Roslin guitarist Ged Hanley tells of T2 success

A musician from Gorebridge has told of his delight at appearing in the blockbuster Trainspotting 2 movie with his bandmates.

Ged Hanley from the 3 piece band "Caledonia" who featured in the movie Trainspotting 2. Picture: Scott Louden

Ged Hanley, 57, was joined by Caledonia colleagues Alec Jackson from Bonnyrigg and Neil Thomson from Edinburgh in the comical masonic club scene in T2, playing Rangers’ fans’ favourite Penny Arcade by Roy Orbison.

Folk musician Ged, whose brief acting experience had consisted of walk-on parts, voice overs and a part in a BBC film in the 1990s, explained how the T2 director got the band Caledonia on board.

He said: “Danny Boyle and the locations director came to the Edinburgh Masonic Club where I was working on the stage.

“He listened to the band and then asked us to come for an audition.

“The next day we got a call to say to go to wardrobe to get measured up.

“We filmed for two days in Glasgow with Ewan McGregor and Johnny Lee Miller.

“The part was made for me. I have been playing clubs since I was a teenager, so everything they asked me to play I could.

“At the time I knew the scene would be funny and watching it back it was hilarious.

“The ironic thing about it is I’m a Celtic fan so I have taken some ribbing about playing a Rangers song.”

Although his appearance in the movie is brief, Ged has already benefited from the Trainspotting effect with a few more upcoming movie cameos coming his way.

He said:“I have got agencies phoning as they have not got many over-50s.

“It was great fun and the part was really made for me.

“I’m drama school trained but I was getting more work with the music, so the last 20 years I have made a living from music, in function bands. Now I have got this showreel from T2, so it’s about being in the right place at the right time.

“Danny Boyle is a really nice man and an absolute gentleman.

“He doesn’t forget your name and he listens to your opinion. He is a very warm guy.

“It was the same with Ewan 
McGregor and Johnny Lee Miller, very much speaking to people, being friendly.

“We did our bit. It was the two hottest days of the year and all we could hear was about 150 people outside looking for autographs.

“And I just thought, what are these people going to think, as all you could hear was ‘no more Catholics’ being sung. It was so loud.

“Everyone outside must have heard it.

“I was just laughing my head off,” Ged recalls. “It’s stuff to tell my grandchildren about, I will always be in that film, and my name will always be on the credits at the end.”