Mick Tucker

Tucker died on 14 February 2002 in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, from leukaemia, aged 54. His funeral took place on 25 February 2002. His wife Janet, his daughter Aiston and his niece Angela were at his bedside when he died. He is buried in an unmarked grave in Chorleywood House cemetery. A wooden bench with a brass plaque funded by fans as a dedication to Tucker is also positioned in the grave's vicinity.

According to Steve Priest's 1994 autobiography, Are You Ready, Steve?, Tucker offered his feedback while recording "The Six Teens", and songwriter/producer Mike Chapman said, "We don't f**king need you anyway, Mick!" Tucker ended the argument by saying, "If you don't need us, why don't you just put that tape player on 'record' and erase the whole track?" He was serious when it came to making music, and he stood up for his band's integrity when necessary.

Cheap Trick drummer Bun E. Carlos remembered that Sweet opened for Cheap Trick in 1979. "On most nights we went side stage and watched them. They were rockin' live, and Mick was fun to watch. His style reminded me of an early Keith Moon. Mick was one of the few double bass drummers that didn't let the second bass drum get in the way of a swinging tune like 'Ballroom Blitz.' He had a great feel on double bass drum, played them effortlessly... And those guys knew how to have fun," Carlos said. "We'd call them back on stage during our encores and jam on 'Let It Rock'. Mick would play my kit with the 26" bass drum and just rock out with us. I'd hop up on the riser with him, playing guitar and watching him play. We had some great times together."

On 28 July 1973, Tucker married his first wife, Pauline, at the Church of the Sacred Heart in Ruislip, Middlesex. They then moved into a house in Beverley Road, Ruislip.

From late 1972 onward, Tucker used the same drum kit, a Ludwig Chrome over wood eight piece set. The twirl of his sticks were as much a trademark as the drum kit itself. Tucker used a five piece Ludwig while on tour in Belgium. After the tour ended, he added the set to the existing Ludwig four piece set he already had. He then re-wrapped them all in chrome. The Ludwig set contained:

A self-taught drummer, Tucker excelled, and by eighteen he was playing in the band Wainwright's Gentlemen. When Tucker was sacked in January 1968 for being "too flamboyant", singer Brian Connolly said "I am leaving as well." The two looked for new band-mates, and the band Sweetshop was soon formed.

By the age of 18 (1965), Tucker had embarked on a career in pop music, playing around pubs and clubs in a band called Wainwright's Gentlemen and was later joined by vocalist Brian Connolly playing a mixture of R&B, Motown, and early psychedelic sounds. The band split in 1968. There are a number of recordings in existence including a cover of The Coasters/The Hollies hit "Ain't That Just Like Me", which was officially released in February 2011 on a compilation CD "Rare Mod, Volume 3" on the Acid Jazz label (AJXCD 238). The track features Tucker on drums and, according to band bassist Jan Frewer, is thought to have been recorded in 1965.

Tucker was able to improvise tirelessly and played a seemingly never-ending flow of creative solos. He began and ended his drum solos with his rendition of Elmer Bernstein's theme from the 1955 film The Man With the Golden Arm.

Michael Thomas Tucker (17 July 1947 – 14 February 2002) was an English musician, best known as the drummer and backing vocalist of the glam rock and hard rock band Sweet.

Mick Tucker was born on July 17, 1947, in Kingsbury, North West London, the son of Hubert and Ellen Tucker. He was married twice: to Pauline until her death in 1979, and to Janet until his death. He died from leukaemia on February 14, 2002, in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire.

He was a founding member of the band Sweetshop in January 1968 along with Steve Priest, Brian Connolly, and Frank Torpey (born 30 April 1947, Kilburn, North West London), who was later replaced by Mick Stewart, who was himself succeeded by Andy Scott. "Sweetshop" was shortened to "The Sweet" in 1968.