Interstellar Movie - Official Trailer 3

Rollermania

They had been around since 1967 known as the Saxons back then. However they needed a bit of tweeking to there image as well as a name change before their rise to stardom. Brothers Alan and Derek Longmuir were the only original members of the Saxons. The new name came about in 1969 when a band member threw a dart at a map of the U.S.  Rock n Roll success was often linked to America so it seemed like a good idea. It Landed near a place called Bay City in Michigan which sounded pretty catchy.  Later came Eric Faulkner, Stewart Woody Wood and Les Mckeown. The rest is History.

So the name 'Bay City Rollers' was slipping into my subconscious mind as they released a few not very successful records. They were on and off the brink of success for quite a time but record company's were ready to pull the plug. Then in 1973 Les Mckeown sang the vocals on 'Remember sha la la la la" and it shot up the charts.

In 1975 as I remember it, the Bay City Rollers were all that mattered. With hit song "ByeBye Baby" rising to number one in May and "Give a Little Love" later that summer. My entire wall was covered with posters of only them.  I went from playing with dolls to this irrational phase seemingly overnight. I see it in lots of young kids even today when it comes to boy bands. I was hopelessly obsessed I know that much. The Rollers were at the forefront of my mind in my every waking moment. It was the craziest thing and yet I was not alone. I don’t think I knew of any girl at the time who wasn't into them. It was as if a spell had been cast over an entire nation of pubescent girls in 1975.

Of course we know that much of it is to do with the hype and marketing, but back in the day I don’t think Tam Paton the manager of the Bay City Rollers had any idea of big they were actually going to be.

They were Scottish and they wore half mast flared trousers with Tartan edging, striped socks, braces and either converses or platform boots. So fans were wearing anything and everything Tartan. They sported the mullet hair style which was highly popular at the time and were skinny and young. Looking back now I find it quite amusing that I actually thought I was in love with them.

Typical girls in 1975

They had a hit T.V. show called Shang-a-lang in which they would perform songs from their albums 'Rollin' and 'Once upon a Star"  I say perform rather than sang because they lip sank. I knew every word of every song. (they were so catchy) I never missed a single episode. I rushed home every Tuesday from school as did millions of fans, just to catch a glimpse of our idols. We didn't have video players back then let alone computers or You Tube. Shang-a-lang was our only certain opportunity to see them and occasionally top of the pops.

So why do young girls need to be in love with boy bands. I have this theory. We mature much earlier than boys and even though the feelings are not necessarily sexual, we are already fantasising about romance and we honestly believe that slightly older boys are equipped with emotions. Of course this is rarely true but when Les Mckeown sang words like It's a teenage dream to be seventeen and to find you're all wrapped up in love and I found that you made a dream come true ..........It made you want to believe it.

I was in the last year of my primary school when Rollermania hit me. I enjoyed being a part of all the hype but I was too young to actually go to any concerts. A year later I was well and truly over them and their popularity was beginning to fade.Twelve months is a long time to a young girl and now I was in senior school a lot had changed. I think the band were beginning to lose their appeal when Alan Longmuir left and was replaced by a younger guitarist, Ian Mitchel.

Ian Mitchel

I had nothing against the guy only that he wasn't a Roller. I mean, what if all the boys left? Would they too be replaced? It just didn't seem right.

 In the summer of  1976 I actually came really close too them on my way home from Ireland.  I was walking through the tunnels of the airport and they were almost hidden as we funnelled past them.  I felt my heart drop to my feet and back up again. My sister and I didn't mention it to anyone for fear of being accused of lying. 

Their fame and success  was world wide and the Rollers should've been rolling in it but these young lads were cheated by the music industry and left empty handed.

Nearly forty years on and I finally get to go to a concert on Thursday 6th November 2014. Les Mckeown is the only original here as the band didn't finish on great terms. Les has a story of his own to tell after a long struggle following the Stardom.