I Swapped The Gallaghers For Winchcombe

It's true, he rocked around the world with Spandau Ballet and Oasis, but a Gloucestershire man finds life in Winchcombe just as Wonderwall.

Iain Robertson, who runs the Little Letting Shop in Vineyard Street with his wife Andrea, spent more than a decade touring with some of the biggest bands.

But the 48-year-old, who lives in Greet, says he has struck gold living in the county.

"I first came to the Cotwolds after bringing Spandau Ballet to learn to ride horses in Stanton. There used to be both Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet and their whole entourages at the bar in the Mount Inn," he said.

"It's a beautiful place and a wonderful place to live."

His first foray into the showbiz lifestyle was while he was in the Army.

"I was in the Parachute Regiment and a friend's brother was pushing boxes in Birmingham for a little band called Duran Duran," he said.

"He called saying it was exploding and it was out of control, and they asked me to help as well."

Even though Iain didn't get a full time gig with Duran Duran, he soon found himself working as head of security for 80s rivals Spandau Ballet, famous for songs True and Gold.

He said: "It was crazy. It's fair to say we were all living the rock and roll lifestyle. I certainly learned how to open a bottle of champagne."

Over the next 10 years Iain managed tours for the Sisters of Mercy, Roberta Flack, John Lee Hooker and Oasis

He said: "I went all over the world. My favourite band was Sisters of Mercy because Andrew Eldritch the leader was a really interesting guy and they were huge in great places like Argentina and Brazil. They were just cool places to be cool."

But he also had a few kind words to say about the Gallagher brothers – and he wrote a book about the band.

He said: "Noel Gallagher was a very sharp, really talented guy and Liam was everything you'd expect him to be."

But in the late 1990s Iain decided he couldn't live forever on the road and being away from Andrea and their son Conor, now 10.

He said: "The bands stay young, but I was getting older and they say if the band is too loud, you're too old."

Iain now runs his own promotions company Karmacom and works with Andrea at the Little Lettings Company.
He says he doesn't look back in anger, or have any regrets about his years of touring.

Iain said: "I don't miss it as much as you'd think. There was great value in putting on a concert, and now there's a value in helping people find a home, we're now showing places to a couple, who had to leave Zimbabwe with nothing."

He added: "I was once asked if I had any fun on the road. I told the man that if he had to ask me, then I probably had his share as well as mine."

Iain's book Oasis: What's The Story is still available at Amazon.co.uk

Source: www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk