At the height of their fame in the 1970s, the Bay City Rollers were global sensations—tartan-clad teen idols whose songs filled arenas and sent fans into a frenzy. But behind the bright lights and screaming crowds, guitarist Eric Faulkner was living a story few knew about, one that would only come to light decades later: his quiet, private battle with illness.
In 2015, Faulkner’s world changed dramatically when he suffered viral encephalitis, a sudden and life-threatening condition that left him fighting for his life. For years afterward, the musician who once energized stadiums with his guitar was forced into a new reality—long recoveries, setbacks, and the daily challenge of rebuilding his strength. Though fans noticed his absence from the spotlight, few realized just how serious his struggle had become.
What made Faulkner’s journey remarkable was not just his survival, but the way he carried it. For a long time, he spoke little about the depth of his illness, choosing instead to quietly focus on recovery. Friends described him as determined but private, unwilling to let his condition define him. It wasn’t until later interviews that he began to share how deeply the illness had affected his life—physically, emotionally, and even creatively.
“Music was both the hardest thing and the thing that saved me,” Faulkner admitted in one candid moment. Playing guitar, even for short periods, became part of his healing process. Though he could no longer tour with the same relentless energy of his youth, he found meaning in smaller performances, charity events, and intimate shows where fans could see a different side of him—more vulnerable, but also more genuine.
The hidden truth from that time, as he has since revealed, was just how close he came to giving up on music altogether. The illness robbed him of stamina, sometimes even of confidence. But what pulled him back was the loyalty of fans who continued to write, to ask after his health, and to remind him of the joy his music had given them. That support, he has said, was a crucial part of his recovery.
In many ways, Faulkner’s story mirrors the legacy of the Bay City Rollers themselves: once painted in the broad strokes of fame and youth, later redefined by resilience and perspective. His willingness to finally speak openly about his illness has given fans a new way to connect with him—not as a teenage idol, but as a survivor who faced silence and struggle with courage.
Today, though he lives more quietly than in his roller-coaster years of global fame, Eric Faulkner remains an enduring figure. His music still resonates, not just because of the catchy melodies of the past, but because of the strength behind the man who plays them. And as fans look back on his journey, one truth stands clear: behind the tartan and the teenage mania was always a musician with heart, one whose fight against illness has become part of his lasting song.