R.I.P. Les McKeown, Lead Singer of the Bay City Rollers

[Dan Roth]

Not gonna lie - I had this on a 45 when I was a kid. Was not a fan of the group as a whole, just a great sing-a-along song when I was nine years old. haha



These guys were seemingly everywhere for a few years - I think they even had their own tv show for a while.

Lead vocalist Les McKeown - dead at 65.

Curiously, when McKeown and the Bay City Rollers split, the band replaced him with the lead singer of Trevor Rabin's Rabbitt, Duncan Faure, and released some pretty cool and unsuccessful power pop/new wave albums.

[JKL2000]

Not gonna lie - I had this on a 45 when I was a kid. Was not a fan of the group as a whole, just a great sing-a-along song when I was nine years old. haha



These guys were seemingly everywhere for a few years - I think they even had their own tv show for a while.

Lead vocalist Les McKeown - dead at 65.

Curiously, when McKeown and the Bay City Rollers split, the band replaced him with the lead singer of Trevor Rabin's Rabbitt, Duncan Faure, and released some pretty cool and unsuccessful power pop/new wave albums.

I had it too! I remember buying it really well, but I can't remember where I heard it. I guess on the radio, I just don't remember that. I think I bought a mood ring the same week!

[ronmac]

I remember when they were called, "The next Beatles," like so many other bands that weren't

[Piskie]

Sad he's died - but a band I couldn't stand.

[Steve983]

Sad he's died - but a band I couldn't stand.

Agreed, my little sister loved them. RIP Les.

[GuitarGeek]

A lot of people don't realize that all those chants in the Ramones song..."Hey! Ho! Let's Go!", "LO-BO-TO-MY!", etc were inspired by the Saturday Night intro. I remember reading an interview with Joey Ramone where he said he was a big Bay City Rollers fan.

There's a story of a siege at BBC Television Center, one of the times that the Rollers performed on Top Of The Pops. Apparently, the building was surrounded by screaming teenage girls, thousands of them, and nobody could get in or out of the building. So whichever bigwig decreed that Top Of The Pops was never to taped at Television Center ever again (though I've heard that's apocryphal).

[mozo-pg]

I completely forgot about this band!!

[moecurlythanu]

I completely forgot about this band!!

And somebody had to go and screw it up for you!

[Mythos]

Being straight, can't say I ever heard them...

[GuitarGeek]

Being straight, can't say I ever heard them...

The frell is that supposed to mean? And unless you're like 12, it's highly unlikely you've lived your entire life without hearing Saturday Night. EVERYONE knows that intro (well, except my dad, but ya know, he couldn't even pick John Lennon out of a police lineup, in his current condition).

[ronmac]

^^ I remember it all too well back in the day. But, I think I've heard that song once in the past 30 years. It's not like it's a staple of the airwaves.

[GuitarGeek]

^^ I remember it all too well back in the day. But, I think I've heard that song once in the past 30 years. It's not like it's a staple of the airwaves.

Well, it was featured in a Planter's Peanuts ad a few years ago, with Mr. Peanut dancing to the song's intro. And it seems like I've heard it periodically over the years. I think its' one of those songs they play during sporting events a lot (or they used to, before the drummer got busted on child porn charges about 15 years ago, and the band got "cancelled" for awhile).

[moecurlythanu]

Well, it was featured in a Planter's Peanuts ad a few years ago, with Mr. Peanut dancing to the song's intro. And it seems like I've heard it periodically over the years. I think its' one of those songs they play during sporting events a lot (or they used to, before the drummer got busted on child porn charges about 15 years ago, and the band got "cancelled" for awhile).

Oh Christ, I hate Cancel Culture, except when we do it.

[ronmac]

So, let me see if I get this right. Now, child pornographers are victims of this mythical "Cancel Culture" phenomenon?

[GuitarGeek]

So, let me see if I get this right. Now, child pornographers are victims of this mythical "Cancel Culture" phenomenon?

Your point being what? When news of the drummer's bust hit the fan, sports teams banned their songs being played during their games. This was reported at the time. Is that not what "cancel culture" is?

[ronmac]

Your point being what? When news of the drummer's bust hit the fan, sports teams banned their songs being played during their games. This was reported at the time. Is that not what "cancel culture" is?

No, the concept of "cancel culture" is a political ploy primarily used to make controversies where there are none and stir people up and divide them, often as distraction, for political gain.

He got what he deserved. It did not take a so-called "culture" to do it. But to frame it that way in today's hyper-partisan climate tends to victimize the offender and does a disservice to his victims.

But, let's not go there any further. I think I made my point.

[arturs]

Not gonna lie - I had this on a 45 when I was a kid. Was not a fan of the group as a whole, just a great sing-a-along song when I was nine years old. haha

RIP. I too have fond memories from age nine, cranking this song over and over in my neighbors rec room. IIRC they actually owned the *album* not the 45. Not that it mattered; I don't think we ever played any other song on it.

Listening to it now, 45 years on, I'm surprised how banal it is, even by teenybopper standards. Makes "Sugar Sugar" sound like the Beatles in comparison.

Curiously, when McKeown and the Bay City Rollers split, the band replaced him with the lead singer of Trevor Rabin's Rabbitt, Duncan Faure, and released some pretty cool and unsuccessful power pop/new wave albums.

That's quite a piece of trivia: one degree of separation between the Bay City Rollers and Yes!

[Halmyre]

That's quite a piece of trivia: one degree of separation between the Bay City Rollers and Yes!

David Paton was briefly in the BCR before they got famous. He went on to work with Alan Parsons, Camel, Rick Wakeman, Kate Bush and others.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Paton

[NogbadTheBad]

My wife still likes them 40+ years later, she's got tapes lying around here somewhere (shudder)

[moecurlythanu]

My wife still likes them 40+ years later, she's got tapes lying around here somewhere (shudder)

I would have thought that your Behold The Arctopus CDs would have eaten them by now.

[NogbadTheBad]

I would have thought that your Behold The Arctopus CDs would have eaten them by now.

LMAO

[GuitarGeek]

David Paton was briefly in the BCR before they got famous. He went on to work with Alan Parsons, Camel, Rick Wakeman, Kate Bush and others.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Paton

By "others" I assume you mean Pilot. He co-wrote Magic, ya know.

[Halmyre]

By "others" I assume you mean Pilot. He co-wrote Magic, ya know.

I never believed it wasn't so.