Brian Connolly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brian Connolly
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Connolly, c. 1970s
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Brian Francis Connolly |
| Born | 5 October 1945 Hamilton, Scotland |
| Died | 9 February 1997 (aged 51) Slough, England |
| Genres | |
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| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, keyboards |
| Years active | 1963–1997 |
| Labels | |
Brian Francis Connolly (born October 5, 1945 – died February 9, 1997) was a Scottish singer, songwriter, and actor. He was best known as the lead singer of the glam rock band the Sweet from 1968 to 1979. People remembered him for his exciting stage presence and unique voice.
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Growing Up
Brian Connolly was born in 1945 in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. When he was a baby, he was left in a hospital in Glasgow. At age two, he was fostered by Jim and Helen McManus in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire. He took their family name. Later, he found out about his birth family and changed his name back to Connolly.
Brian said that singing was a big part of his childhood because there was no television. He often sang for his family and friends. He said the Everly Brothers were his first musical inspiration.
Music Career
Starting Out in Music
When Brian was 12, he moved to Harefield, Middlesex, England. In his mid-teens, he joined the Merchant Navy. After leaving the Navy in 1963, he played in local bands. One band was called Generation X. He later joined a band called Wainwright's Gentlemen, where he met drummer Mick Tucker.
Joining The Sweet
In late 1967, Brian Connolly and Mick Tucker left Wainwright's Gentlemen. They formed a new band called the Sweetshop with guitarist Frank Torpey and bassist Steve Priest. Just before their first song, "Slow Motion," came out in July 1968, they shortened their name to the Sweet.
They released a few more songs that weren't very successful. Then, Andy Scott joined the band in late 1970. Soon after, their first big hit, "Funny, Funny," was released. This song made Brian famous, and he often appeared on the TV show Top of the Pops with the rest of the band.
In 1974, Brian had an accident that badly affected his throat. This made it hard for him to sing for a while and permanently changed his voice. Because of this, the band missed a chance to perform with the Who. Other band members had to sing some songs on their album Sweet Fanny Adams.
Over time, Brian and the other members of Sweet had disagreements. He felt left out of decisions. He played his last show with the classic Sweet lineup in London in February 1978. His very last performance with the band was in Florida, US, in July 1978. His departure from the band was announced in March 1979.
After The Sweet
After leaving Sweet, Brian told a German music magazine that he was taking time off to be with his family. He also said he was thinking about a new style of music, like country rock.
In 1979, Brian performed his first solo song, "Take Away the Music," in Munich, Germany. This song was released as a single in 1980.
In 1981, Brian faced serious health problems, including heart issues. This left him with some weakness on his left side, which later developed into a nervous system condition.
He released another song called "Don't You Know a Lady," but it didn't become a hit. In 1982, he signed with a French music label and released a hard-rock song called "Hypnotized." This song also didn't make it onto the music charts.
In January 1983, Brian supported Pat Benatar for three shows in the UK. His band, Encore, played some of his new songs. Brian also faced financial difficulties, including a large tax bill from his time with Sweet, which led him to sell his house.
New Sweet and Reunions
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Brian Connolly's Sweet
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| Also known as | New Sweet (1984–1987) |
| Origin | United Kingdom |
| Genres | Glam rock Hard rock |
| Years active | 1984–1997 |
| Past members | Brian Connolly Phil Ridden Brian Rawson Geoff Roots Gary Farmer Steve Turner Michael Williams Steve Berry Neale Haywood Martin Saunders Dave Farmer Steve Mulvey Bjorn Hurrel Mel Johnson Glenn Williams Martin Cook Drew Murphy Dave Glover Russ Mahoney Jeff King |
From 1984 onwards, even with his ongoing health problems, Brian toured the UK and Europe with his new band, the New Sweet. He often performed in Germany. In 1985, he separated from his wife, Marilyn.
In 1988, the original members of Sweet, Brian, Mick Tucker, Steve Priest, and Andy Scott, tried to reunite in Los Angeles. They wanted to record new versions of their hit songs like "Action" and "The Ballroom Blitz." However, because of problems with Brian's voice, the project didn't work out, and Brian went back to touring with the New Sweet.
In 1990, Brian reunited with the original Sweet lineup for a music video documentary in London. Later that year, the New Sweet planned a tour in Australia. But during the long flight, Brian had health issues and had to be hospitalized. The band played some shows without him.
Legal issues continued between Brian and Andy Scott over who could use the "Sweet" name. They eventually agreed to call their bands Brian Connolly's Sweet and Andy Scott's Sweet to avoid confusion. Brian Connolly's Sweet continued to tour in the UK and Europe.
In 1994, Brian's band played in Dubai. By this time, Brian had made up with Steve Priest and Mick Tucker. He even attended Steve Priest's daughter's wedding, where he and Steve performed together.
Solo Work and Final Years
In 1995, Brian released a new album called Let's Go. That same year, his partner, Jean, gave birth to their son. Jean also helped Brian find his biological family. He learned that his birth mother had passed away, but he met his living brother and sister in England.
In November 1996, a TV show called Don't Leave Me This Way featured Brian. It talked about his time with Sweet and how his health was affecting him. The show also showed that he was still performing concerts.
Brian Connolly's final concert was on December 5, 1996, at the Bristol Hippodrome.
Death
In January 1997, Brian had a heart attack and was hospitalized. He passed away around midnight on February 9–10, 1997, due to kidney and liver failure, and repeated heart attacks. He was 51 years old.
On February 17, 1997, Brian was cremated after a ceremony. His ashes were scattered by his daughters, Nicola and Michelle. He was also survived by his ex-wife, Marilyn, his girlfriend Jean, and their one-year-old son, Brian.
On October 11, 1998, fans organized a memorial concert for Brian in London. Money was raised for a plaque dedicated to him at Breakspear Crematorium in Middlesex, which was unveiled on February 9, 2000.
In 2013, Brian's son, Brian Jr., appeared on the TV talent show The X Factor.
Band Members
Brian Connolly Band
- Brian Connolly – lead vocals (1979–1984)
- John Verity – guitar (1979–1984)
- Chas Cronk – bass (1979–1982)
- Tony Fernandez – drums, percussion (1979–1982)
- Dave Lambert – guitar (1979–1982)
- Brian Willoughby – guitar (1979–1982)
- Clive Barrett – guitar (1982–1984)
- Steve Rodford – drums, percussion (1982–1984)
- Terry Uttley – bass (1982–1984)
The New Sweet / Brian Connolly's Sweet
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Discography
With Sweet
As Brian Connolly
Singles
- "Take Away the Music" (1980) – Polydor Records
- "Don't You Know a Lady" (1980) – Polydor Records
- "Hypnotized" (1982) – Carrere Records, RCA Records
Albums
- Brian Connolly and the Sweet – Greatest Hits (1986) – new recordings of Sweet songs
- Let's Go (1995) – Sweet re-recordings and new songs
- Take Away the Music (2004) – collection of solo songs and demos
Images for kids
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Connolly, c. 1970s
