Les McKeown

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Cover of McKeown's autobiography

Leslie Richard McKeown (born November 12, 1955 at Simpson Memorial Maternity Pavilion Hospital, Edinburgh, Scotland) is a pop singer. He was the lead singer for the '70s pop sensation the Bay City Rollers during their most successful period.

McKeown joined the Bay City Rollers in late 1973, replacing original lead singer Nobby Clark. The group's intense popularity, nicknamed "Rollermania", took off shortly after that. He was with the band until 1978, at which time he left to pursue a career as a solo artist. He released a series of solo albums which saw modest success, primarily in Germany and Japan.

In 1990 he participated in the UK heats of the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Ball and Chain", which placed fifth.

He was ordered by Harlow magistrates on August 23, 2005, to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on drugs charges, following his bail release, 1 On January 31, 2006, McKeown admitted being a drug user but denied being a dealer. [1] On 3 February 2006, he was acquitted of cocaine dealing. He suggested that he would sue the Metropolitan Police for earnings he lost from an overseas tour that was cancelled as a result of the proceedings.[2] McKeown detailed many of these issues in his 2003 autobiography, Shang-a-lang: Life as an International Pop Idol.

Today McKeown resides in England with his Japanese wife, Peko, and their son, Richard. He still tours with his current band, Les McKeown's Legendary Bay City Rollers. He is the only former Roller in the band. The group most recently appeared in the Countdown Spectacular 2 concert series in Australia between late-August and early-September 2007.