Sweet--Glitz, Blitz & Hitz
MVD/Creem 2004
When most people think of Sweet, it's as one of the greatest glam rock bands from the seventies. That is true, but this band morphed too many times to really be pigeonholed. Glitz, Blitz & Hitz paints a picture of Sweet through all their many changes, reminding us of just how great they really were, every step of the way.
Glitz, Blitz & Hitz is a superb documentary of Sweet's history. Guitarist Andy Scott, songwriter Nicky Chinn, and producer Phil Wainman tell the band's story, while a slew of performance clips illustrate their power onstage. It's all very interesting to take in, as there are many facets to the tale, due in large part to the machine working behind Sweet. In a lot of ways, these guys had a set up much like the boy/girl bands of today--outside songwriters taking care of a good deal the tunesmithing, with administrative people calling most of the shots. The thing that ultimately saved Sweet from being disposable, aside from all the killer material they had to work with, was the fact they were great songwriters themsleves, as "Fox On The Run" would prove. That they were able to be great both with and without additional assistance is testament to how special Sweet were as a band.
As with all music video, it's the performance clips which really make or break a collection. The videos on Glitz, Blitz & Hitz definitely make it a must-see. The film makers are very good about giving you footage of complete songs, though there is an instance or two where only bits and pieces are utilized. It never gets old, especially with incredible songs like "Wig Wam Bam," "Blockbuster," "Action," of course "Ballroom Blitz," and on and on. These clips illustrate clearly where Sweet were coming from every point along their way--from carefree bubblegum pop, to hammed up glam rock, on through leather clad hard rock. It's all fantastic.
Sweet have always been severely underrated, so it's nice to see them honored the way they have been on Glitz, Blitz & Hitz. People who only know of "Ballroom Blitz" should especially seek out this disc because it shows there's so much more of this band's output that deserves to be explored and revered. There must've been something to these songs because we're sitting here talking about them twenty to thirty years later--this was not a one song band. Glitz, Blitz & Hitz is an informative view that effectively captures the inexhaustable talent and energy of Sweet. Very well done.
Score this DVD directly from MVD
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