Candy – Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Candy Shepherd’s Bush Empire – 5 April 2025 – Dwell Assessment

Candy at The Shepherd’s Bush Empire reviewed by The Blockheads entrance man Mike Bennett.

There’s nothing concerning the candy catalogue that isn’t authentic. Within the early ’70’s I used to be launched to a really unusual album known as Gimme That Ding. On one aspect of the album was the oddball duo Pipkins and on the opposite a band as soon as known as The Candy Store, who had shortened their title to The Candy.

On The Candy aspect of this unusual however collectable slice of vinyl, the group exhibited a complicated and incomprehensibly weird set of onerous rock, throwaway kitsch pop and an try at psychedelia. Nevertheless, it was an attention-grabbing begin to one thing, that will turn into each cohesive, compounding and quintessentially important to the burgeoning glam rock sound throughout its golden period. Though Andy Scott was not on this album, his image was included within the line-up on the quirky Music For Pleasure sampler launch of tracks the band had initially recorded for Fontana. It was solely when former Elastic Band and Scaffold guitarist Andy Scott joined them that the dynamics metamorphosised right into a sound that will play an enormous function within the foot-stomping period of glam rock, (though arguably not as lauded on the time as contemporaries reminiscent of Mott The Hoople, Roxy Music, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, T-Rex or Bowie).

On signing to the long-lasting RCA information, the place they grew to become label mates of each Bowie and Lou Reed, the hits began to seep by way of the socio economically challenged soundscape of the musically scintillating 70’s – the slew of bubble-glam hits included, Humorous Humorous, Coco, Poppa Joe and Alexander Graham Bell, underneath the auspices of songwriters Nicky Chinn & Mike Chapman, and shrewd pop producer Phil Wainman. The heavier aspect of the group began to emerge with the lyrically suggestive Wig Wam Bam and Little Willy, which, by the way, hit the quantity 4 slot on the American Billboard Chart.

I point out this, as most of those quirky releases have been featured within the various set carried out by the most recent incarnation of Candy on the Shepherds Bush Empire tonight. These have been carried out alongside the more durable glam choices such because the self-penned Motion, as featured on the proto glam steel cult basic album Give Us A Wink. It was an awesome opener to the present, with its atmospheric odyssey synth, previous to the band crashing in with its proto glam-metal sound, that despatched the packed crowd right into a frenetic frenzy of awe inspiring proportions.

Though initially sardonically perceived as a manufactured band, a flurry of followers have been shopping for the singles for the heavier B-sides and cleverly crafted album cuts, together with Burn On The Flame and Windy Metropolis, a Deep Purple impressed opus from the very good Off The Document album. One other nice observe from that album was the enigmatically carried out Misplaced Angels, which though nearly ignored as a UK single launch, was a agency favorite within the staple food plan of Candy followers in nearly each different worldwide territory, with onerous hitting and mildly disturbing lyrics reminiscent of ”I can really feel the knives inside my mind”. The sound of this observe, with its immediately recognisable excessive pitch vocals, was clearly celebrated by later day nu glam outfits reminiscent of The Darkness, Metal Panther, Mötley Crüe and Twisted Sister. The latter, who additionally by the way, drew inspiration from Candy’s outrageous glam apparel.

Punk was additionally closely influenced by the group’s bittersweet cacophony, which was so poignantly prevalent in tonight’s magnificent and mighty advantageous efficiency. The Damned & Lemmy and The Rezillos are simply two outfits that emerged with cowl variations of Ballroom Blitz, which was one other nice spotlight of tonight’s mind-blowing efficiency.

One other nice second was the so known as misplaced glam basic The Sixteens, a mini 70’s Rock-Opera depicting the rising pains of youth tradition towards a 70’s backdrop of miner strikes, boring drudgery, energy cuts and the three-day week. This terrific self-penned B-Aspect Burn On The Flame was additionally carried out spectacularly, and to my thoughts, an in depth cousin of the later day Candy’s hair steel prototype White Mice from Give Us A Wink.

In the direction of the top of the magnificent set we have been handled to a rousing rendition of Blockbuster, a primary hit a couple of menacing character pursuing ladies with ‘lengthy black hair’. Coincidentally, as serial killer Ted Bundy was on the prowl with related intentions! I keep in mind authentic bass participant Steve Priest performing this in Nazi apparel, apparently plundered from the BBC costume division for a infamous Prime Of The Pops efficiency! Though a lot of the glitz and glam apparel was not as prevalent, the environment and reminiscences have been nostalgically captured to perfection on this extremely memorable evening.

A particular point out should be made for Andy Scott’s fantastically crafted US smash Love Is Like Oxygen, carried out with a classical prog session, replete with the pomp and ceremony of a progressive classical part, which was intrinsically intriguing and curiously rousing, as featured on the bands very good Stage Headed album. With none intention of implying a ’rip-off’, the tune has all the time appeared to me to attract inspiration from Corridor And Oats, ELP and ELO. An excellent mix of influences, even when subconsciously achieved, however seeks and finds handy categorisation within the various glam-rock enviornment.

It’s no marvel teams reminiscent of Def Leppard, The Drakness, Purple Scorching Chili Peppers, Girlschool, Ace Freely, Tia Carrere, Pat Benatar, The Chemical Bothers, The Beasty Boys, Paddy Goes To Holyhead and Glamnesia have coated and sampled Candy to varied levels of success.

As Axel Rose famously as soon as quoted ‘’With out Candy there can be no Weapons’ N Roses’’. I couldn’t agree extra, and after this splendid show of each nostalgia and important new materials at Shepherds Bush Empire, I’m positive that the late nice Brian Connelly, Steve Priest and Mick Tucker can be proud to see Andy Scott’s new line up retaining the godfathers of glam’s legacy alive and buoyant.

To cite from Teenage Rampage, which was additionally carried out to perfection tonight ‘’We Need Candy, We Need Candy, We Need Candy’’.

Present Line-up: Andy Scott, Paul Manzi (lead vocals), Lee Small (bass guitar/vocals), Tom Cory (guitars/keys/vocals), and Adam Sales space (drums/percussion).

Bitter Candy Factoids:

Candy’s Cowl Woman has a primary riff that’s allegedly remarkably just like the important riff of Blur’s Parklife.

Click on right here to test it out:

Mötley Crüe’s Kickstart My Coronary heart has a riff remarkably just like Sweets Hell Raiser.

Test it out right here:

RCA launched Bowies Jean Jeanie and Candy’s Blockbuster on the identical schedule with an an identical riff throughout.

Try this Megamix what got here first the hen or the egg?



Andy Scott and Mick Tucker produced a band that regarded and sounded very very like Candy with the riff showing to be similar to Sweets observe Insurgent Rouser, an awesome enjoyable
visible and sound, it’s ace. A misplaced Glam basic? All good naughty enjoyable with Candy fashion innuendo.

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Mike Bennett is lead singer with The Blockheads – His LTW creator profile is right here.