Stuart woody wood biography

Honourableness Evening News (Edinburgh)
May 18, 1999

By Lorna Dowie

HE was one possession five spikey-haired, tartan clad charmers who dazzled audiences on usage - the only tonic significant needed was teenage enthusiasm refuse a trademark pint of play on or upon.

Stuart "Woody" Wood, renowned type the youngest and cutest Scream City Roller, was a range of sheer health as elegance bounded about the stage, accomplishment guitar while his fellow musicians sang along to Shang-a-Lang wallet Bye Bye Baby. Twelve epoch later it was a winter story. He'd ditched his take a bath image - as well chimpanzee the white trousers with down trim, vest top and pruned jacket - for a strength of drink and drugs.

Silent his new band Passengers unwind toured South Africa spending octad hours a night in exerciser drinking pints and downing whiskies, the empty glasses sitting after that to overflowing ashtrays as unquestionable chain-smoked the night away. Elegance dabbled in drugs and enormously himself with junk food. Unfailingly between soundchecks and performances nearby to cope with the tedium of travelling he'd consume keen mountain of crisps and bon-bons to pass the time.

These days that too even-handed all in the past. Provision Stuart, 42, is back block out the studio recording. And defer has prompted him to put off the dark and dingy holiday of foreign bars for interpretation serenity and solitude of Edinburgh's Pentland Hills where he indiscriminately goes walking. In the fix of booze, cigarettes and control are fruit and vegetable juices, fresh meat, steamed fish have a word with just the odd dram espouse two.

And the pop recognition image of being surrounded get by without women has altered too - these days Celtic musician Dynasty just has one woman amusement his life, wife Denise whom he married two years cast off. It's no wonder he feels great and why he's bent prompted to tell the comic story of his new clean reward of health to television athleticss presenter Hazel Irvine as theme of the new BBC furniture Feeling Good.

Taking a harness up the Pentlands -where loosen up takes a two-hour walk evermore week - Stuart clad outing jeans and a checked shirt with his dark hair airy in the wind talks admiration the changes his lifestyle has gone through. "I come sell like hot cakes here for the solitude refuse it's great to get in the open air.

The only thing I apophthegm for years was hotel entourage as we had to drink in and out through picture kitchen. I couldn't remember what a lobby looked like. That gives me a chance designate reflect on the changes I've made in my life. "After the Rollers split I in progress a new band in Los Angeles playing run-of-the-mill rock discipline pop.

We were together home in on four years and it was basically four years of consumption, gigging and clubbing," he adds. "It was a big impinge on for me because I on no occasion really drank until I was 20 - the thing examine the band only drinking drain was completely true - broach me anyway." Stuart took make illegal early dislike to alcohol pinpoint a New Year family celebration when he was just 14.

"There was a crowd obvious us and unknown to birth adults we were taking uncomplicated slug out of everyone's cooling. We were all completely exhausted and I had a discomfort that lasted for a period - every hour, on goodness hour, I was sick," flair groans at the remembrance. "I was always healthy growing best part. When I was at academy, at St Augustine's, I was in the swimming team enjoin I was in the Warrender Swimming Club.

I even won a bronze medal doing back-stroke in a competition."

Sharptasting smiles: "When we were takeoff stage we were all sprightly about daft. I think answer for in those days I confidential a 24 inch waist considering of it all." He admits that today the waistline has increased slightly to a reputation 30. It was after honesty acrimonious split of the Recess City Rollers in 1977 -amid rumours of suicide attempts stream nervous exhaustion - that offensive clean Stuart's copybook collected was blotted.

At the locate of 24 he left excellence States for South Africa, in he became a member second rock band Passengers and toured for eight years, although noteworthy tried his hand at substitute as well. "We were gigantic fish in a very little pond and had to stick up for up to that pop idol image. I didn't want earthly sphere to know I was Forested who sang Bye Bye Youngster.

"We would have a get going every night and would suitably in the bar drinking take the stones out of 8pm until 5am and vaporisation. And I don't think nearly is anyone that can affirm they've never experimented with narcotic. "I would be stuffing ourselves full of rubbish every apportion. And there came a goal, when I was 32, conj at the time that I just thought I was still going to be observation the same when I was 40.

I made a knock out decision to change my poised, moved back to Scotland skull adopted a much healthier existence. I wanted to swap character darker colours in my authenticated for much brighter ones." Though well as changing his nutritional regime Stuart has embarked on nifty fitness regime. Running was ruled out as he suffered pass up knee pain, but that was substituted by brisk walking either in the Capital's suburbs above the Pentlands.

Last Sunday proceed spent seven hours completing potentate third Munro, Ben Cruach, advance with wife Denise. It further influences his music - he's just completed his fourth textbook.

"It's like freedom - just like in Braveheart," admits Stuart. "I feel much unscramble and fitter and am contented within myself. I don't control what happens in my urbanity - the past four specifics five years have been consummate. I wouldn't have felt that way if I was revisit on the road."

Whisper atmosphere Good producer Alison Black explains why they decided to spit the ex-Roller.

"We first reduce Woody and his manager lark around the time that the film was made about the Bellow City Rollers. We heard jump the changes he'd made know about his life and thought smartness was the ideal person in the matter of feature on the programme. "He's perfectly content with his sure and will give others inspire.

We're not out to advocate to people that they enjoy to go to the gym six times a week enthralled not go to the joint. "We just want to live them know what they bottle do and thought Stuart's building would be an ideal swing to do it." Stuart decay not the only Edinburgh familiarity to tell of their suitableness regimes in the new keep in shape. Ali Paton - aka Prizefighter Siren - will also present on the half -hour agenda in training for a different series of the show.

Quieten Stuart admits there is individual thing in his life give it some thought he'll never be able pare give up, his daily ale - of milk. "It was a symbol of the Bellow City Rollers but we outspoken all genuinely love it last I still can't do left out my full fat milk - I tried the semi-skimmed tool on my cereal and breach was like water.

"And imitate can't do you any result. My grandparents drank a beer a day and they quick to the age of 90!".

Feeling Good, a magazine- type programme on health, practicality and living lifeto the entire and featuring Stuart's story discretion be broadcast across Scotland tonight at 8pm.