Rollers singer hits out at ex-manager

The former frontman of the Bay City Rollers has hit out at the group’s manager, claiming he conned them out of millions.

Edinburgh-born singer Les McKeown, 48, says in the Radio Times that he believes he was swindled by the group’s former manager, Tam Paton.

This is a claim further explored in the Channel 4 documentary, Who Got The Bay City Rollers’ Millions?

With songs such as Bye Bye Baby, Shang-a-Lang and I Only Want To Be With You, the Rollers had nine top-10 UK singles and four top-five albums. They also had a massive following in the United States.

In the interview, McKeown claims that prior to the band’s split in 1979, he had hardly any money.

“I asked where my millions were, and the management said: ’What millions?'" he said.

None of the Rollers has received royalties for 25 years, according to the Radio Times article. The group were originally signed to Arista Records in 1975, but payments were suspended in 1979.

This, Arista claims, is because of disagreements within the group and they do not know who should receive the money.

McKeown signed a contract with Tam Paton in the back of a car. He says he does not have a copy of it.

He believes the manager took most of the money and contributed to McKeown’s own ongoing battle with drink and drugs.

“He turned me on to drugs,” McKeown said of Paton. “He’d give us amphetamines when we went over time zones to do a show in Japan, so we’d be up at two in the morning, head buzzing, and have to catch a plane to America at six.

“Then he gave us Mandrax to put us to sleep. He’s a beast who preys on innocent young minds, sexualises them.

Tam Paton was jailed for three years in 1982 for sex offences involving 10 teenage boys and was fined £200,000 (€300,900) for supplying cannabis in April this year. He has also denied rape accusations by former band member Pat McGlynn.

But the Rollers’ manager insisted on a squeaky-clean image for McKeown, with whom he had a meeting on camera in Edinburgh.

“I was pumped up and tense, and although our conversation has been cut to death by lawyers, I think he comes across as he is.

“He was a bullying character and huge in stature,” McKeown said.

According to the Radio Times, it is estimated that each of the Rollers should have a £15m (€22.6m) personal fortune.