Rolling along: woody is back with his city mates
The Bay City Rollers SSE Hydro, Sun, Dec 11
BAY CITY ROLLER Stuart “Woody” Wood has promised fewer ding-dongs, more Shang-A-Langs.
The ’70s pop sensations reunited last year as exclusively revealed by The Sunday Post.
The reformed line-up of Woody, Alan Longmuir and frontman Les McKeown played a series of sell-out gigs at the Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow at Christmas.
And they saw the New Year in as the star attraction on BBC Scotland’s Hogmanay show.
But just before they performed at T In The Park last summer, Woody announced he’d be quitting shortly afterwards.
Now, though, he’s told iN10 why he’s thrilled to be back in the fold as the band gear up for a concert at the SSE Hydo – and why the battling has to stop.
“The Christmas thing was a bit rushed,” confides Woody, 59.
“It all came together really quickly. It was only supposed to be one gig, just to see how we all got on and to make plans from there.
“But we got into it a bit too fast. Now we’ve had time to take a step back and it’s helped to put things in perspective.
“So we’re a lot more at ease with each other and there’s a definite plan in place now. It’s looking bright for the future.”
The band have been riven by strife since their initial split in 1978, with barneys, bust-ups and bitterness.
As well as well-publicised money wrangles, there was no shortage of personal rancour and threats of litigation.
That continued after Woody’s decision to walk away in the summer, with mud-slinging and fingers pointed at his wife, Denise, as a source of disharmony.
However, Woody takes a diplomatic stance and insists the trio aren’t at each other’s throats.
“When we get together we have a great laugh. We tend to spark off each other and we do get on.
“There’s a nice energy and everything’s absolutely fine. But other things, business things, get in the way.
“That leads to things getting out of hand. Because we had the break after T In The Park, though, it’s helped cement everything.
“And from now on, everything should be pretty straightforward, which is what the fans want.
“As you get older you get a bit set in your ways and used to the way things have been for many a year.
“Change is difficult but common sense tends to prevail and the right thing happen – eventually.”
The Hydro gig on December 11 is a massive step up from the smallerscale Barrowland appearances.
Woody had never even been to the iconic venue before the concert’s launch event.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling to know we’re going to be playing there.
“For a band that was around away back in the 1970s to be appearing in a place like that is spectacular.
“It’s one of the biggest music venues anywhere in the world and although it’s not that old, you can sense the atmosphere and I know we’re following in the footsteps of some amazing acts.”
Woody has never lost his musical passion, spending a couple of years playing in Los Angeles and a further eight in bands in South Africa after the Rollers’ split.
More recently he’s been fulfilling another ambition, being involved with the hit Broons and Oor Wullie albums.
“I grew up with The Sunday Post and I couldn’t wait to read the strips every week,” says Woody.
“And the annuals were always on my Christmas list, so it’s been a real honour to be involved.”
There’s more new music coming from the Rollers as well as other plans in the pipeline.
Woody admits he was heartened to see a younger generation really getting into things at T In The Park, adding to the throngs of original fans still lapping up toe-tappers like Bye Bye Baby.
And although he turns 60 next year, he says he’s still young at heart.
“I’m the type of person who thinks age is just a number,” adds Woody.
“I remember my dad saying to me, when he was in mid-70s, that you don’t feel any different in your head.
“That’s definitely the case. You just find yourself having other interests.
“I didn’t think I’d be watching documentaries and listening to some of the things I do.
“But as long as you’ve got your health which, thankfully, I have, you just keep on going.”
Dick Whittington Empire Theatre, Inverness, until Jan 8
With a Highland twist on the traditional tale, the Inverness panto promises there will be bags of comedy, music, dancing and general shenanigans.
The whole family will enjoy Dick Whittington’s bold adventure, as well as be entertained by the crazy antics from Dame Sarah the Cook, Idle Jack and Tommy, the rather heroic cat.
Add into the mix the dastardly goings on from sneaky King Rat and you have all the ingredients of a fun-filled panto!
Red Hot Chili Peppers SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Thur
One of the world’s biggest bands, the Chili Peppers are touring the UK for the first time in five years.
The American band last played Scotland as headliners at T In The Park in the summer and now they’re filling the Hydro.
The group’s 11th studio album, The Getaway, was No.1 in 10 countries across Europe, and they’ll be playing songs from that as well as classics such as Under The Bridge, Roller Coaster and Californication.
The Night After Christmas
Tron Theatre, Glasgow, until Dec 31
A new festive show for 3 to 6-year-olds, with the theatre turned into Santa’s kitchen, where all manner of delicious dishes are created, as the show mixes together warm humour, gentle slapstick and storytelling.
Mary Gapinski and Rosalind Sydney are two festive chefs, working very hard to prep a feast fit for a king, or at least a very tired Santa and reindeer after their Christmas rush.
With all their kitchen antics, will the hapless chefs have dinner ready in time for Santa’s return?
Maxi Jazz Oran Mor, Glasgow, Wed
As frontman for Faithless, one of the most successful electronic acts in the world for 20 years, Maxi Jazz has toured the globe and sold more than 15 million records.
While on a hiatus from the band three years ago, Maxi decided to go into the studio with a guitar and, influenced by everything from Todd Rundgren and James Brown to Jimi Hendrix and J. J. Cale, a new sound emerged.
Now he enlisted some of his fave musicians to create a band, Maxi Jazz and The E-Type Boys.
Snowden Released on Fri
Oliver Stone writes and directs as Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays disillusioned intelligence contractor Edward Snowden.
Knowing screeds of data are being assembled to track digital communication from ordinary Americans as well as terrorist groups and foreign governments, he decides to leak the classified information, becoming a fugitive.
The cast also includes Tom Wilkinson, Nicolas Cage, Joely Richardson, Melissa Leo, Timothy Olyphant and Edward Snowden in a cameo.
Voices At Christmas St Paul’s Episcopal Church, Dundee, Sat
Get into the festive spirit with an evening of classical Christmas songs, carols and other musical genres, including musical theatre and light opera.
The songs will be performed by The New Dundee Duo, Fiona McRobbie and Paul Sullivan, with special guest Paul Hastie-Gray, senior chorister at the church.
As well as getting you in the mood for Christmas, attending will also help raise funds for the Dundee branch of Cancer Research UK.
Office Christmas Party Released on Wed
Jennifer Aniston teams up with her Horrible Bosses and The Switch co-star, Jason Bateman, for this festive-themed comedy.
The Friends star plays the CEO of a company who tries to shut down her hard-partying brother’s branch.
He and his chief technical officer (Bateman) decide to rally their co-workers and host an epic office Christmas party in an effort to impress a potential client and close a sale that will save their jobs.
Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs Gaiety Theatre, Ayr, until Jan 3
The Wicked Queen, with help from the evil Chancellor Pratt, tries her hardest to woo the Prince away from Snow White.
The Seven Dwarfs do their best to protect Snow White but will she be rescued in time by the handsome Prince?
Former Liberty X star Michelle Heaton plays The Wicked Queen and River City’s Lorna Anderson is Snow White in a panto promising music, magic, special effects, lavish costumes and laughs.
Dick McWhittington His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen, until Jan 8
The hugely popular trio of Elaine C. Smith, Jordan Young and Alan McHugh return for the biggest panto in the north east.
Staged by the team behind the theatre’s recent panto productions, such as Peter Pan, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, Dick McWhittington promises laugh-out-loud comedy, song and dance, special effects and a few surprises as Dick and his trusty cat Tommy seeks fame, fortune and happiness to become Lord Provost of Aberdeen.