Alan Longmuir: The Quiet Heart of Bay City Rollers and the Farewell That Broke Fans’ Hearts
When fans think of the Bay City Rollers, images of youthful energy, tartan outfits, and screaming crowds from the 1970s often come to mind. But few truly remember the man who helped build it all from the ground up—Alan Longmuir, the band’s founding member. His death in 2018 at the age of 70 left a quiet yet deeply emotional void among fans and those who knew him.
Alan formed the Bay City Rollers alongside his younger brother, Derek Longmuir, in the late 1960s. While others came and went, Alan was often seen as the steady presence behind the group’s rise. Humble and unassuming, he wasn’t the frontman or the flashiest member, but his role in the band’s early foundation was crucial. He played multiple instruments and carried a quiet wisdom that held the group together.
As fame overwhelmed the group, Alan eventually stepped away—citing internal tensions and the pressure of stardom. He spent years out of the spotlight, living a modest life, running a hotel and later working as a plumber. However, the call of music never truly left him. In his later years, Alan returned to the stage for reunion tours and nostalgic performances, reconnecting with the very fans who once screamed his name.
In 2018, while on vacation in Mexico, Alan fell seriously ill. He was flown back to Scotland but passed away in an Edinburgh hospital not long after. His passing wasn’t just the end of a life—it felt like the final chord of a song that had once defined a generation.
“He never craved attention. He just wanted to play music and make people smile,” one friend remembered.
Though he was not always in the limelight, Alan’s role in creating and nurturing one of the UK’s most iconic pop bands can’t be overstated. His story is a reminder that sometimes the truest heroes of music are the ones who never ask to be remembered—but deserve to be.