Leslie Mckeown - レスリー・マッコーエン
Biography
Leslie Richard McKeown (born 12 November 1955) is a pop singer. He
was the lead singer for the 1970s pop sensation the Bay City Rollers during their
most successful period. McKeown was born on 12 November 1955 in Simpson Memorial
Maternity Pavilion Hospital, Edinburgh, Scotland.
He 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. One of McKeown's most unusual
musical collaborations after leaving the Bay City Rollers was singing on Filigree
& Shadow, the second album by gothic/dream pop band This Mortal Coil.
In 1988-1989 Les McKeown worked with Dieter Bohlen. The result of their partnership
was an album - It's A Game. 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 23 August 2005 to appear at Chelmsford
Crown Court on drugs charges, following his bail release. On 31 January 2006,
McKeown admitted being a drug user but denied being a dealer. 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.
Today McKeown resides in Hackney, 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 appeared in the Countdown Spectacular two-concert series in Australia between
late August and early September 2007. McKeown has just recently completed a UK tour
called Rollermania!, completed a UK tour of Once In A LIfetime with David Essex,
Leo Sayer and The Osmonds and has just enjoyed a stint, along with Alan Longmuir,
in the USA playing four dates as well as putting on a meet and greet fest for the
American fans. McKeown is due to go back to the USA, as well as Canada, at the end
of September beginning of October for more concert dates. Longmuir had agreed to
join McKeown again, but health problems meant the had to withdraw from the US and
Canada dates.
McKeown developed a serious alcohol problem from about 2002, which resulted in him
drinking a bottle of whisky per day. He underwent treatment in the passages clinic
in LA, which was documented in the Rehab reality TV programme that was broadcast on
the Living channel in the UK. In an interview with Scotland on Sunday in 2009, he
talked about his relationship with Tam Paton and his own bisexuality.
