Andy Scott (guitarist)

For other men with the same name, see the list at Andrew Scott.

Andy Scott (born Andrew David Scott, 30 June 1949, Wrexham, Wales) is a British musician and songwriter. He is best known for being the lead guitarist and a vocalist in the band Sweet.^[1]

Early years

Scott started out playing bass guitar. His first gig was at St Peters Hall, Wrexham with The Rasjaks in November 1963 and then with other bands in Wales such as Guitars Incorporated and 3D's.

He then progressed to guitar and played with other bands including The Saints, The Four Winds and The Missing Links. In 1966 he joined The Silverstone Set (later shortened to The Silverstones) who won the TV show Opportunity Knocks five weeks running and appeared in the all winners show for Christmas 1966 losing to Freddie Starr. One of their further highlights was to support Jimi Hendrix in Manchester in January 1967.

When The Silverstones split, Scott went on to join The Elastic Band who recorded an album called Expansions of Life but the lead singer left before its release and the band folded. During this time they also recorded and album Pop Sounds under the name The Cool.

Andy then played in the backing band for The Scaffold for a while,which also included His Brother Mike on Bass and Saxophone.

He then went on to join Mayfield's Mule who recorded three singles, "Drinking My Moonshine", "I See a River" and "We Go Rollin'". An album was also released in Uruguay called Mayfields Mule.

Auditioning for Sweet

Andy replaced Mick Stewart in The Sweet after an audition in front of Brian Connolly,Steve Priest and Mick Tucker as well as group managers Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman. He was one of the last guitarists to audition. According to Steve Priest's Autobiography "Are You Ready Steve", Scott turned up looking very untidy, with long hair and scruffy clothes. He plugged his guitar in and immediately blew the fuse on the amp. He eventually performed his piece and the members of the band thought he should join The Sweet, much to Chinn and Chapman's disgust. They eventually gave in and Scott was allowed to join the band.

Solo career

Scott's first single release in 1975 was a reworked version of the Desolation Boulevard track "Lady Starlight" backed by "Where D'Ya Go?". Both songs, recorded during the "Give Us A Wink!" album sessions, were written and produced by Scott and featured him playing all instruments except appearances by Sweet drummer Mick Tucker. Scott made a promotional video for the track and also appeared on the British music show "Supersonic".

Scott released his second solo single, "Gotta See Jane", in 1983 under the name Ladders. It was a cover of the R. Dean Taylor Motown hit and was produced by himself and Louis Austin who had worked with Sweet as their engineer on past ventures. The B-side "Krugerrands" was subsequently released as the follow up single (as Andy Scott this time) but like its predecessor failed to chart, except in South Africa where it was a top 10 hit.^[2] In 1984, Scott released two more solo singles, "Let Her Dance" and "Invisible". The album 30 Years was released in 1993 (Repertoire Records) which was a compilation of all his solo projects, including demos.

Paddy Goes to Holyhead

In the early 1980s, Scott went into production and produced records for bands including Iron Maiden. He also produced a couple of demos for Weapon, which was then fronted by Danny Hynes who went on to form Paddy Goes to Holyhead^[3] and Scott played with them now and again. Scott then produced, played on and appeared in the video for their single "Green Green Grass of Home" and then joined the band on a regular basis until reforming Sweet.

Andy Scott's Sweet

In 1985, Scott and Tucker re-formed Sweet with new players. Tucker departed in May 1991 in acrimonious circumstances linked to his health. Two drummers, Andy Holger and Bobby Andersen, provided short-term relief before German Bodo Schopf (ex-McAuley Schenker Group) took over the drum throne until 1993 when Bruce Bisland (ex-Weapon, Wildfire, Praying Mantis) came to stay. After Tucker's departure, Scott changed the band's name to 'Andy Scott's Sweet' (after Tucker's death in 2002, Scott truncated the band name to simply 'The Sweet' once again).

Mal McNulty departed in 1994, though he would return briefly that year to fill in for Jeff Brown on bass (as he would again in 1995 as lead singer for a few dates while Rocky Newton subbed on bass). Sweet's former keyboard men Gary Moberley and Ian Gibbons also did fill-in jaunts with the group that year, as did Chris Goulstone. Chad Brown (ex-Lionheart; no relation to Jeff) was the new front man.

In 1996 Mann left and Gibbons came back for a short time before Steve Grant (ex-The Animals) became the permanent keyboardist. When Chad Brown quit in 1998, Jeff Brown assumed the lead vocals as well as his bass duties and the band was once again a quartet. After this, the band was stable again for the next five years.

The mid 2000s would bring further shake-ups and rotations. Tony O'Hora (ex-Onslaught, Praying Mantis) replaced Brown as lead vocalist. Ian Gibbons came back for a third stint as fill-in keyboardist in June 2005 for a gig in the Faroe Islands. O'Hora decided to split in late 2005. Singers Mark Thompson Smith (ex-Praying Mantis) in November 2005 and Tony Mills (ex-Shy, Siam; now with TNT) in early 2006 came and went. Grant jumped from keyboards to lead vocals, and even bass as needed, on dates when the group had no singer (Phil Lanzon, then Steve Mann, temporarily returned on keys when Grant was the frontman). Jo Burt (ex-Black Sabbath) was temporary bass player in October and November 2005.

The group finally landed a new permanent frontman when Peter Lincoln (ex-Sailor) arrived in July 2006. The line-up consisted of Scott, Bisland, Grant, and Lincoln.

Scott produced the Suzi Quatro album, Back To The Drive, released in February 2006. March 2006 saw the U.S. release of his band's album, Sweetlife.

In 2007 the group played in Germany, Belgium, Austria and Italy and on this tour played songs from Sweet Fanny Adams, including some of their other hits. In May that, the band played in Porto Alegre and Curitiba, Brazil, their first and only South American shows. The tour was called 'Sweet Fanny Adams Tour'.

The band toured again in March 2008 under the name 'Sweet Fanny Adams Revisited Tour'.

In May and June 2008, Scott's Sweet were part of the "Glitz Blitz & 70s Hitz" tour of the UK alongside The Rubettes and Showaddywaddy.

On 19 June 2009 fans from all over the world celebrated Scott's 60th birthday at The Robin 2, Bilston. At the same time, Scott's website was launched.^[4]

In March and April 2010, Scott did not appear at a couple of gigs due to ill health, and Martin Mickels stood in. Scott revealed later that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and was treated at the Bristol Royal Infirmary. After a course of treatment and rest, he was back to full touring fitness.

In 2010 the band played at venues in Europe, and back at Bilston in October 2010. In March 2011 a tour in Australia is planned.

Andy Scott's Sweet members

Private life

Scott lives in a converted barn in Wiltshire with his son Damian, Damian's wife, and grandchild.

In July 2010, Scott appeared in UK television adverts for the insurance company VanCompare.com. Three adverts were in circulation featuring "Fox On The Run", "Love Is Like Oxygen" and "Action".^[5]

With Sweet

Singles

• "X-Ray Specs" (1991) – SPV Records
• "Stand Up" (1992) – SPV Records
• "Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again" (1992) – SPV Records
• "Do It All Over Again" (2002) – Delicious Records

12" Singles

• "Gotta See Jane" / "Gotta See Jane" (Radio Mix) (3:10) / "Krugerrands" (4:00)
• "Krugerrands" (Club Mix) (4:04) / "Face" (4:48) / "Krugerrands" (Single Edit) (3:40) / "Krugermental" (4:08)
• "Let Her Dance" (8:06) / "Let Her Dance" (Instrumental) (4:24) / "Suck It and See" (4:19)
• "Invisible" (7" Version) (3:54) / "Invisible" (Instrumental) (5:53) / "Invisible" (5:20) / "Never Too Young" (3:08)

Albums

• Live at the Marquee (1989) – double album which includes four new studio recordings – SPV Records (Maze in USA/Canada)
• "A" (1992) – studio album of new material – SPV Records
• The Answer (1995)
• Alive and Giggin'! (1995) – live album – Pseudonym Records
• Glitz, Blitz & Hitz (1996)
• Chronology (2002) – studio album with re-recordings of Sweet material – Delicious Records
• Sweetlife (2002) – studio album of new material – Delicious Records

References