IT was a surreal moment, admits Glasgow photographer Brian Anderson.
“I was sitting in the dressing rooms at the Barrowland with the Bay City Rollers, and the fans were going crazy outside, absolutely screaming,” he recalls.
“It was a glimpse of what it must have been like during Rollermania in the mid-1970s…”
He adds with a laugh: “Everyone wanted their picture taken with the boys. Judy Murray came back stage at the Hydro and it was like she was a teenager. Even Travis wanted their photo taken with them at T in the Park. It was a crazy, crazy time.”
Brian, who was given exclusive access to the band both on and off stage during their 2015 reunion tour, has collected some of his favourite photos and memories and put them all into a book.
“Growing up in Glasgow in the 70s, we were all Rollers fans in our house,” he grins. “Hearing their big hits takes me right back there, to that time with my family.
“Being on tour with them was amazing, the lads really welcomed me and I got on with them all. It was a massive honour.”
Brian is well-known for his celebrity pictures, his portraits of notorious crime figures, and his candid shots of Glasgow people and places.
Described as being in the same “exalted company” as legendary photographers Henri Cartier-Bresson and Oscar Marzaroli, Brian has been documenting his native city for 35 years.
Remember: A Pictorial Journey of the 2015 Bay City Rollers Reunion is a remarkable collection of photographs from a special moment in British music history.
The original Scottish boy band, which enjoyed huge success at home and abroad in the 1960s and 1970s, announced they were reforming after more than 40 years in 2015.
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Known for their fondness for tartan and cheerful pop hits like Bye Bye Baby and Shang-a-Lang, they had a massive teenage following and sold more than 100m records.
They toured all over the world and played to massive crowds in the US, Japan, across Europe, New Zealand and Australia.
When Les McKeown, Alan Longmuir and Stuart Wood from the original line-up announced there would be a comeback gig at the Barrowland, fans around the world went wild.
Brian was appointed official photographer for the tour, which took in the Barrowland, Hydro and T in the Park, and he captured everything from the anticipation building behind the scenes, to the euphoria on stage.
The book, which includes a foreword by Irvine Welsh, is full of intimate moments and behind-the-scenes glimpses that capture the human side of the performers, their camaraderie, and their unwavering passion for their craft.
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“It was a massive honour to be part of the Rollers reunion,” says Brian. “I want to thank John, Woody the late Les and Alan, gone but never forgotten, for the chance to be part of it. For a moment in time, I can say I definitely ran with the gang.”
Brian has given the Glasgow Times an exclusive look at some of his favourite pictures from the book, including the band in the Barrowland dressing room and on stage and backstage at the Hydro; and some of the Barrowland fans.
Remember: A Pictorial Journey of the 2015 Bay City Rollers Reunion is available now.
What are your favourite Bay City Rollers memories? Did you see the band on their comeback tour? Did you see them in the 70s?
Share your photos and stories with Times Past by emailing ann.fotheringham@glasgowtimes.co.uk or write to Ann Fotheringham, Glasgow Times, 125 Fullarton Drive, Glasgow G32 8FG.
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