“Sweet Fanny Adams Revisited” is a fiery live reimagining of The Sweet’s seminal 1974 album Sweet Fanny Adams, recorded live in 2012 by Andy Scott’s lineup. The album had become pretty rare since its release and had been out of print for some time. The album will be re-released on CD by Metalville on August 8th. A vinyl version of the album will also be released for the first time.
As the press release states: “Between 2010 and 2012, many SWEET shows were recorded in various countries, and “Sweet Fanny Adams Revisited” (recorded at a concert in 2012) delivers the very essence of these extraordinary performances. The success of the original 1973 album “Sweet Fanny Adams” was the catalyst that propelled Sweet to worldwide superstar status. As a live performance almost 40 years after the release of the original album, “Sweet Fanny Adams Revisited” offers the finest Sweet hard rock. The band around Andy Scott presents itself in top form and impressively transports the special magic of the highly commercial power songs back to the stage.“
The reality is of course just a little different as track listings are not only remixed but two songs from the original album are completely omitted – namely ‘Rebel Rouser’ and ‘Peppermint Twist’ which are replaced in the 2025 live set by ‘The Six Teens’ (the opening track of Desolation Boulevard their next album), ‘Fox on the Run’ (Also from Desolation Boulevard) and ‘Ballroom Blitz’ (The September 1974 single released 5 months after ‘Sweet Fanny Adams’).
Also the ‘Revisited’ tag is a little odd for what is essentially a live album? To me ‘Revisited’ is more related to studio re-recordings or alternate takes rather than live albums – most live recordings don’t seek to recreate the studio originals after all, but equally usually stay true enough not to disappoint the fans.
As an album it sounds great, Sweet always sounded better live but at the end of the day it’s just a live album that takes the core of the classic ‘Sweet Fanny Adams’ record, discards a couple of poppier numbers and replaces the with a few bigger hits that postdate the 1974 release.
As the press release states: “This version hits like a rock revival. From the opening riff of “Sweet F.A.” to the powerhouse of “Heartbreak Today,” the live lineup—Andy Scott (guitar/lead vocals sometimes), Pete Lincoln (bass/lead vocals), Tony O’Hora (keys/guitar), and Bruce Bisland (drums)—bring raw, aggressive energy. Andy’s scorching guitars and Tony’s second guitar on tracks like “Into the Night” intensify the sound. Fans agree that the band nails the emotional punch of the original while giving it a new hard-rock polish.”
In all honesty it’s a decent live record that captures latter day Sweet nicely. Though sadly as it was a fan favourite ‘Set Me Free’ comes later in the live set rather than opening things off with a bang. ‘Sweet F.A.’ the song itself sounds in fine fettle though and has a nice furious solo and driving beat to get things going. In reality though it’s the hits that take centre stage. This vintage we’re well away from the Glam and into Hard Rocking and it sounds all the better for it. There’s touches here and there that really work like the flamenco seasoning to ‘The Six Teens’ and Lincoln’s vocals are solid throughout.
In truth though as you might expect it’s ‘Fox on the Run’ & ‘Ballroom Blitz’ that soar to steal the show, harder edged and heavier. This is testament to the songs which sound maybe even better with age showing the new band’s stage confidence nearly four decades after the songs were written. It’s not just nostalgia—it’s proof that these songs defy the passage of time. The only caveat may be that neither Pete Lincoln (bass / lead vocals). Bruce Bisland (drums) or Tony O’Hora (keyboards) are still with the band meaning that at the time of re-release Andy Scott was the only member who is still with us from both the original recordings and this ‘live reimagining’.
7/10
TRACKLISTING of “Sweet Fanny Adams Revisited”: Sweet F.A. | Heartbreak Today | The Six Teens | Restless | No You Don’t | Into The Night | A.C.D.C. | Fox On The Run | Set Me Free | Ballroom Blitz
TRACKLISTING of the original “Sweet Fanny Adams”: Set Me Free | Heartbreak Today | No You Don’t | Rebel Rouser | Peppermint Twist | Sweet F.A. | Restless | Into the Night | A.C.D.C.
“Sweet Fanny Adams Revisited” LINEUP:
Pete Lincoln – bass / lead vocals
Andy Scott – guitars / lead vocal on track 6
Bruce Bisland – drums / vocals
Tony O’Hora – keyboards / guitar / lead vocal on tracks 5 & 9