Brian Connolly was a rock star and the irresistible frontman of the hit-making band The Sweet.
Following the smash hit The Ballroom Blitz, his stardom and wealth appeared unstoppable in the 1970s.
But the closing chapter of his life is a tragedy many never learned about.
The charming frontman
As the heartthrob lead singer of chart-topping glam rockers The Sweet, Brian Connolly seemed to have it all. The band dominated the 1970s, performing to massive crowds around the world and living the luxurious life that came with superstardom.
Fans adored them — guys and girls alike — and their music still resonates decades later. Mick Tucker was hailed as one of the best drummers of the era, and Brian’s vocals could electrify any stage.
The Sweet emerged during the mid-70s, a golden era for rock. Bands like Queen, Led Zeppelin, and Aerosmith were taking over the world. But Sweet had it all too: talent, charisma, and a string of hits. They were also one of the few British acts to break into the American charts.
Everyone knows Ballroom Blitz — the chaotic energy, the iconic drum intro, the electrifying guitars — but Sweet was so much more than a glam rock band. They had the heaviness of Deep Purple, the attitude of The Rolling Stones, and the hooks of The Beatles. Set Me Free could have easily fit on a Judas Priest record, while Sweet F.A. had the raw aggression of early AC/DC.
At the height of their fame, Sweet sold an astonishing 50 million records worldwide.
And at the center of it all was Brian Connolly. The charming frontman, with his striking looks and commanding stage presence, became the face of the band. He had the world at his feet, millions of fans, and the voice that defined an era. But as history would show, fame and fortune could not shield him from the darker side of rock stardom.
Abandoned as infant
Brian, who was originally known as Brian MacManus until he turned eighteen, was born in Scotland in 1945.
From the very beginning, Brian had a difficult life — he was abandoned as a baby and raised by a nurse and her husband. His biological father’s identity was never revealed, but when Brian reached adulthood, he discovered he was the half-brother of famed Scottish actor Mark McManus, who played Detective Taggart in one of the UK’s longest-running television dramas.
By the mid-1960s, Brian was making a name for himself as a singer in the UK. A few years later, he co-founded the band Sweet, which went on to achieve enormous success throughout the 1970s.
The band’s guitarist, Andy Scott, confirmed their immense success:
“A lot of money went through the bank accounts during that period. We moved into the millionaire status,” he said, noting that Sweet had 39 worldwide hits and 13 top-20 singles in the UK, including the number-one hit Block Buster!.
With his trademark coiffed, flicked-back blonde hair, Brian Connoly had become the very image of 1970s glam rock — undoubtedly the face of Sweet.
But his downfall began in 1979, when he left The Sweet to pursue a solo career. By then, he was already struggling with alcohol, which had started to undermine his position in the band.
“Gradually, it just got out of hand. I always said that if I ever wanted to stop, I could—and I suppose I don’t know what would have happened if I had told myself, ‘I’ve had enough,’” Connolly once said.
Despite his loyal fanbase, his solo singles failed to make an impact, and his career never took off the way he had hoped.
Sold his house
In January 1983, he got a small break supporting Pat Benatar for three shows in Birmingham, Newcastle, and London — but financial disaster struck. The band was hit with a massive multimillion-pound tax bill related to their hit records, forcing Connolly to sell his house to pay it off.
Around the same time, his health began to spiral.
In 1981, he was hospitalized with severe bloating, suffered multiple heart attacks, and was left with partial paralysis on his left side — a condition that would later evolve into a chronic nervous system disorder.
Despite his physical struggles, he continued to tour the UK and Europe with his reformed band, the New Sweet, from 1984 onward. But his health kept him from sustaining the demanding schedule. During a 1990 tour in Australia, he was hospitalized for dehydration, and it became clear he could no longer handle the rigors of touring.
Legal battles over The Sweet’s name further drained his finances. Eventually, the two factions split: Brian’s band became Brian Connolly’s Sweet, while guitarist Andy Scott’s group was called Andy Scott’s Sweet.
Connolly kept touring, but the fees were a fraction of what he had earned in his prime, and his health continued to deteriorate.
Final interview
In 1995, he released a solo album, Let’s Go, which achieved only modest success. That same year, his 23-year-old partner, Jean, gave birth to their son. In a 1996 Channel 4 documentary, Don’t Leave Me This Way, Connolly admitted he had suffered six heart attacks and acknowledged that years of alcohol abuse had taken a devastating toll on his body.
By the mid-1990s, the once golden boy of glam rock was barely recognizable. He walked with a limp, shook visibly, and his performances showed the ravages of his decline.
In his final interview with journalist Jasper Rees, Brian claimed that he had carried the heaviest load when Sweet first hit the big time. He also spoke candidly about his heart attacks — according to his ex-wife, Connolly suffered 13 heart attacks in 24 hours, though the singer himself said it was closer to 12 over the span of about six weeks.
By then, he was living alone on a quiet cul-de-sac in a lifeless neighborhood, his hands trembling and his once-powerful voice noticeably diminished.
His final concert took place on December 5, 1996, at the Bristol Hippodrome, sharing the stage with Slade II and John Rossall’s Glitter Band Experience.
Just over three months later, Brian Connolly passed away. The former teen idol died on February 9, 1997, at Wexham Park Hospital due to kidney and liver failure, compounded by multiple heart attacks.
Fans later raised funds for a memorial plaque at Breakspear Crematorium, honoring the singer who had once lit up stadiums around the world.
Do you have any memories of The Sweet or Brian Connolly? Did you know about his tragic story? Share your thoughts and stories in the comments.
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