Guitarist Robin Le Mesurier who played with Rod Stewart and The Wombles dies aged 68: Rocker son of Dad’s Army star John Le Mesurier loses cancer battle six years after joining Faces reunion tour
- Guitarist Robin Le Mesurier known for his collaborations with Rod Stewart and Johnny Hallyday has died
- The musician was a member of the iconic pop-rock band The Wombles before performed with Rod Stewart
- Comes six years after he joined Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood and Kenney Jones, for The Faces reunion tour
Guitarist Robin Le Mesurier who is known for his collaborations with rock musicians Rod Stewart and Johnny Hallyday has died at the age of 68 following a battle with cancer.
The British musician, who was a member of the iconic pop-rock band The Wombles before he went on to perform alongside Rod Stewart and tour the US during the 1980s, passed away yesterday, friends of the guitarist announced today.
Le Mesurier’s passing comes six years after he joined fellow rockers Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood and Kenney Jones, for the Faces reunion tour in 2015 – more than 40 years after the band formally announced they were splitting up.
Born in London in 1952, Le Mesurier, who was the son of Dad’s Army star John Le Mesurier and Carry On actress Hattie Jacques, spent much of his childhood surrounded by actors and musicians.
Robin Le Mesurier (pictured with Rod Stewart in Los Angeles in 1981), who is known for his collaborations with rock musicians Rod Stewart and Johnny Hallyday, has died at the age of 68 following a battle with cancer
The guitarist (pictured with Ronnie wood during The Faces reunion tour in 2015) was a member of the iconic pop-rock band The Wombles earlier in his career
The rock musician joined fellow rockers Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood and Kenney Jones, for The Faces reunion tour in 2015. Pictured: Robin Le Mesurier performing outside the La Madeleine Church in Paris in 2017
During his early years he would often wake in the early hours to the sound of Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers playing jazz at his home and once described how ‘it always seemed like an ongoing party’.
In 2017, he told The Express: ‘It became normal for me to see famous people. I was in awe because I had seen them on film and TV.
‘Kenneth Williams was another regular. He was an amazing character whom I adored, and was like a brother to my mother. Peter Sellers was always joking around. Then there was Tony Hancock and the charming Sid James.’
However at the age of 10, the star’s parents told him and his younger brother they were splitting up after 13 years of marriage.
The couple continued to live in the same house with Hattie’s new partner John Schofield moving into the family home and Le Mesurier’s father John moving to the attic.
After finishing school, Le Mesurier, whose influences included Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Muddy Waters, was offered a place at the Royal College of Music but he instead decided to pursue his love of rock music by playing with various bands – which brought him varying levels of success.
His first band was called Reign but after the promise of a record deal failed to materialise the band split in 1973 and the musician joined singer-songwriter Mike Batt’s The Wombles – which finally brought him the break-through he had longed.
The pop-rock band, which was inspired by the children’s book series by Elisabeth Beresford, saw Le Mesurier dress in a fake fur costumes alongside other band mates and never publicly reveal his identity.
Rod Stewart, Robin Le Mesurier, Wally Stocker and Jim Cregan warm up backstage before a performance at the Forum in Los Angeles in 1981
The guitarist (pictured in 2017 in Paris) said during his early years he would often wake in the early hours to the sound of Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers playing jazz at his home
Le Mesurier, who was born in 1952, was the son of Dad’s Army star John Le Mesurier (pictured) and Carry On actress Hattie Jacques
Rod Stewart and Julian Lennon, the son of Beatles star John Lennon, took to social media to pay tribute to the guitarist
However the guitarist was sacked from the band when a joint that belonged to his brother was found in a police search at his house and resulted in what was deemed to be bad publicity for the band.
Le Mesurier later joined Rod Stewart’s band in 1981 and went on to tour the US with the rock musician as his opening act.
He also began performing with legendary French rocker Johnny Hallyday and toured the US with Air Supply in 1977.
In 2017, Le Mesurier described how going on tour with his fellow band members was like ‘being on holiday with your best friends’.
He told The Express: ‘Going on tour with the bands was like being on holiday with your best friends and doing some shows here and there.
‘I’m lucky to have grown up in an era when the music was so diverse and to have worked with two of the greatest singers on the planet. I count them both as great friends.’
In 2015, the guitarist joined fellow rockers Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood and Kenney Jones, for their much-anticipated Faces reunion tour.
Two years later, in 2017, Le Mesurier penned a tell-all book about his life and his adventures in the music industry entitled ‘A Charmed Rock ‘n’ Roll Life’.
Following the star’s death yesterday, rock musician Rod Stewart, took to social media to pay tribute to the rocker, writing: ‘A rock & roll soul, rest in peace my dear friend.’
While Julian Lennon, the son of Beatles star John Lennon, wrote: ‘Heartbroken to hear of the passing of my dear old friend, Robin Le Mesurier… forever in our hearts.’
Source: Read Full Article
