In a shocking twist that has stunned fans and reopened one of pop music’s longest-running mysteries, authorities in the UK have announced a new investigation into the former manager of the Bay City Rollers — over alleged unpaid royalties dating back more than four decades. The move comes after years of fan petitions and renewed media pressure surrounding missing earnings from the band’s global success in the 1970s.
According to an exclusive report by The Scotsman, financial investigators from HM Revenue & Customs have reopened the case involving millions of pounds in unpaid royalties owed to the band members. The allegations claim that the group’s former management team — led by the late businessman Tam Paton — may have withheld or mismanaged funds from record sales, merchandise, and touring revenues during the Rollers’ meteoric rise.
For fans and surviving band members, the news is both bittersweet and long overdue. “It’s been 40 years of waiting for the truth,” said Alan Longmuir Jr., son of the late founding member Alan Longmuir. “My dad and the rest of the guys worked their hearts out, but the money never reached them. Maybe now, finally, justice can catch up.”
The Bay City Rollers — often called “the Scottish Beatles” — sold over 120 million records worldwide and became global teen idols thanks to hits like “Saturday Night,” “Bye Bye Baby,” and “Give a Little Love.” But behind the plaid and pop hysteria, the band’s financial dealings were notoriously murky. By the early 1980s, members began speaking out about their missing royalties, estimating that tens of millions of dollars had vanished without explanation.
In 2007, the band even launched a lawsuit against Arista Records for unpaid earnings, a case that dragged on for years before being quietly settled. However, many of the band’s financial records — particularly those handled in the UK under Paton’s management — were never fully investigated.
Now, 40 years later, the reexamination could finally shed light on what really happened. A spokesperson for the investigation confirmed:
“We are reviewing historical financial documents and statements related to artist royalties from the period in question. Due to the nature of the inquiry, we cannot comment further.”
Fans have responded to the news with a mix of outrage and relief. On social media, hashtags like #JusticeForTheRollers and #BayCityTruth began trending, as long-time followers expressed frustration that it took so long for authorities to act. “These men gave their youth to the music,” one fan wrote. “They deserved fair pay, not decades of silence.”
Former bandmates have also spoken out. In a recent radio interview, Stuart “Woody” Wood said, “We trusted people we shouldn’t have. We were kids — we just wanted to make music. If there’s still a chance to find out where the money went, I want to see it through.”
The renewed investigation has also sparked conversation about accountability in the music industry and the exploitation of young artists during the pre-digital era. “The Bay City Rollers weren’t just a band — they were a business empire,” one entertainment lawyer commented. “The fact that questions still remain after all this time shows how badly artists were protected back then.”
Though many of the original members — including Les McKeown and Alan Longmuir — have passed away, fans hope this long-awaited probe will finally bring closure to one of pop’s most tragic financial scandals.
As one fan poignantly put it online:
“They gave us their music, their joy, their youth. The least they deserve now is the truth.”
And after 40 years, it seems the truth may finally be within reach.