In the 1970s, Brian Connolly was one of rock’s brightest stars. With his blond hair, swagger, and powerful voice, he led The Sweet to fame with glam-rock hits like “The Ballroom Blitz” and “Block Buster!” The band sold over 50 million records and had 13 UK Top-20 singles, becoming a symbol of the era’s glitter and energy.

Born Brian MacManus in Scotland in 1945, he was abandoned as a baby and raised by adoptive parents. He later discovered he was the half-brother of actor Mark McManus. By the 1960s, he was performing in London clubs before co-founding The Sweet, a band that “blended pop hooks with hard-rock riffs that defined a generation.”

Behind the success, however, fame took its toll. Connolly admitted, “Gradually, it just got out of hand,” as alcohol and pressure eroded his health. After leaving the band in 1979, his solo career faltered, and his health worsened following several heart attacks.

Despite paralysis and financial troubles, he kept touring as Brian Connolly’s Sweet. His 1995 album Let’s Go and a touching documentary, Don’t Leave Me This Way, showed his courage amid decline.

Connolly died in 1997 at 51. His story remains a mix of triumph and tragedy — a reminder that “the glitter may have faded, but his voice still blazes on.”