The Bay City Rollers were so big in Japan fans were still devoted to the stars 50 years on.
A photobook documenting the last tour by the Scots glam rock superstars reveals how they turned Japan tartan.
Frontman Les McKeown remained a sex symbol up to his death last year aged 65, with many Japanese women reliving their teenage years at sold-out gigs.
Promoter Sam Mokhtary decided to bring together a book at the request of Les’s Japanese widow, Peko.
It shows how he embraced the Japanese lifestyle and how the mutual love affair with the nation lasted four decades.
Sam said: “Les’s last tour was 10 dates and they all sold out. People might not realise this but Les was a massive icon in Japan, not only as a Bay City Roller but as an artist in his own right.
"His solo project Egotrip was a big success too.
“In 1979 and the early 80s he was selling out legendary venues such as Japan’s Budokan, best known for hosting the likes of Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton.
"He would still get mobbed at airports, train stations and hotel lobbies by groups of tartan-clad fans. He had this ability to turn the whole place tartan.
“Japan loved Les but he loved the country right back. He understood the culture and the Japanese sensibility – he showed them respect but he also knew how to make them crack a smile and laugh.”
In her book about Les, Peko admitted the marriage was “not all about good things”.
She said: “His demons are well-known and of course this affected his family and yes, sometimes I wanted to leave.
"I didn’t because I loved him and the mainly good times we had were beautiful.”
The couple stayed together for almost 40 years despite a marriage rocked by his alcohol and drug addictions, as well as affairs with women and men, according to her book.
The Rollers sold 100million records and millions had the band’s posters on their walls in the 1970s.
Their monster-selling singles, including Bye Bye Baby and Give a Little Love, both hit No1 in 1975.
In 2002, founder member Alan Longmuir, who died last year, said: “Japan was the wildest place. If we ever got together again, it would be to tour America and Japan.”
The Rollers were left penniless after being exploited by the industry, chiefly by manager Tam Paton.
Mokhtary is running a crowdfunder to produce the new book.
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