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Oor Wullie’s Bucket Band launches with Bay City Rollers track

By John Freeman on September 9, 2013

Oor Wulli look-a-like Jamie Webster and the Bay City Rollers Stuart ‘Woody’ Wood perform 'Shang a Lang'

Oor Wullie look-a-like Jamie Webster and the Bay City Rollers Stuart ‘Woody’ Wood perform ‘Shang a Lang’, launching Oor Wullie’s Bucket Band. Photo © DC Thomson

Jings, crivvens and help ma boab! Oor Wullie’s bucket has been found, after it was stolen earlier this year – by cheeky Wullie look-a-like Jamie Webster.

The Sunday Post, which publishes the Oor Wullie, strip, revealed the iconic Scottish comic character had found his equally iconic bucket and that Jamie – winner of The Sunday Post’s Oor Wullie look-a-like competition last year – had taken it to make music for Oor Wullie’s Bucket Band, a collaborative project produced by The Music Kitchen in association with DC Thomson.

The single, Shang-A-Lang, available now to download (or view the video on YouTube), is an instrumental version of the Bay City Rollers classic hit from the 1970s and Bay City Rollers’ guitarist Stuart ‘Woody’ Wood features on the track alongside drum beat rhythms performed on Wullie’s bucket.

The Sunday Post’s Oor Wullie explains, “I chose tae record Shang-A-Lang for it was aye a great favourite o’ mine an’ Bob and Soapy’s. We used tae bawl it oot in my shed and near take the roof aff. Also Woody said he’d help us record it – braw lad. PC Murdoch says this is no’ my first record – I’ve got a Polis record that disnae sound too clever.”

Stuart ‘Woody’ Wood said, “This has been a great fun project and brilliant to be working with my childhood favourite… gaun yersel Oor Wullie!”

Oor Wullie meets Jamie Webster for the first time. Image © DC Thomson

The release of the single marks the end of The Sunday Post’s Whaur’s Wullie’s Bucket? campaign, documented in the Post‘s comic strip and via the character’s Facebook page. In Oor Wullie’s strip on Sunday 8th September readers discovered that Jamie stole Wullie’s bucket. Readers also saw Wullie meet his look-a-like for the very first time.

“This campaign has been a huge success,” enthused the paper’s editor Donald Martin. “The Sunday Post featured exclusive clues to the bucket’s whereabouts and we worked closely with Real Radio on the campaign. The response we’ve had from our readers has been excellent; they really got on board to help poor Wullie find his bucket.”

The Broons and Oor Wullie Editor Morris Heggie added, “Whaur’s Wullie’s Bucket? has been a great storyline that really tickled Oor Wullie’s fans. Wullie uses his bucket as a seat and the poor wee laddie hasn’t been comfy for weeks. I’m glad it’s back with him.

“Working with Stuart Wood and The Music Kitchen on Oor Wullie’s Bucket Band is a great way to end the campaign. We hope Oor Wullie’s fans will enjoy the track… let’s get Wullie into the charts.”

• You can download the single from iTunes or via via amazon.co.uk or view it on YouTube

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.