IT'S every ageing rocker’s dream come true.

A retired minister is on a stairway to heaven an album he recorded 40 years ago in Paisley with his band has become a collector's item.

White Light's 'Parable' - which was influenced by Black Sabbath - has been re-listed alongside the likes of The Who, the Rolling Stones and Nirvana and is changing hands at $950.

Rev Doug McRoberts was an assistant minister in East Kilbride when the album was recorded, with him playing lead guitar.

The band - who also cover the 1960s hit Spirit in the Sky - were Melody Maker national finalists in 1974 but then life took over and the dream died. Until now.

Their recording came to the attention of Guerssen record company after music blogger Hans Pakora listed it as an ultra-rare collector’s item and a vinyl LP exchanged hands in the United States for $950.

Reverend McRoberts was re-united with his bandmates - who have a combined age of 258 - at Pollokshields Parish Church in Glasgow.

Doug, now 66, and his brother, bass player Dave McRoberts, 62 from Newton Mearns, teamed up with drummer Alex Smith, 65, from Glasgow, and keyboardist David Murdoch, 65, from West Kilbride.

Rev McRoberts said: "We're all retired, or close to it, and now we find ourselves on a record label’s listings right beside The Who, The Stones and Nirvana.

“It was a huge surprise. We never thought this would happen. Who would think that one of the first things to happen after we retire is for our music to be re-issued?" Drummer Alex Smith agreed: "We’re still smiling. Totally weird. But in a good way."

The album was recorded in Paisley and issued on the Scotia Records label and just 2,000 copies of the LP went on the market.

Back in 1974, Doug, who now lives in Inverness, was an assistant minister in East Kilbride. After the band split in 1975, he went on to a career in communications before returning to ministry at Keith in Moray.

From there he went to Malta where he helped create the Out of Africa into Malta refugee project.

Dave McRoberts became a bank employee and mortgage advisor. He’s also a long-serving church elder at Pollokshields Parish Church and a well-known curler who has represented Scotland.

Alex Smith pursued a career in computer programming. David Murdoch became a commercial property valuer. On Sundays he plays the organ at West Kilbride Church, Ayrshire.

The four went their own way, but they never stopped playing music.

In 2005 they were asked to perform at KeithChaosLive, a 12-hour charity rock festival headlined by chart toppers The Bluetones.

Doug said: “Three practice sessions were all it took to convince us we could do this. It’s like riding a bike,” says Doug who still practices regularly on his six guitars.

“We did five numbers including the rock classics Spirit in the Sky and The Seeker as well as our own songs.

"It wasn’t exactly the Scottish equivalent of Status Quo launching Live Aid and it was weird to be rocking onstage with a couple of our children who are now in their own bands out there in the audience – but it was great to play with the guys again.”

The band had created a limited CD version of Parable for the gig, which eventually sold out as orders poured in from as far afield as Australia, Finland, Russia and the USA.

Now their music is being heard again by a new generation and the band are gearing up for some comeback gigs.

Doug said: “We all enjoyed coming together for that gig in Keith. If the occasion was right, we’d probably be up for it.”

Listen to White Light’s music at https://guerssenrecords.bandcamp.com/album/parable