Bay City Rollers
Bay City Rollers were a pop phenomenon in the mid-'70s, taking their money-in-the-bank mix of good looks, pop hooks, and just a dash of rock & roll danger from their native Scotland to the rest of Great Britain and then North America. The Rollers' biggest hits ("Bye, Bye, Baby," "Give a Little Love," "Saturday Night") were pure bubblegum in the tradition of the Partridge Family and Ohio Express, and they proved hugely popular with adolescent girls.
The origins of the group go back to the formation of the duo the Longmuir Brothers in the late '60s, consisting of drummer Derek Longmuir and his bass-playing brother Alan. They eventually changed their name to the Saxons, adding singer Nobby Clarke and John Devine. They changed their name again by pointing at random to a spot on a map of the United States, hitting on Bay City, Michigan. Their first hit was a cover of the Gentrys' "Keep on Dancing," which reached number nine in the U.K. in September 1971. In June 1972, guitarist Eric Faulkner joined. In January 1973, singer Leslie McKeown and guitarist Stuart Wood replaced Clarke and Devine, stabilizing the quintet's lineup.
After flopping with three singles, they finally hit the Top Ten again in February 1974 with "Remember." At this point, the Rollers had become a teen sensation in Great Britain with their good looks and tartan knickers, and they scored a series of Top Ten U.K. hits over the next two-and-a-half years: "Shang-a-Lang," "Summerlove Sensation," "All of Me Loves All of You," "Bye Bye Baby" (a cover of a Four Seasons hit that went to number one), "Give a Little Love" (another number one), "Money Honey," "Love Me Like I Love You," and "I Only Want to Be with You" (a cover of the Dusty Springfield hit). Their albums Rollin', Once Upon a Star, Wouldn't You Like It, and Dedication were also Top Ten successes, with Rollin' and Once Upon a Star reaching number one. They scored their first U.S. hit with "Saturday Night," which was released in September 1975 and hit number one in January 1976. It was followed by the Top Ten hits "Money Honey" and "You Made Me Believe in Magic." The Rollers also had five straight gold albums in the U.S.: Bay City Rollers, Rock 'n' Roll Love Letter, Dedication, It's a Game, and Greatest Hits.
Alan Longmuir left the band in June 1976 and was replaced by Ian Mitchell, who was in turn replaced by Pat McGlynn. Longmuir returned in 1978, the same year that McKeown was replaced by Duncan Faure and Faulkner quit to go solo. But by then, the Bay City Rollers had scored their last hits. Ian Mitchell died on September 2, 2020 at the age of 62. Less than a year later, lead singer Leslie McKeown died on April 20, 2021; he was 65.
© William Ruhlmann /TiVo
Similar artists
-
Bay City Rollers 'The Hits'
Pop - Released by Collecting Records OMP on 26 Feb 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Highlights of Bay City Rollers
Pop - Released by Weishaupt Music & Entertainment on 7 Feb 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
-
-
The Continental Walk (Mono Version)
Rock - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1961
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Shang-a-Lang
Pop - Released by Excalibur Recordings on 1 Jan 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Best Of (Orig. Indo Rock)
Rock - Released by Rarity Records on 14 Jun 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bay City Rollers
Rock - Released by Collecting Records OMP on 7 Aug 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I Only Wanna Be With You
Rock - Released by Vanilla OMP on 10 Dec 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Trouble in Mind
Rock - Released by Rollers Records on 15 Apr 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Hits Collection: Bay City Rollers
Pop - Released by Carter Lane - OMiP on 18 Nov 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Roll On - [The Dave Cash Collection]
Rock - Released by The Dave Cash Collection - OMP on 9 May 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Best Pop in UK
Pop - Released by Plaza Mayor Company, Ltd. on 22 Oct 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Best of British: Bay City Rollers
Pop - Released by Carter Lane - OMiP on 3 Nov 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
MediaMarkt - Collection
Pop - Released by Ariola Extra on 10 Oct 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
New York Sessions 2008
Rock - Released by direct music on 24 Dec 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo