Members of the US and Canadian version of The Sweet have defended their right to continue using the band’s name, rejecting criticism linked to guitarist Andy Scott’s separate UK-based incarnation. Drummer Richie Onori said Steve Priest, an original member who died in 2020, had chosen the current musicians to carry on his legacy and had not wanted to reunite professionally with Scott.

The original Sweet formed in 1968, with Priest holding the rights to use the name in the US and Canada before launching a new line-up in Los Angeles in 2008. The current five-piece contains no original members but says it follows Priest’s wishes; it includes Patrick Alan Stone, Jimmy Burkard, Dave Schulz, Stevie Stewart and Onori. Onori said the group had performed for around 20 years and argued that public debate over its legitimacy had become unnecessary “bullying”.