Interview by Remzi “Jam Man” Yates
Rocking With Jam Man sits down with Richie Onori and Stevie Stewart of SWEET for one of the band’s most direct conversations yet. The interview addresses the tension between different versions of SWEET, Andy Scott’s public comments about whether a U.S. version should continue without members of the classic lineup, Steve Priest’s legacy, “Ballroom Blitz” and the future of the band.
A legacy bigger than one lineup
Few band names carry the instant visual and musical identity of SWEET. The catalogue is packed with songs that helped define glam rock, but the history is also complicated by time, loss and different lineups carrying the name forward. On this episode, Onori and Stewart speak from their side of that story and explain why the legacy matters enough to defend.
The conversation is not a simple nostalgia trip. It is about what the audience hears when a classic song is played today, what musicians owe to the people who built the foundation and how a working band can keep the music alive without pretending the past never happened.
Steve Priest, Ballroom Blitz and the audience
Steve Priest remains central to the discussion because his voice, personality and history are part of what made SWEET unmistakable. The interview looks at the responsibility of honoring that contribution while still allowing the current musicians to bring their own energy to the stage.
“Ballroom Blitz” becomes a natural meeting point between eras. It is a song people know instantly, but performing it is not just pressing play on a memory. It requires commitment, chemistry and respect for the fans who have carried it across generations.
What happens next
Onori and Stewart are clear that the band wants to keep performing and keep the conversation honest. Whatever a listener thinks about the competing claims around the name, this interview gives the people onstage room to explain their position in their own words—and to talk about why the music still deserves a future.
Connect with SWEET
More artist interviews and music coverage are available at Rocking With Jam Man.