Steve Priest, bassist and a founding member of the British band ‘SWEET,’ lets us have a realistic look at a band that set the sparkly, sequined standard for what became known as ‘glam rock.’ We get to understand the hazards musicians face, from self-induced to problems with managers, audiences, and of course, the media.
As Steve himself warns in the foreword of this book, it’s definitely NOT for children. I found it not as graphically racy as some out there, but it is a very open and blatantly honest look at the lifestyle of rock and rollers in the 70’s. Steve does give a very honest and open account of the band and himself. In fact, he was a self-proclaimed “almost serial shagger.” As Steve once told the Guardian, “If it breathed and was female, it was fair game,” going on to say, “The 70’s were magical. They were like the 60’s only crazier. God knows how we got away with it.”
Honestly, if they pulled some of their antics today, the keys would have been thrown away. Motley Crüe thinks they were bad... hah!
Steve’s glam rock persona was hilariously, playfully campy with his own inimitable style. His sense of humour was probably misunderstood by many, as the majority seemed to think the entire band were gay. In fact, if Steve was approached and asked if he was gay, he had a tendency to answer, “would you like to find out?!” Mischievous to a fault! “Milky skin, wavy red hair, puckered lips....’I looked like a 12 year old girl,’” he once stated.
His writing style is as openly gregarious as he is, and you almost feel as if you’re kicking back having a chat. This is an ebook worthy of an attentive read - and if you are so lucky as to be able to get your hands on a hard copy, well then cherish it!
Steve handled some pretty fun lyrics, you’ll pick him out in Blockbuster (we just haven’t got a clue what to do), Ballroom Blitz (oh, I see a man at the back as a matter of fact, his eyes are as red as a sun, and a girl in the corner let no one ignore her, cause she thinks she’s the passionate one, oh yeah), and Fox on the Run (Foxy on the run), among numerous others. He had a great time, and that really comes across to his fans.
Sadly, as many readers will already know, Steve Priest passed away June 4, 2020. The cause is undisclosed, however it was reported that he went into the hospital in March and didn’t leave again. Steve leaves behind a wife and 3 daughters, and 3 grandchildren. He was predeceased by bandmates Brian Connolly (1997) and Mick Tucker (2002).
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