Most people hear that iconic, chugging acoustic guitar riff and immediately think of a one-hit wonder. You know the one. "Driver’s Seat." It’s a staple of classic rock radio, a permanent fixture on "70s driving" playlists, and a song that feels like it was born out of a specific kind of London cool. But if you look at the Sniff 'n' the Tears band members over the years, you realize this wasn't just a static group of guys who got lucky once. It was a revolving door of incredible talent, centered around the singular, often stubborn vision of one man: Paul Roberts.
Roberts wasn't even a full-time musician when it all started. He was a painter. He still is.
If you've ever looked at the album covers for Fickle Heart or The Game’s Up, you’re looking at his work. That’s the thing about this band—it was always an art project as much as a rock group. Because of that, the lineup changed constantly. People came, people went, and the sound evolved from tight power-pop into something much more atmospheric and moody.
The Fickle Heart Era: Where it All Began
In 1978, the lineup that recorded "Driver's Seat" was a bit of a lightning strike. You had Paul Roberts on lead vocals and acoustic guitar, providing that rhythmic backbone. Then you had Mick Dyche and Loz Netto on guitars. This dual-guitar attack was crucial. While Roberts kept the beat, Dyche and Netto traded these clean, sophisticated licks that made the band sound more like Steely Dan than the punk bands exploding in London at the time.
The rhythm section was equally tight. Chris Birkin played bass, and Luigi Salvoni was behind the drum kit. Salvoni is actually the guy who produced the first album. He had a specific ear for that dry, crisp late-70s sound.
But here’s the kicker: by the time "Driver's Seat" actually became a hit in the United States in 1979, half the band was already gone.
It’s one of those weird industry stories. The album came out, didn't do much initially in the UK, and the band started fraying at the edges. Birkin left. Salvoni left. By the time they needed to tour the States to support a Top 20 hit, Roberts had to scramble to find new Sniff 'n' the Tears band members just to keep the ship afloat.
Why the Lineup Kept Shifting
Honestly, being in a band with a visionary like Roberts is probably tough. He knew what he wanted. After the initial success, the lineup for the second album, The Game's Up, saw some major shifts. Nick South took over on bass—a position he’d hold for a while—and Paul Robinson stepped in on drums.
Netto and Dyche stayed for a bit, which helped maintain that signature guitar weave. But Loz Netto eventually left to pursue a solo career (forming the Loz Netto Band). This opened the door for players like Les Davidson.
Davidson is a name that doesn't get enough credit. He stayed with Roberts through thick and thin, appearing on multiple albums and becoming a vital part of the "Sniff" sound in the 80s. He brought a slightly more modern, versatile edge to the guitars that helped the band navigate the transition from the 70s into the synth-heavy 80s.
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Then you had the keyboard players. Keith Miller contributed those shimmering textures on the early records, but later, guys like Mike Taylor came in. The sound got bigger. It got more "expensive" sounding.
The 1980s and the "One-Hit Wonder" Myth
It’s easy to dismiss them if you only know the radio hits, but the Sniff 'n' the Tears band members during the Love/Action and Ride Blue Divide era were doing some sophisticated work.
Take a song like "The Bag" or "Hungry Eyes." The musicianship is top-tier. By this point, the lineup was often a mix of official members and high-level session players. Roberts was leaning more into the "studio project" vibe.
The struggle, though, was the pressure to replicate "Driver’s Seat." The label wanted another anthem. Roberts wanted to write moody, cinematic songs about European intrigue and heartbreak.
By the time 1983 rolled around, the band essentially folded. Roberts went solo, releasing City Without Walls. It seemed like Sniff 'n' the Tears was a closed chapter of the early 80s.
The 1992 Resurrection
And then, a Dutch car commercial changed everything.
In the early 90s, "Driver's Seat" was used in an ad for Pioneer in the Netherlands. Suddenly, a thirteen-year-old song was #1 on the charts. Roberts, probably a bit surprised, put the band back together.
This version of the Sniff 'n' the Tears band members featured some familiar faces and some new ones. Jeremy Meek came in on bass, and Steve Jackson took the drums. Les Davidson was back on guitar, of course. They released the album No Damage Done in 1992.
What’s interesting is how they sounded. They didn't try to sound like a 70s throwback. They sounded like a mature, seasoned rock band. They weren't chasing the charts anymore; they were playing because there was suddenly an audience again.
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Understanding the Paul Roberts Influence
To understand the musicians who cycled through this band, you have to understand that Paul Roberts is an artist first. His lyrics aren't your typical "I love you, baby" rock tropes. They are observant. Sometimes they're a bit cold.
The musicians he chose had to be able to play with restraint. You don't hear a lot of "shredding" in Sniff 'n' the Tears. You hear parts. Every instrument has its place.
If you look at the 2011 album Downstream or the 2020 release Jump, the credits still reflect this collaborative but controlled approach. Robin Langridge on keyboards and Richard Marcangelo on drums joined the fold in later years. Marcangelo, in particular, brought a wealth of experience, having played with everyone from Manfred Mann’s Earth Band to The Buggles.
The Full Roster (A Non-Exhaustive List)
If you’re trying to track everyone who has been an official member, it’s a bit of a headache. Here’s a breakdown of the key players who actually shaped the records:
- Paul Roberts: The heart, soul, voice, and acoustic guitar. The only constant.
- Mick Dyche: Lead guitar on the early, definitive tracks.
- Loz Netto: The other half of that early guitar duo; his style was more fluid and bluesy.
- Chris Birkin: The original bassist who helped craft the Fickle Heart groove.
- Luigi Salvoni: The drummer and producer who gave them their initial "hit" sound.
- Les Davidson: The long-haul guitarist who defined their 80s and 90s output.
- Nick South: The bassist who provided the backbone during the peak touring years.
- Paul Robinson: The drummer who took over after the first album’s departure.
- Keith Miller: Keyboards; responsible for those subtle 70s atmosphere layers.
- Jeremy Meek: Bassist during the 90s revival.
- Richard Marcangelo: The veteran drummer who helped anchor the later-era albums.
E-E-A-T: Why This History Matters
When we talk about classic rock, we often focus on the superstars. But bands like Sniff 'n' the Tears represent the "working-class" elite of the music world. These guys were incredibly skilled.
Critics at the time, like those at NME or Rolling Stone, sometimes struggled to categorize them. Were they New Wave? Were they Pub Rock? Were they just "Adult Contemporary" before that was a term?
The truth is they were a bit of everything. The shifting Sniff 'n' the Tears band members allowed the group to absorb different influences. You can hear bits of Dire Straits' clean production, a little bit of Roxy Music’s art-school glam, and a lot of classic British songwriting.
Misconceptions About the Band
The biggest mistake people make is thinking they were a "faceless" band.
Just because they didn't have a flamboyant frontman like Freddie Mercury doesn't mean they lacked identity. Their identity was in the sound. It was cool, detached, and rhythmically driving.
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Another misconception? That they only have one good song.
If you actually sit down with The Game's Up, tracks like "One Love" or "Rodeo Drive" show a band that was getting better, not worse, after their big hit. The musicianship of the 1980 lineup was arguably tighter than the 1978 version.
What to Do Next if You're a Fan
If you want to move beyond the hits and truly appreciate what these musicians accomplished, don't just shuffle a "Best Of" on Spotify. You need to hear the progression.
First, go back and listen to Fickle Heart all the way through. Pay attention to the way Mick Dyche and Loz Netto interact. It’s a masterclass in "less is more" guitar playing.
Second, check out Paul Roberts' art. He has a website where he showcases his paintings. Seeing his visual style helps you understand the "vibe" of the music. The two are inseparable.
Third, look into the solo work of Loz Netto. If you like the guitar-heavy side of the band, his solo stuff carries that torch.
The story of the Sniff 'n' the Tears band members is really a story of survival in the music industry. It’s about a group of rotating artists who, under the leadership of a painter with a guitar, managed to create one of the most enduring sounds of the late 20th century.
To dig deeper into the discography, start with the often-overlooked Ride Blue Divide album. It’s the peak of their 80s production and features some of Les Davidson’s best work. From there, compare the raw 1978 recordings to the 2020 Jump album to see how Paul Roberts' voice has aged—it’s stayed remarkably consistent, gaining a gravelly wisdom that fits the newer, more acoustic-driven material perfectly.