THERE are a few sixties and eighties packages doing the rounds these days, but very few from the seventies.

However, that omission is being corrected as the latest Glitz, Blitz and '70s Hitz tour is set for November and December.

This is the fourth of these tours, which celebrates the glam rock era — the previous tours being in 1999, 2003 and 2005.

This time around, the line-up is The Sweet, The Rubettes and Mud 2 — the former backing band of Mud singer Les Gray — who will be making their debut.

Les sadly died in 2004, but the band have carried on and has continued his musical legacy by performing the original band's many hits, such as Tiger Feet, Oh Boy and Dyna-Mite.

The Rubettes, who burst onto the scene in 1974 with Sugar Baby Love, still boast three original members in lead singer and guitarist Alan Williams, bassist and ex-Tremeloe Mick Clarke and drummer John Richardson.

"It's quite nice to be touring the UK again," said Alan.

"I think we last toured Britain about five years ago, we've mainly been touring mainland Europe as the music of the '70s is still very big there while it seemed to dry up in the UK."

One of the reasons about the lack of 70's tours is that there aren't many of the bands still around.

"I've got the dubious distinction of being one of the few lead singers of the 70's still in a band," said Alan.

The band will welcome a new keyboard player Steve Etherington.

Alan said: "We've been after Steve for a while but he's so good he was never available. But he's fitted in well and he's a great singer and multi-instrumentalist.

"Our previous keyboard player — Mark Haley — had been with us for 15 years and he lived in France. He wanted to spend more time at home with his family."

When the band first appeared on Top of the Pops, they made an instant impact because of the distinctive caps they wore.

Alan said: "I make sure that we still wear them for Sugar Baby Love. I like to leave with a lasting image — it's part of the show."

Of all the hits, Alan does have a particular favourite — in fact two.

He said: "I'm really proud of Tonight, our second hit. I think it's the epitome of a pop song. I also like Foe Dee O Dee, even though the lyrics leave a lot to be desired — in fact they were voted in the Top Ten of pop's worst lyrics."

Headlining the show is Sweet, who transformed from a bubblegum-pop act to a bona fide rock band with songs such as Blockbuster and Teenage Rampage — and this might just be the last time people can see them on stage.

Guitarist Andy said: "For Sweet to be going back out on tour in the UK for what will probably be the last time is a real thrill.

"For us, performing is at the very heart of what we do and though fashions change our songs have lasted through five decades — it's almost as if time has stood still when we're on stage."

But Andy explains to me the reason why this may be the last time.

"As I get older, I don't want to do four nights in a row doing two hours a night.

"What we need to do is a little bit less and do bigger places. In Europe, bands like us get between three and five thousand a night in the audience."

Andy joined the band in 1970.

"The possibility of some success made me join the band. I'd been in a myriad of bands but to join Sweet was an oddball thing.

"Their minds were in the Who, Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin mould of wanting to make music, but the record company had other ideas, but we ended up writing our b-sides which were much heavier and more reflective of how we wanted to be."

The Glitz, Blitz and '70s Hitz tour is at The Palace Theatre, Manchester on Saturday December 5.