More than 40 years on from the ‘Rollermania’ that gripped the nation, ex Bay City Rollers frontman Les McKeown still loves to perform the old songs.

The 64-year-old is still rolling with his own version of the band and is thrilled to be still playing and reliving “treasured memories”.

He says: “The Bay City Rollers were a mania. The only other band to have a mania was the Beatles and we have never had a mania since - not even for the Osmonds.

“We had it for three years in the austere, dark days of the 70s when everything was grey and grim, the Bay City Rollers popped out of nowhere with a ray of sunshine.

The Fans can turn back time and listen to all the hits on a new compilation called Bay City Rollers Gold featuring 50 of their songs.

Les says: “It is quite well put together.

“Sometimes people put on the wrong versions of songs, but all the right ones are here and some good pictures.”

He organises everything for Les McKeown’s Bay City Rollers - booking gigs, hotels, transport and he even designs the t-shirts and posters.

He says: “People always think I would be bored of singing the songs, but it is an absolute pleasure. They are treasured memories and I have a great job.

“Most of the time I’m playing to sell out audiences of happy faces and it is a spiritually uplifting experience.

The Gold collection brings together 50 tracks from the band’s classic line up of Les (vocals), Eric Faulkner (guitar, vocals), Alan Longmuir (bass), brother Derek (drums) and Stuart ‘Woody’ Wood (guitar, keyboards, vocals).

The new compilation includes all 12 of the Bay City Rollers UK chart hit singles, including Keep On Dancing, Bye Bye Baby, Remember, Summerlove Sensation and All Of Me Loves All Of You.

Les admits there is one song he cherishes above all others: “Shang-a-Lang is my favourite. It encapsulated all the things that happened in 1974 - all the excitement.

“By the time that record came around, it was all kicking off. The mania was there, but it peaked in 1975 with Bye Bye Baby and everyone in the country seemed to be wearing the tartan.”

Bay City Rollers Gold is part of Crimson Records’ Gold series and is out now.