(Atlanta, GA) As a young rocker Sam Hariss (The Sweet Things) heard Izzy Stradlin doing “Crackin’ Up” and it stuck with him like an earworm. He later discovered Izzy himself was doing a cover of “Crackin’ Up” by Bo DIddley (1959). So he decided to get together with Tobin Dale (The Sweet Things), head into the studio and do their own version. To round out the song, they enlisted an army of stars to play on their nod to Bo Diddley.
Appearances including Taime Down (Faster Pussycat) Danny Nordahl (Faster Pussycat, Motochrist, The Throbs) Ricky Vodka (Motochrist) Joey Huffman (Georgia Satellites, Drivin’N’Cryin, Soul Asylum) Charlie Paxson (has recorded with James Blunt, Ricky Lee Jones and many more)
New York rock’n’roll band The SWEET THINGS are getting back to the roots of rock’n’roll with this new album recorded at Fame Recording studios (ARETHA FRANKLIN , OTIS REDDING, WILSON PICKETT…) Opening song “Brown Leather” sounds as ROLLING STONES as you would have expected from its title. Then, It’s a bit surprising to hear “Ya Know I Don’t Mind” in second position since it’s a slow country blues song but next song “Ride It Home” offers us some good ol’ QUIREBOYS energy. The country influence is quite strong on songs like “Keep On Movin” or “Familiar Faces” but songs like “Cold Feet” or “Mentholated Blues” remind me more of the spirit of early BLACK CROWES. “It Hurts Me Too” and “Ride The River” will take you to the roots of Mississippi blues and you’ll also get an IZZY STRADLIN vibe while listening to “Problematic Life.” This album is a cure for anyone sick of modern auto-tuned music! /Laurent C.
New York City’s best new rock’n’roll band is back with two songs on a 7″ record released by Spaghetty Town Records. The great black and white photo on the cover brings the NEW YORK DOLLS to mind, but The SWEET THINGS actually dig their influences from even deeper, and from the best of The ROLLING STONES. “Slather” has a bit of QUIREBOYS in it, it leaves the same impression as when the formerly known QUEERBOYS released “A Bit Of What You Fancy”!
B-side is actually as good, if not even better as A-side, and you’ll be sure to have “Dustianne” stuck in your head after playing it just once. The vocals have this great nonchalant JOHNNY THUNDERS/IZZY STRADLIN thing, and on this song you’ll also get some great female vocals by Liza Colby, bringing even more soul to the band.
If you miss The THROBS, then you also need to get this 7″ for Christmas, or to celebrate Keith Richards’ birthday! /Laurent C.
The SWEET THINGS have just released a fantastic 7” on Spaghetty Town Records. If you miss hearing songs in the vein of IZZY STRADLIN, old STONES, or JOHNNY THUNDERS, then this is the right band for you!
Your biography said the band got formed after some drinks, and no one could really remember meeting up, can you tell us more about this rock’n’roll fairy tale?
Lorne: I sure can. Here is my perspective of the story. I knew Dave from his band The Sharp Lads, my old band The Dead Tricks played shows with that band. I instantly felt a connection with him, Dave has a light around him that makes you want to be friends with him. We began to share albums and music that we loved but our bands didn’t play stuff like Izzy Stradlin songs, Little Steven solo albums, etc. Dave turned me on to some great stuff. When I first met Sam, I found him annoying and smelly, haha. But he’s a hard guy not to like, just an old soul charmer with a big heart. I could instantly tell he had great taste, and he is a badass bassist and songwriter. I met Darren when I got hired to play as a sideman guitarist. His drumming inspired me so much—he played what I wanted to hear with a deep street-level groove. We also bonded as friends, and I instantly felt like I knew him a lifetime.
The story goes that after The Dead Tricks, I was really depressed and I just felt like my time playing music was maybe over. I’ll never forget my daughter being over at my apartment, and getting a bunch of messages from random musicians wanting to play with me. It felt like some sort of sign. Dave and I had talked about jamming. My daughter who was like 6 then, also encouraged me to get back out there. Soon it struck me, Dave, Sam, and Darren would be a dream band. That first official rehearsal was incredible. These guys are such talents and rock n’ roll flows so naturally from them, and they’re very gifted with drinking.
Darren: Lorne called me up and asked if I would be down for a low-key jam with Dave, who I had just met the week before at a party for Lorne. Supposedly it was no songs and no pressure. Then we started playing and in the first 10 seconds I was like, oh fuck, this is my dream band. Just a perfect fit in every way. It clicked really hard.
What happened to The DEAD TRICKS?
Lorne: That’s a really special band to me, and it means a lot when people ask about it or express their fondness for it. I think the short answer is we imploded. No one is to blame; it’s just really hard to be in a band. The story has a happy ending as we’re friendly and everyone is doing music. Our drummer Steve Dios is like a brother to me, and he’s in the incredible band Wyldlife, bassist and singer Manya and James had a post-punk band called Future Dark, and I’m still here doing the same shit I’ve always done.
Your first 7″ is out on Spaghetty Town Records. Can you tell us about it? When did you record these two songs, and how did you get in touch with Spaghetty Town Records?
Lorne: On that first rehearsal Dave came in with “Love To Leave” despite me saying let’s go in with nothing and see what we write. I’m so glad he defied me, haha. That song is fantastic, Dave is a motherfucker of a songwriter. He also wrote the B-side “Cocaine Asslicker Blues,” which I also adore. We literally did our first recording a few weeks after getting together. It was such a blast to go in there loose and inspired and just play without too much overthinking. This version of “Love To Leave” on the single is newer version with piano and the great singer Liza Colby from our sister band The Liza Colby Sound. The songs were tracked in different sessions.
As far as Spaghetty Town, we were looking for a home for these recordings and the guys suggested that label. I didn’t know Teddy, the founder, but the other guys did. We all felt an instant connection and it’s been great working with him. We will release another single with him this fall.
Darren: We recorded both songs at our friend Pete’s studio and everything you hear was pretty much the first or second take. If the vibe is there we just grab it and try not to choke it to death.
You have the best list of influences on your Facebook page, unfortunately, not many bands play this kind of rock’n’roll nowadays. I can think of DR. BOOGIE and a couple others, but that’s quite rare to find such bands in 2017. Any other bands in that style around New York?
Lorne: Thank you for saying that. There are some great bands in New York that have a dirty rock n’ roll sound like Ten Ton Mojo, The Liza Colby Sound, The Nuclears, The Threads, New York Junk, Steve Conte, The Gotham Rockets, The Love Pirates, The Hip Pipps, The Black Cats, The Savage Hearts, Midnight Crisis, Crazy Rob Carlyle and The Compulsions, and PSSR. I hope I didn’t’ forget anyone.
Some would call your music “vintage”, and you like your artwork/visual stuff to have an old-school edge to it. Are you bored with the modern world?
Lorne: For me, what you see and hear are part of the cultural signposts that shaped me–I’m sort of a relic, haha. It’s what I feel in my heart and not a stance against the modern world nor is it a vintage pose. I always get bummed when people yearn for the old days or piss on everything that is happening now.
Darren:. I don’t think there’s a concerted effort to present ourselves in any particular way, it’s just a natural reflection of how we feel and who we are.
Have you been touring a lot in the US? Favourite cities to play?
Lorne: Yes, we have been touring. We did a 10-date run in May, and we are doing another similar tour in October. I really enjoyed playing in Los Angeles as I was born outside of there and it meant a lot to have a homecoming kind of gig. We played New London, Connecticut a few months ago and that was great. And, of course, it’s always a treat to play NYC. It’s been my home for 20 years and I still love it.
Favourite ROLLING STONES record?
Lorne: Goat’s Head Soup
Darren: Goat’s Head Soup (I cheated and copied Lorne’s answer, sorry Lorne!)
Favourite DOGS D’ AMOUR record?
Lorne: In The Dynamite Jet Saloon
Favourite JOHNNY THUNDERS era?
Lorne: So Alone
Darren: LAMF
Your thoughts on Guns N’ Roses without Izzy Stadlin and Steven Adler?
Lorne: I’m so happy that band is playing again in classic kind of way, and I think they sound great. All those guys are such soulful virtuosic musicians and they meld together great as a unit.
Darren: Approximately five bazillion people saw them live since they started playing again and everyone had a fucking great time. That’s hard to argue with. You can always watch the video from The Ritz if you want.
Last rock’n’roll book you’ve enjoyed?
Lorne: I don’t know how rock n’ roll this is but Patti Smith’s Avenue M has really moved me.
Can we expect an album soon?
Lorne: Well, you can expect a single in the fall. I would love for us to do an album, we have the songs for it, but I think it’s just like singles-oriented world right now and that’s, in all honesty, the most affordable route.
Any plan to come to Europe?
Lorne: We have talked about it, but nothing concrete. I want to take this moment to thank you for being so supportive of The Sweet Things and my previous bands. It means a lot to me and I’m grateful.
It might not be all over the big media, but rock’n’roll is still alive, and it’s not only played by grumpy old men! That’s what “Rock is Alive and Well” is all about…. Two digital compilations with great contemporary rock’n’roll bands you might have already read about on this website, or in other webzines/blogs.
In Vol.1, you’ll find two songs by The SWEET THINGS ( (“Through The Cracks of The City” and “Cocaine Ass Licker Blues”) who deliver some dirty glammy rock’n’roll somewhere between the NEW YORK DOLLS and early BLACK CROWES with a touch of THROBS thrown in, the kind of bands we all need nowadays! The TIP, from Nashville TN play 70s bluesy rock’n’roll influenced by AEROSMITH and The STONES, and the two songs on here, “Love Me Er’y Woman” and “The Drip” (this one has a bit of The CULT “Electric” era in it) will definitely make you want to hear more.
“Sleeping Alone” and “Shakin'” both confirm that The CRY is one of the best power pop bands around, and it makes us think that they would probably be bigger already if they were a British band.
French band MEDICINE BALL CARAVAN offers us two songs from their second album, “Will You Be There” and “On The Road”, think hard rock’n’roll with a bit of Southern rock and grunge touches.
The last band on this first part of the compilation is L.A.’s best 70s glam rock’n’roll act, SMASH FASHION. If you haven’t checked them out yet, then “Marionette” and “You Love To Suffer” should make you run and order their records!
Volume 2 opens with two tracks from CREEM CIRCUS from Philadelphia, “Riff Mountain” sounds like a classic rock song you could hear on some US radio, but “Teenage Rules” has a good glammy vibe. London’s TANGO PIRATES (with Danny Fury from ROGUE MALE, LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH, VAIN, KILL CITY DRAGONS… and Dave Tregunna (LORDS OFTHE NEW CHURCH, SHAM 69, THE CHERRY BOMBZ, etc.)) offer us two songs from their album “Danger! Children at Play”: “Ghost Ship Bar Blues”, and “Dark Star”, a song dedicated to Stiv Bators. The LORDS ‘soul definitely wander around these songs.
“Mojo Motor City Queen” and “Save Me”, from The NASTY THINGS (NYC) gives us a good dose of sleaze rock, reminding me of CRYSTAL PISTOL at times, quite a good surprise!
Speaking of surprises, it seems like TATTOOED MILLIONAIRES are back, and we won’t complain when listening to “Subsonic” and “Next Big Thing”, two cool Hollywood rock’n’roll songs. MINK DAGGERS closes this compilation with some high energy punk rock’n’roll in which you’ll also find traces of early AC/DC.
Are you looking for some new kick ass rock’n’roll? Then these two compilations are for you!/Laurent C.
(Available on CD Baby, iTunes, Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Mp3…)
We reviewed and interviewed The DEAD TRICKS 3 years ago, so we were quite ecited to hear that Lorne had a new rock’n’roll band! The SWEET THINGS love The ROLLING STONES, the NEW YORK DOLLS and all the good dirty tipsy rock’n’roll! They’ve only released one song so far, “Love To Leave” which sounds a bit as if IZZY STRADLIN was jammin’ with the QUIREBOYS and early BLACK CROWES!… Slide guitars, Jerry-Lee piano, THUNDERS riffs and great backing vocals all mixed into one song that will make you more than happy if you’re into gypsy heartbreak rock’n’roll.
Watch out! New York is gettin’ dirty again!/Laurent C.
Veglam 