Ricardo: 1. Steve, in this very first interview of a Sweet member to Brazil, I would like to start asking you what the word Brazil brings to you, at a first sight? Did you heard about our music?

Steve: I love the thought of visiting Brazil one day. I have recently gotten into Latin music and I really enjoy it. I want to put and track on my new CD with that feel.

Ricardo: 2. Of course you knew about the success of Co-Co and Poppa Joe in places such as Asia and Europe in 71/72. But did you know that it was well played in radio stations here in Brazil, in the early 70's? How much did you guys knew about the reach of your music in the world?

Steve: Yes I was aware of the success vaguely but we were never allowed to come there to tour. Bad management as usual.

Ricardo: 3. When you decided to play on the A-sides of you singles, in 73, did you also decided to change the image or it was a "suggestion" of Batman and Robin?

Steve: Actually it was Chapman that talked Chinn and Wainman into playing on the tracks. We had to remake Little Willy for the Musicians Union before doing Top Of The Pops. When Chapman heard what we did with it he had to have us on teh A sides from then on.

Ricardo: 4. Slade, as an example, had a well planned strategy to their singles, records to be broken. How Sweet planned their releases? The charts were an objective or a just a consequence?

Steve: I am afraid the strategy was all Ratman and Bobbin I mean Chann and Chipman. They wanted to be stars and used us.

Ricardo: 5. Sweet became a heavier group just after the release of the "Wig Wam Bam" single, in 73. Was you prepared to the monster that you're creating with that new sound and image?

Steve: We had always been a heavy sounding band. The Glam thing came about TOTP and how stupid everyone was getting at the time.

Ricardo: 6. "Sweet Fanny Adams", released in 74, was a hard rock album, very different from the singles of the 71-72 period. And many groups covered songs from that album. One of the most recent covers was "Set Me Free", issued on the ESP (from the ex-KISS Eric Singer and Bruce Kulick) debut CD. How do you feel about your influence over so many groups all over the world? Did you expect this?

Steve: I am flattered when anyone covers anyone of our songs. I am also very aware of our influences on other bands.

Ricardo: 7. Reading your biography and the reviews issued all over these years, we noted that you always had some problems with the equipments on your gigs. Do you think that might have disturbed the credibility of the group as live performers?

Steve: Our biggest problem was when Brian was attacked and kicked in the throat. I can see why out critics had a hayday when our gear broke down though.

Ricardo: 8. Despite of the fact of Queen appeared singing in the same style Sweet was doing for 5 years, do you had any other "friction" with groups on that period or there was a "friendship" between you all (Bowie and his Spiders, Slade, Quo, Bolan, Quatro, etc)?

Steve: We never really had much of a relationship with other bands at the time.

Ricardo: 9. The "Desolation Boulevard" album, also from 74, was equally a heavy rock album, but we found softer songs, as "Lady Starlight" and even "The Six-Teens". But on that album we had a heavy version of "Fox On The Run". What lead you the choose this one as the new single (issued in 75), and how do you worked on the new version, full of synths?

Steve: Chinn and Chapman were so "exhausted" that they left for point west and left us without a single after The Sixteens. We decided to shorten Fox and release that.

Ricardo: 10. That album also marked the end of the "Glitter" period of Sweet, right? Was that planned or the things were freely moving to other directions?

Steve: We never were really a glitter or Glam band but of course that is how we are remembered. It was a short period of the life of the band and really more like Monty Python than Gary Glitter.

Ricardo: 11. "Action", the second single from 75, was a clear example of the direction that group was going, as producers and performers. Was it a scream against the critics, profiteers, detractors or even against the Chinebridge vampirism?

Steve: It was a go at all of them yes. I was extremely angry that The David Walkers and all the rest had huge offices and I had virtually nothing. Oh well I am still here with three lovely kids so go figure!

Ricardo: 12. In spite of the "Off The Record" album, from 77, was just recorded to finish the contract with RCA, it was very good, by many fans. Your bass is more melodic, as well as Mick it was more fucking drumming than never. Many songs had great potential for shows, but you didn't go on tour in 77. Why of this decision?

Steve: To tell the truth I really don't know what happened there. We did tour for a while but the album never really took off.

Ricardo: 13. We know that the drugs were taking an important role in your lives at that time. How did it influenced the past and the future projetcs?

Steve: It certainly is not part of my life now and hasn't been for years. It certainly did NOT help at the time even though we thought it did.

Ricardo: 14. The punk was happening in the UK. How did you see them at that time?

Steve: I thought we started punk actually! Trouble is it was a younger crowd and more violent.

Ricardo: 15. The next album, "Level Headed", from 78, was in my opinion, your best album as musicians. But it was another change in your style. Are you looking for a definitive style or the changes were still natural?

Steve: By then we had no idea where to go musically. We had to please management and the record companies. Impossible

Ricardo: 16. Do you agree that with that album Sweet was ready to be a definitive hit in the US if there were not the health problems of Brian?

Steve: It was more than that I am afraid. If we had stayed and toured longer in the States we would have been huge. We should have done more TV as well. David Walker was scared of losing us if we made it in the States and Andy wanted Brian out the band.

Ricardo: 18. How did you receive the critics to that album and the lost efforts on its promotion due Brian's "absence"?

Steve: I never read what critics say and never did.

Ricardo: 19. Was it difficult to ask Brian to leave to group and take care of his health? Did you expect to have him back?

Steve: It was his choice to leave.

Ricardo: 20. At this time, we never heard again about Swett in Brazil. No more news, reviews or even releases. To us, Sweet had ended. Did you think in finish the group?

Steve: The Sweet ended officially in 1981.

Ricardo: 21. But Sweet moved on, another album, "Cut Above The Rest", from 79, was issued. Now you was the main singer. Do you belive that all personal problems that you and Andy were having at that time disturbed the work?

Steve: No not at all I think we actually wrote some not all of our best songs. Our problems came later.

Ricardo: 22. Different from the past, now you were accused of being copying Queen on that album. Do you agree with these critics?

Steve: How could we copy Queen when we came first?

Ricardo: 23. So, there came the 80s and Sweet released another album, "Waters Edge". What do you think about that album? I know that you hate "Sixties Man", as a song and as a promo video. It's funny, because many fans like the song. Did you pay more attention to the critics or to your fans?

Steve: I hated that song then and cannot listen to it now.

Ricardo: 24. Was difficult to enter a new decade with a so different position in the charts? That album could be called "Sweet's Swan Song"?

Steve: Yes I guess that was the end of the road.

Ricardo: 25. You said that an audience of 1,500 people in England was a good one. Did you still had that crowd in your shows there? And in the US?

Steve: We had larger audiences than that in Europe and England. When Touring with Seger we helped bring in half of the thirty thousand that we played in front of.

Ricardo: 26. But you still moved on and, in 82 released an album just in Germany, "Identity Crisis". That was the end, isn't it? How Andy's behaviour contributed to your decision of leave the band?

Steve: It wasn't just Andy that made the band split. It just ground to a halt.

Ricardo: 27. From 1984 until now Andy is still playing with his Sweet, as did Brian with his own Sweet group, until his death in 1997. How did you see their work with the name Sweet all these years?

Steve: No Andy went solo until 1985 when he asked me if I wanted join him and Mick to do a tour of Australia which I declined as it sounded like slave labor.

Ricardo: 28. Listening to the tapes of the orginal line-up reunion, in 88, we can understand why it couldn't move forward. Brian was still in bad shape. And on "Ballroom Blitz" recording there were some "lovely" lyrics changes on the famous start. You moved from your "Hum hum" to "Fuck Off" and Mick gone from "Okay" to "Suck Cocks In Hell". Were these lines addressed to Brian? Could you tell us more about those recordings?

Steve: No they were nothing personal at all just having fun.

Ricardo: 29. Since you left Sweet, back in 1982, we don't heard about any recording activity from you. But there's a bootleg CD, entitled "First Takes and Outtakes", with 6 demos from you. When were they recorded and what did you do all over these years?

Steve: I did those a few years ago. I did a load of songs with Marco Delamar and even started a band called The Allies.

Ricardo: 30. You played on the Benefit Concert for the Twin Towers Orphan Fund, happened last December 28th, in Los Angeles. Who planned that and how was your participation?

Steve: I really don't know who got that together. I was just asked if I was interested and of course I was.

Ricardo: 31. During the period that you were in the group, could you explore all your creativity or was it lacking to do something?

Steve: I don't think we ever got anywhere near the potential that was inside us all. Too much control and much too much business and bad deals I am afraid.

Ricardo: 32. Now, after 34 years of the group's debut, you have fans that goes from 6 to 50 years old. Looking back, how could you summarize your contribution for the music?

Steve: The fact that our songs are still being used in movies, covered by new bands and old speaks for itself I think.