For those about to rock...
THIS week reporter Alistair Mackay talks to 96.3 Rock Radio DJ Billy Rankin.
The 49-year-old from Kirkintilloch joined the Sensational Alex Harvey Band when he was just 17 and went on to play guitar with Scots rockers Nazareth.
He also had a solo top 40 hit in America and has written songs for megastars such as Meat Loaf.
The former Hillhead Primary and Kirkintilloch High pupil is married and has four children.
Do you have fond memories of Kirkintilloch?
I do. My mum still lives in the town and my music career started here when I was in a band called Phase.
I also remember signing the register at high school in the morning then dashing away over the playing fields to jump the fence with my pals so we could go play guitar.
Unfortunately, the PE teacher was usually on the look-out and, being a PE teacher, he didn't have much bother catching us.
How did your first show as a DJ compare to playing a sold-out stadium gig?
It was every bit as nerve racking. You get used to seeing all those faces staring up at you when you approach the microphone but, on radio, there is just you.
But I was given a lot of great advice to help me get settled. I try to think I am talking directly to someone which is much more natural than reading something you have prepared earlier.
What happens when someone requests a song you played on or wrote?
I'll play it but I don't say I had any involvement in it.
I suppose I could say that the guitar solo on the song is fantastic, but I would get absolute pelters for doing anything like that.
Would you ever dust down your guitar and perform again?
I might come out of retirement for Rock Radio's next birthday bash, as long as a few of my old rock star pals come along and play too.
If there are plenty of people more famous than me there then I'll definitely play.
What was Alex Harvey like?
He was like a father to me but he also had his strange moments.
The first thing he ever said to me was 'what's your phobia?'. No 'hello', no 'I'm Alex', just that.
I thought about it and told him I didn't have one and he said 'that's your phobia', then walked away. Thinking back, it makes sense as a fear of nothing is still a phobia.
But he was mostly very protective and would take cigarettes and drink away from me because I was just 17.
What about your hit song in America?
I'm proud and embarrassed about that at the same time. It was a simple wee pop song called 'Baby Come Back', from about 28 years ago, and it has dated pretty badly.
The video for it has appeared on You Tube and Rock Radio ran a 'Get Billy Rankin Back on Radio' campaign. I'm proud to say, literally dozens of people backed it.
The song did get me a top of the range BMW when I was just 22, though, so I can't complain too much.
Is there anything in your career you are most proud of?
I wrote 'Dream On' for Nazareth, which was number one all over Europe for a couple of months.
I'm also really chuffed to be involved with 96.3 Rock Radio.
I play songs I like and talk about bands I have plenty of dirt on. In fact, Ritchie Blackmore from Deep Purple has genuinely stopped talking to me because of a story I told on air.
I'm sure he'll come round eventually. Maybe.
Is there any one song which typifies what rock music is about?
I think a lot of people would say something like 'All Right Now' by Free or 'Stairway to Heaven' by Led Zeppelin but, for me, anything by Ten Years After would do the job.
'I'm Going Home' from Woodstock is out of this world. I used to slow down their records to try and learn the solos and even started wearing clogs because that's what the lead singer, Alvin Lee, wore.
I dare anyone to try walking along Kirky main street with long hair and wearing clogs. Needless to say, I got a fair bit of abuse.
Getting to know you
First record: Get It On by T-Rex
First Car: Morris Mini 850
Book currently reading: Pompeii by Robert Harris
Favourite TV show: Monty Python's Flying Circus
Favourite holiday destination: San Francisco
Famous person most like to meet: Jesus of Nazareth
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Weather for Kirkintilloch
Wednesday 30 May 2012
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 11 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South east
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