Drink-drive Roller Les back on show

BAY City Rollers frontman Les McKeown is to step back in the limelight in Edinburgh just weeks after being convicted of drink-driving.

He is topping the bill at a charity event at the Usher Hall in April in his first major concert appearance since being fined £1000 last month.

Among those joining McKeown on the bill of the Blast From the Past show at the Usher Hall will be fellow Seventies pin-up Alvin Stardust, The Glitter Band - who once backed disgraced singer Gary Glitter - and a tribute outfit devoted to T-Rex.

The April 20 benefit night is being staged by Kids Charities UK, which raises money for good causes including ChildLine, CHAS, Barnardos and the Scottish Cot Death Trust.

Speaking to the Evening News today, McKeown said he was keen to get back on stage and hoped to have a UK tour later this year.

McKeown, 50, was banned from driving for 18 months after his appearance at Thames Magistrates Court last month, where the court was told he was down to his last £6000.

McKeown, who will be appearing at the Edinburgh concert with his version of the Bay City Rollers, is a patron of the charity along with TV presenter Eamon Holmes and Scots boxing legend Jim Watt.

The event is billed as a celebration of the Seventies, with the audience to turn out bedecked in flares and platform shoes. Goodie bags containing tartan scarves and glitter wigs will be given out on the night.

McKeown said: "I'm really looking forward to getting back on stage.

"I've been involved with this organisation for around three years now and have done a couple of shows in Glasgow, as well as benefits in Chicago and Australia, when I've been on tour.

"My career was going really well until recently and I was in real demand around the world, so I'm keen to get things back on track as soon as possible and hope to be going on a big UK tour later in the year.

"I've had thousands of letters and e-mails of support from fans in recent months and they've been just great.

"It'll be fantastic to do a gig at the Usher Hall and I'm hoping it will be a full house on the night. I've always had huge support in Edinburgh and I'm sure it'll be a great event.

"I don't see any problem with performing on stage so soon since the recent court case. It's got nothing to do with my performances on stage."

When he was sentenced for drink-driving, he was given a dressing-down in the dock for "playing games with the court" and behaving "atrociously" after crashing his car in Islington, London, in July 2004. District judge Jacqueline Comyns gave the singer a ticking off for changing his plea three times since the incident, and said driving without insurance could have had "disastrous" results for the other driver involved.

McKeown, who was twice the legal limit, admitted driving with excess alcohol and without insurance. He was fined £1000 and ordered to pay costs of £846, as well as being disqualified from driving for 18 months.

His lawyer told the court that McKeown - who is still facing charges that he conspired to supply cocaine - was now effectively an unemployed musician.

Afterwards he apologised for his "terrible mistake", and joked: "You couldn't lend me a couple of grand could you?"

Caroline McFarlane, one of the founders of the charity and the wife of Scots TV presenter Jim McFarlane, said McKeown was giving his services free of charge on the night.

She said today: "Les has been very supportive of the organisation since he first became involved a few years ago and was very keen that we do these shows, particularly the one in Edinburgh as it is his home city.

"He has obviously had a few troubles recently, which are very sad, but they don't have anything to do with his work for the charity.

"We think there will be a lot of support for the concert in Edinburgh as Les still has huge support there."