03.10.2010
The Robin 2 in Bilston, UK is quickly turning into the unofficial fan meeting for sweet fans from all over the world as there are always some surprises to look forward to. The band would like to thank everyone for taking part in the raffle and fund raising on the night and congratulate everyone for raising £1500 for Andy's Cancer Charity.The top prize in the raffle was a guitar from Andy which was won by Stuart The Slade Fan:) well done....
10.05.2010
Friend of the band, Martin Mickels, has agreed to stand in for a few shows while Andy undergoes treatment. The band is happy that fans and promoters alike will not be let down, and that all shows will go ahead as planned.
07.05.2010
STATEMENT FROM ANDY
My "illness" was the subject of much speculation last year and it is time to set the record straight. I have prostate cancer. It was deemed to be advanced, active and potentially life-threatening if left untreated so I decided to keep it under wraps, only family and close friends, until I knew the possible outcome. Please understand that this was something that I had to deal with on my own. Those who knew were sworn to secrecy and their support during treatment helped me through especially Damian, Jane and Kevin who took turns to drive me to and from the treatments. To say it has been a "worry" would be an understatement. It has been a difficult time for all.
I thought I was Superman. Nothing seemed to affect me. I rarely went to the doctor but last August I was experiencing such painful stomach cramps, sometimes during shows, that I had to seek medical help. I had to cancel a show mid-September to have some rather invasive tests and got more than I bargained for. I went in with stomach-ache and came out with cancer! I now believe I was very lucky. The meeting with the consultant felt like "white-noise" in my ears but I got the gist and by the time I got home, things had sunk in so I set about researching the disease. It seems, like Superman, testosterone was my kryptonite! I thrive on data and as such found there were many treatments out there but after consultation with specialists in Germany and UK, it soon proved that only one was really suitable for me. Ultimately it was an easy decision, one of the best treatment centres, the Bristol Oncology Unit, was, on a good day, only 45 minutes drive from my home so I joined the program.
The treatment started with a course of hormones which ran from October 2009 through to January 2010 to be followed by a fairly new type of Radio-Therapy, 5 days a week, in February and March. This allowed me to play all the shows last year thus quashing the rumour mongering. I greatly appreciate the concern and get-well messages I received but the music business is not known for compassion so when the vultures started circling, we all felt that secrecy was justified. The treatment has had a debilitating effect, extreme tiredness being the most obvious but I have come through and getting better daily. My latest test result shows that I am clear, in remission, the other "C" word, "Cure", cannot be used for quite some time, if ever. I am forever in the Bristol Unit's debt.
My band, crew and agent have been fantastic. We decided not to cancel any shows which gave me something to aim for with my recovery. They have done really well on the couple of shows I have missed and I will be back permanently in a couple of weeks. Your understanding is much appreciated.
The best things in life are free, so the song goes, but it is true. I will never take things for granted again and I urge everyone, live each day as if it is the last. It is not a rehearsal!
Now comes the message for all guys over 50 - Go get a PSA test asap! Don't wait for symptoms because that could be too late - I had no symptoms. My PSA was 20, it is now 0.5. If my tumour had been found earlier the treatment would have been easy. Please do it.
Thank you and see you on the road soon.
Andy
My "illness" was the subject of much speculation last year and it is time to set the record straight. I have prostate cancer. It was deemed to be advanced, active and potentially life-threatening if left untreated so I decided to keep it under wraps, only family and close friends, until I knew the possible outcome. Please understand that this was something that I had to deal with on my own. Those who knew were sworn to secrecy and their support during treatment helped me through especially Damian, Jane and Kevin who took turns to drive me to and from the treatments. To say it has been a "worry" would be an understatement. It has been a difficult time for all.
I thought I was Superman. Nothing seemed to affect me. I rarely went to the doctor but last August I was experiencing such painful stomach cramps, sometimes during shows, that I had to seek medical help. I had to cancel a show mid-September to have some rather invasive tests and got more than I bargained for. I went in with stomach-ache and came out with cancer! I now believe I was very lucky. The meeting with the consultant felt like "white-noise" in my ears but I got the gist and by the time I got home, things had sunk in so I set about researching the disease. It seems, like Superman, testosterone was my kryptonite! I thrive on data and as such found there were many treatments out there but after consultation with specialists in Germany and UK, it soon proved that only one was really suitable for me. Ultimately it was an easy decision, one of the best treatment centres, the Bristol Oncology Unit, was, on a good day, only 45 minutes drive from my home so I joined the program.
The treatment started with a course of hormones which ran from October 2009 through to January 2010 to be followed by a fairly new type of Radio-Therapy, 5 days a week, in February and March. This allowed me to play all the shows last year thus quashing the rumour mongering. I greatly appreciate the concern and get-well messages I received but the music business is not known for compassion so when the vultures started circling, we all felt that secrecy was justified. The treatment has had a debilitating effect, extreme tiredness being the most obvious but I have come through and getting better daily. My latest test result shows that I am clear, in remission, the other "C" word, "Cure", cannot be used for quite some time, if ever. I am forever in the Bristol Unit's debt.
My band, crew and agent have been fantastic. We decided not to cancel any shows which gave me something to aim for with my recovery. They have done really well on the couple of shows I have missed and I will be back permanently in a couple of weeks. Your understanding is much appreciated.
The best things in life are free, so the song goes, but it is true. I will never take things for granted again and I urge everyone, live each day as if it is the last. It is not a rehearsal!
Now comes the message for all guys over 50 - Go get a PSA test asap! Don't wait for symptoms because that could be too late - I had no symptoms. My PSA was 20, it is now 0.5. If my tumour had been found earlier the treatment would have been easy. Please do it.
Thank you and see you on the road soon.
Andy
17.04.2010
Not even a volcanic ash cloud could stop us from doing this show! The band took one of the last flights out of Heathrow before all flights were grounded over European airspace. The amazing line up was Sweet, Foreigner, Nazareth, Barclay James Harvest and Saga. Luckily Barclay James Harvest were kind enough to give us a lift home on their night liner tour bus otherwise we would of been stuck for a week! A great great festival and evening was had by all....
01.03.2010
It seems that everyone is doing TV adverts for insurance companies. So when Andy was approached to appear in one how could he say no? A series of adverts based around the sweet will be airing this June / July with more to follow......
24.11.2009
After a 5 year wait the band returned to Australia for another tour. First up was Adelaide followed by a series of dates in and around Melbourne. The tour was well attended and no doubt the boys will be back very soon. Also Pete and Andy were invited to have a day looking around the Maton guitar factory in Melbourne. This gave Andy the opportunity to finally catch up and thank the guys who repaired his Gibson 335 way back in the seventies. Check out the photos in the AAA gallery, it’s a must see for any guitar player or fan alike.
23.10.2009
2 dates in St Petersburg. First up the Oktiabrsky Concert Hall, a fabulous venue jammed packed and a great crowd as always. Then the XXX Bar which is a theme bar / club / restaurant which was absolutely bonkers!!!! Can’t wait to do that again.
12.07.2009
Sweet will embark on a series of CLASSIC ROCK NIGHT Festivals throughout Germany this summer. Other bands on the bill include Slade, Smokie, Suzi Quatro, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band and Glenn Hughes to name but a few.
