Alan Longmuir

Alan Longmuir (20 June 1948 – 2 July 2018) was a Scottish musician and the bass guitarist of the 1970s pop group, the Bay City Rollers.

His younger brother Derek Longmuir was a founding member and drummer of the group.

Biography

Longmuir was born at Simpson Memorial Maternity Pavilion Hospital, Edinburgh. His father was an undertaker. A member of a musical family, he formed his first band at the age of 17, with his brother Derek and two others. They changed their name and line-up to become the Bay City Rollers.

In 1976, at the height of the band's popularity, Alan Longmuir left and was replaced by rhythm guitarist Ian Mitchell, a man ten years his junior, who would in turn make way for Pat McGlynn. Tam Paton, then the group's manager, alleged that Longmuir had tried to commit suicide. Paton's own conduct was later revealed as a contributory factor in the unhappiness of some band members.

Longmuir returned to the group in 1978 following McGlynn's departure, and thereafter switched between bass guitar, rhythm guitar and keyboards. He also played piano accordion.

Longmuir died on 2 July 2018 in Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert, Scotland, after contracting an illness while on holiday in Mexico. He was 70.