In the days before Tinder the dating compatibility question was: The Beatles or The Stones?
Of course we know that you can actually love both bands but by answering The Stones the message was sent that whiskey, glitter, and waking up in the same clothes could be part of the first date.
NYC rockers The Sweet Things straight up answer The Stones with their dirty, jangly brand of sleazy gypsy rock and roll. Featuring guitarist Lorne Behrman (Dimestore Haloes, L.E.S. Snitches), vocalist/guitarist Dave Tierney (Sharp Lads), bassist Sam Hariss (The Bowery Boys, Stiletto) and drummer Darren Fried (Mazard, Tongue), The Sweet Things just play it straight. This is damn fine alcohol-fueled RnR.
Atlanta’s Spaghetty Town Records have released the debut single Love To Leave/Cocaine Asslicker Blues and if you dig the Dolls, Faces, and the Dead Boys this is up your dirty, broken glass strewn alley.
70s rock and roll mojo
Love To Leave is a bluesy, rock and roll thumper that showcases muscular Heartbreakers-esque twin guitars behind the gravel-throated sneer of vocalist Tierney and some sweet backing vocals by Lisa Colby. Cocaine Asslicker Blues struts with a shitload of 70s rock and roll mojo.
Available in both limited pink color and black vinyl HERE!
Dave Tierney – vox/guitar
Lorne Behrman – guitar
Sam Hariss – bass/vox
Darren Fried – drums
Q: The Sweet Things have been around for a couple of years, give us the Cliff Notes version of the bands’ history.
The Sweet Things’ story is a rock n’ roll fairytale. Lorne drank with Sam and briefly discussed playing together, though neither really followed up on that. Dave and Lorne drank and discussed playing together, though neither really followed up on that. Sam and Dave drank together, though neither really remember meeting. Darren and Sam met briefly at Lorne’s birthday, though, you guessed it, neither really remember meeting. Lorne gigged with Darren. Dave gigged with Lorne. Sam toured with Dave. In February 2015, all four got together in a rehearsal room twice and quickly booked studio time. In March 2015, The Sweet Things somehow managed to remember and record the first two songs they worked on.
Q: Tell us about your hometown scene and how The Sweet Things fit in…
Dave: New York has changed a lot but it’s still the greatest city in world (excluding Asia). There’s a million places to play, lots of great bands, and every night is Saturday Night.
Q: Tell us about your gear….
Sam: I play a ’76 Thunderbird lawsuit, and a Tele Bass, I’m rig-less at the moment. Lorne just joined some peeps like Keith and Ronnie, Rich Robinson, and Andy McCoy as a Zemaitis endorcee, he’s been playing that thing since December, and goddamn is she purdy.
Dave: I play a Gibson ES-335 and a Les Paul Junior in opening tunings through an Orange AD140 amp.
Q: Describe your sound as a cocktail – what would it be called and what would be in it?
Dave: Jack Daniels Neat, pure and uncut rock n roll with no bullshit. Ok, some bullshit. Jack Daniels Neat with 3 cocktail umbrellas in it.
Sam: BEER: Boy Howdy!
Q: If you could pick any time and place to travel back to for music, where would you go and what year would it be….?
Sam: ’73 – ’78 NYC … A Rock N Roll Renaissance. When grit and glitter went steady.
Q: If you could tour with any band/artist right now who would that be and why?
Sam: The Stones. We’re lucky right now, living in a time where we still have the greatest Rock N Roll band in the history of the genre touring on the (semi) reg. Wanting to entwine paths with them is a no brainer … Keef if your reading this… take the hint.
Q: Give us your 10 song playlist for the tour van/bus/plane?
Dave/Sam:
Mott the Hoople – Walkin With a Mountain
Freddie King – Going Down
Slade – Gudbuy T’ Jane
Sly and the Family Stone – If You Want Me to Stay
Sugar Minott – Oh Mr DC
Older Guys – Flying Burrito Brothers
Billy Two Rivers – Dogs D’Amour I Washed My Hands In Muddy Waters – Elvis Presley
Carry Me Home – The Hellacopters
Battleship Chains – The Georgia Satellites
Bonus: Jet Airliner – Steve Miller Band
Q: Give us two essential books to read.
Dave: The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles. Sometimes it’s nice to read about existential despair in someone else’s life so you can take a break from experiencing it in your own.
Sam: Stephen King’s IT, I’ve read it probably like 6 times, which is a lot if you look at that page count. I listen to the audio book all the time when I’m putsing around the apartment. And I’ve yet to find one person who can accurately discuss it with me. So read it, for me.
Q: When you’re not playing and have some time off, where could we find you…
Dave: Probably at the bar.
Sam: Bar
Q: What’s up for the rest of 2017?
Dave: We’re doing a west coast tour during the last couple weeks of May (just finished). We just recorded a couple new songs that we should be releasing sometime this year, and then we’ll be heading back in the studio again soon to record a couple more. We’ll be playing plenty around the Northeast once we’re back too.
