connolly became instantly recognisable around the world with Brian enjoying a large fan base.
Over the course of the next eight years, Connolly sang on many internationally successful singles and six albums with The Sweet until friction with other members caused him to leave the band in late 1978, although the announcement of his departure was not made public until March 1979.
In 1974 Connolly was badly beaten up after leaving a nightclub in Uxbridge
Uxbridge
Uxbridge is a large town located in north west London, England and is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon. It forms part of the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is located west-northwest of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres...
where he received several kicks to his throat which resulted in him being unable to sing for some time and losing some of his vocal range permanently. This happened after he apparently slagged off some bagpipe playing. To this day the perpetrators have not been caught. This event also meant the band missed out on supporting The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
at Charlton Athletic Football Ground
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
. Several songs on the Sweet Fanny Adams
Sweet Fanny Adams (album)
Sweet Fanny Adams is the first of two 1974 albums by Sweet, and also their first album simply as Sweet. The album was a turning point and change in the band's sound...
had to be sung by other members of the band.
As time progressed, Connolly would find the band excluding him from decisions. During 1977, when no tours were undertaken and two of Sweet's most successful albums were recorded, the power struggle within to run the band became even more apparent. As both business and personal pressure increased Connolly would often fail to show up or would keep his distance. Brian played his last British show with the classic Sweet line-up at Hammersmith Odeon, London on 24 February 1978. His final live performance with the band was in July 1978 in Florida, USA when they supported Alice Cooper.
After Sweet
Leaving Sweet in March 1979, Connolly did an interview with German music magazine Bravo saying he was taking time off to be with his family and considering a new musical direction (countrified rock.) By mid to late 1979 he had recorded a few new tracks at Chipping Norton Studios, in Woodstock, with the assistance of friend and producer Mick Angus. One of the tracks "Take Away The Music" was rerecorded the following year, with then Polydor producer Pip WilliamsPip Williams
Pip Williams, is a record producer, arranger and guitarist, best known for producing albums for Status Quo and The Moody Blues.-Career:...
, out at the Marquee Studios, in London. It was issued as Connolly's first solo single during 1980, by Polydor.
Also in 1979 was Connolly's first major appearance since leaving the Sweet, at the Bravo Super Disco '79 event, held at the Olympic Stadium
Olympic Stadium (Munich)
Olympiastadion is a stadium located in Munich, Germany. Situated at the heart of the Olympiapark München in northern Munich, the stadium was built as the main venue for the 1972 Summer Olympics....
in Munich. 10,000 people heard Connolly perform a sneak peek of his first solo Polydor single: "Take Away The Music".
Over the next three years Connolly released a handful of singles ("Take Away The Music", "Don't You Know A Lady", and "Hypnotized" which was written by Joe Lynn Turner
Joe Lynn Turner
Joe Lynn Turner , is an American rock singer, known for his works with Rainbow, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, Deep Purple. From the late 1990s, he continued to perform in a large number of solo albums and other studio projects...
) but these did not chart. The first two singles were released by Polydor because Connolly was still signed to the label.
In 1981, Connolly was admitted to hospital with bloating, and he sustained multiple heart attacks. His health was permanently affected with some paralysis on his left side which would later develop into a nervous system condition. These problems were most likely related to Connolly's excessive alcohol consumption, coupled with the use of prescription diuretic
Diuretic
A diuretic provides a means of forced diuresis which elevates the rate of urination. There are several categories of diuretics. All diuretics increase the excretion of water from bodies, although each class does so in a distinct way.- Medical uses :...
medicine.
Thus began Brian Connolly's major problems. British Inland Revenue
Inland Revenue
The Inland Revenue was, until April 2005, a department of the British Government responsible for the collection of direct taxation, including income tax, national insurance contributions, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, corporation tax, petroleum revenue tax and stamp duty...
served Connolly and the other members of the Sweet with a multi-million pound tax assessment for the income earned off their hit records. Connolly sold his house to pay his share of the tax bill. Shortly after, Connolly separated from his first wife Marilyn, divorcing in 1986. His alcohol abuse continued until 1985, when he quit drinking.
In 1982 the Polydor contract had now expired and Connolly signed with French independent label, Carrere Records. Carrere then released the single "Hypnotized". A reworked cover from the US band Fandango, the track was released in Europe with wide distribution by RCA. During this time that Connolly recorded a dozen or so new tracks, most unreleased or demos. The original plan was to have a completed album out by August 1983.
During January 1983, Connolly supported Pat Benatar
Pat Benatar
Pat Benatar is an American singer and four-time Grammy winner. She had considerable commercial success particularly in the United States...
for three shows including one at Hammersmith Odeon, London. Connolly's Encore, included most of the members of Verity (fronted by ex-Argent
Argent (band)
Argent are an English rock band founded in 1969 by keyboardist Rod Argent, formerly of The Zombies.-Career:The first three demos from Argent, recorded in the autumn of 1968 featured Mac MacLeod on bass guitar though he was not meant to become a member of the group.Original members of the band were...
guitarist John Verity
John Verity
John Verity was an English guitarist with the band Argent from 1973 to 1976.When Argent split up, he formed Phoenix with Bob Henrit and Jim Rodford. The band recorded three albums with CBS Records and toured Europe before disbanding. Rodford joined the Kinks, Verity and Henrit joined Charlie, to...
.) and Terry Uttley, bass player from Smokie
Smokie (band)
Smokie is an English rock band from Bradford, Yorkshire who found success in Europe in the 1970s.-Early years:Originally called The Yen, then The Sphynx and later Essence, the band was formed in 1964 at St. Bede's Grammar School in Heaton, Bradford as The Yen. The Yen's first gig was at Birkenshaw...
. Songs played included "Windy City", "Fox on the Run", "Hypnotized" and new numbers, "Sick and Tired", "Red Hair Rage" and "Burning The Candle".These three tracks are available on a bootleg 7" Single and CD. The band and Connolly also played two other dates for the Benatar tour in Birmingham and Newcastle.
New Sweet and reunions
From early 1984 onwards, despite reoccurring ill health, Connolly toured the UK and Europe with his band, now under the name of The New Sweet. His most successful concerts were in West Germany every year, before and after Germany's reunification. He visited other countries including Denmark, and he also continued to perform on and off in the UK.During 1987, Connolly would meet up again with Frank Torpey, who was the original Sweet lead guitarist from 1968 to 1969. Frank Torpey later explained in interviews that Brian Connolly was trying to get a German recording deal. The two got on very well and Torpey subsequently invited Connolly to go into the recording studio with him, as an informal project. After much trepidation and as always, running very late, Connolly turned up and a track was recorded. This being the track "Sharontina". However, this recording would not be released until 1998, when the Frank Torpey 1998 CD album, "Sweeter", became available.
In 1988, Connolly reunited in Los Angeles, California, with former band members Mick Tucker, Steve Priest and Andy Scott, to rework studio versions of "Action" and "The Ballroom Blitz". This was to be trial to see if a full reunion and new album could be arranged. This was for America's MCA Records. Connolly arrived having had troubles with a local rental car and getting lost on the way to the studio. This Mike Chapman-produced reunion floundered quickly and Brian went back to performing with his band, "The New Sweet".
During July 1990, plans were made for Connolly and his band to tour Australia. A number of dates were planned with the tour starting in Adelaide. This proceeded and took place during November. However, during the very long flight to Australia, his health had suffered and he was hospitalised in an Adelaide Hospital. This was allegedly for dehydration and related problems. The rest of the band played a show in Adelaide without him, so as not to disappoint the waiting fans. After being released from hospital, Connolly joined the rest of the other band members in Melbourne for the first gig, which was at the Pier Hotel, in Frankston. After several other shows, including one at the Dingley Powerhouse, Connolly and his band played the final Australian date of the tour at Melbourne's Greek Theatre. They then flew home to England as it was felt at the time that Connolly's health was sufficient reason for the rest of the tour not to go on, and the rest of the planned dates were abandoned.
During 1990 Connolly reunited with the original Sweet line-up, for the promotion of a music video documentary in London at Tower Records
Tower Records
Tower Records was a retail music chain that was based in Sacramento, California. It currently exists as an international franchise and an online music store....
and again there were rumours of a full band reunion which, ultimately, came to naught.
During the early 1990s Connolly played the European "oldies" circuit and occasional outdoor festivals in Europe with his band. However his plans would suffer a small setback when on 22 March 1992, a heavy duty tape recorder was stolen from the band's van whilst at a gig in the Bristol Hippodrome
Bristol Hippodrome
The Bristol Hippodrome is a theatre in the centre of Bristol, England with seating on three levels giving a capacity of 1,951. It frequently features West End theatre shows when they tour the UK as well regular visits by Welsh National Opera, and an annual pantomime.- History :The theatre was...
with Mud
Mud (band)
Mud were an English glam rock band, formed in February 1968, best remembered for their single "Tiger Feet", which was the UK's best-selling single of 1974...
. It contained demos of four new songs, totalling about 20 mixes.
Legal problems were still going on in the background over the use of the Sweet name between Connolly and Andy Scott. In something of a truce, both parties agreed to distinguish their group's name to help promoters and fans. The New Sweet became Brian Connolly's Sweet and Andy Scott's version became Andy Scott's Sweet. Without the previous difficulty with Andy Scott, Connolly and his band continued to tour, both in the UK and Europe.
In 1994, in somewhat of a departure and proving he was no stranger to a challenge, Connolly and his band played in Dubai. He appeared at the Galleria Theatre, Hyatt
Hyatt
Hyatt Hotels Corporation , is an international operator of hotels.Hyatt Center is the headquarters for Hyatt corporation...
Regency. He also performed in Bahrain.
By this time Connolly had well and truly healed the differences with Steve Priest and Mick Tucker, as shown when he was invited to the wedding of Priest's eldest daughter, Lisa. At the private function, for which Priest specially flew back to England, he and Connolly performed together.
In 1995, Connolly released a new album entitled Let's Go. Available on CD, this was backed up at the time with merchandising as well. Also that year, his partner Jean, whom he had met a few years earlier, gave birth to a son. Also in 1995, Connolly performed in Switzerland.
During 1995, Connolly's partner Jean finally managed to track down his missing biological family. It emerged that he had an aunt in Ontario, Canada. She was able to reveal that Connolly's true birth mother had died in 1989. However, she was also able to inform him that he had a living brother and sister. Both flew almost straight away to England to meet Connolly during November 1995, the result giving him some closure to an issue that had haunted him for a considerable period.
On 2 November 1996, British TV Network Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
aired a programme "Don't Leave Me This Way", which examined Connolly's time as a pop star with The Sweet and the subsequent decline in the band's popularity, and its impact on Connolly and the other band members. The show revealed Brian's ill health but also that he was continuing with his concert dates at Butlins
Butlins
Butlins is a chain of large holiday camps in the United Kingdom. Butlins was founded by Billy Butlin to provide affordable holidays for ordinary British families....
. Much has been written about the fact he was touring Butlins. In fact his appearances were nothing new. Connolly and his band had appeared at Butlins consistently a number of times on tour during the early 1990s.
Connolly's final concert was at the Bristol Hippodrome on 5 December 1996, with Slade II and John Rossall's Glitter Band Experience.
Death
During January 1997, Connolly had another heart attack and he was hospitalised in Slough. After a week in hospital, he discharged himself, but he had to be readmitted the following week. This time there was little more that could be done. He died late in the evening of 9 February 1997, from renal failure, liver failure and repeated heart attacks, attributed to his previous chronic alcoholism. He was 51.He was cremated after a ceremony at Most Holy Name Roman Catholic Church at Old Mill Lane, Denham, Buckinghamshire on Monday February 17, 1997 and his ashes were scattered over the water by his adult daughters Nicola and Michelle. He also left an ex-wife, Marilyn, and a two-year-old son called Brian Junior (BJ) by his partner Jean.
Fans then organised a memorial concert for Brian at The Camden Palace London on Sunday 11 October 1998. Money was raised to pay for a plaque dedicated to Brian at Breakspear Crematorium, Breakspear Road, Ruislip, Middlesex; it was unveiled on 9 February 2000.
Band member timeline
| New Sweet (1984) |
|
|---|---|
| New Sweet (1984–1985) |
|
| New Sweet (1987) |
|
| Brian Connolly's Sweet (1987–1992) |
|
| Brian Connolly's Sweet (1992–1994) |
|
| Brian Connolly's Sweet (1994–1995) |
|
| Brian Connolly's Sweet (1995–1997) |
|
Singles
- "Take Away the Music" (1980) – Polydor RecordsPolydor RecordsPolydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
- "Don't You Know a Lady" (1980) – Polydor RecordsPolydor RecordsPolydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
- "Hypnotized" (1982) – Carrere Records, RCA RecordsRCA RecordsRCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
Albums
- Brian Connolly and The Sweet - Greatest Hits (1986) – new recordings of Sweet singles – Success Records
- Let's Go (1995) – Sweet re-recordings and three new post-Sweet tracks – Bam Records
- Take Away the Music (2004) – compilation of solo singles and demos – Malibu Records
Appears on
- Sweeter (1998) by Frank Torpey, CD Album - Notable for Brian Connolly's 1987 lead vocal track, "Sharontina" - Frankie Dean Records
External links
- http://thesweet.com/nc.htm (link is broken)
- Biography at Hot Shot Digital