Alan Longmuir Explained

Alan Longmuir
Birth Name:Alan Longmuir
Birth Date:1948 6, df=y
Birth Place:Edinburgh, Scotland
Death Place:Larbert, Scotland
Instrument:Bass guitar
Genre:Rock, pop rock
Occupation:Musician
Years Active:1964–2018
Past Member Of:Bay City Rollers

Alan Longmuir (20 June 1948 – 2 July 2018) was a Scottish musician and a founding member of the pop group the Bay City Rollers. He played the bass guitar, whilst his younger brother Derek Longmuir was drummer.

Biography

Early life

Longmuir was born at Simpson Memorial Maternity Pavilion Hospital, Edinburgh. His father was an undertaker.

Bay City Rollers

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.[1] Until their career took off, he worked as a plumber.[2]

In 1976, at the height of the band's popularity, Alan Longmuir left and was replaced by rhythm guitarist Ian Mitchell, who was ten years his junior. 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.[3] Mitchell himself made way for Pat McGlynn in December 1976.[4]

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.[5]

Later works

In 1977, Longmuir released "I'm Confessing", which peaked at number 44 in Australia.[6]

Personal life

Longmuir was married twice, briefly to Jan Longmuir, from 1985 until their divorce in 1990; they had one son, Jordan.[7] His second, lasting marriage was to Eileen Rankin Longmuir, from 1998 until his death; Eileen had two sons of her own, to whom Alan was step-father.[8]

While owner of the Castle Campbell Hotel in Dollar, Clackmannanshire, he suffered two heart attacks and a stroke,[8] and in 2000 he decided to retrain as a building inspector.[9]

Death

Longmuir died on 2 July 2018 at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert, Scotland, after contracting an illness while on holiday in Mexico, where he had been a patient at the Galenia Hospital in Cancún but had been cleared to return home. He was 70 years old.[10] [11]

Discography

Albums

TitleAlbum details
Rollin'
  • Released: October 1974
  • Label: Bell
Once Upon a Star
  • Released: May 1975
  • Label: Bell
Bay City Rollers
  • Released: September 1975
  • Label: Arista
Wouldn't You Like It?
  • Released: December 1975
  • Label: Bell
Dedication
  • Released: September 1976
  • Label: Arista/Bell
It's a Game
  • Released: July 1977
  • Label: Arista
Strangers in the Wind
  • Released: 1978
  • Label: Arista
Elevator
  • Released: 1979
  • Label: Arista
Voxx
  • Released: 1980
  • Label: Arista
Ricochet
  • Released: 1981
  • Label: Epic
A Christmas Shang-A-Lang
  • Released: December 2015
  • Label: Forrest Boombox

Singles

YearTitle
1971"Keep on Dancing"
1972"We Can Make Music"
"Mañana"
1974"Remember (Sha-La-La-La)"
"Shang-a-Lang"
"Summerlove Sensation"
"All of Me Loves All of You"
1975"Bye, Bye, Baby"
"Give a Little Love"
"Don't Stop the Music"
"Love Me Like I Love You"
1976"Saturday Night"
"Money Honey"
"Rock and Roll Love Letter"
"I Only Want to Be with You"
"Yesterday's Hero"
"Dedication"
"Don't Worry Baby"
1978"Where Will I Be Now"
"All of the World Is Falling in Love"
1979"Turn On the Radio"
"Hello and Welcome Home"
1980"God Save Rock & Roll"
1981"Life on the Radio"
"No Doubt About It"

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Obituary - Alan Longmuir, bass player with the Bay City Rollers. The Herald. Glasgow. 2 July 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180702153445/http://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/16327615.obituary-alan-longmuir-bass-player-with-the-bay-city-rollers/. 2 July 2018.
  2. Web site: Alan Longmuir family issue heartfelt statement after star’s death. 2 July 2018. Edinburgh News. Diane King. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180703180818/https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/alan-longmuir-death-bay-city-rollers-bassist-dies-surrounded-by-loved-ones-a3876751.html. 3 July 2018.
  3. Web site: Tam Paton: Disgraced former manager of the Bay City Rollers. 11 April 2009. The Independent. Pierre Perrone. 2 July 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180703003004/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/tam-paton-disgraced-former-manager-of-the-bay-city-rollers-1667315.html. 3 July 2018.
  4. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-54001874
  5. Book: Hal Erickson . Sid and Marty Krofft: A Critical Study of Saturday Morning Children's Television, 1969-1993 . 1 September 1998 . McFarland . 978-0-7864-3093-2 . 200–.
  6. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian)

    . David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 181.

  7. Web site: Alan Longmuir obituary. The Times. 3 July 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180703165215/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/alan-longmuir-obituary-gmg99w856. 3 July 2018.
  8. Web site: Bay City Roller Alan Longmuir obituary: From Gorgie tenement to superstardom. The Scotsman Edinburgh News. Liam Rudden. 2 July 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180703190745/https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/our-region/edinburgh/bay-city-roller-alan-longmuir-obituary-from-gorgie-tenement-to-superstardom-1-4762479. 3 July 2018.
  9. Web site: Tributes paid after 'original' Bay City Roller Alan Longmuir dies from mystery bug. Stephen Naysmith. The Herald. Glasgow. 3 July 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180703045529/http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16328371.tributes-paid-after-original-bay-city-roller-alan-longmuir-dies-from-mystery-bug/. 3 July 2018.
  10. News: Bay City Rollers bassist Alan Longmuir dies aged 70 . 2 July 2018 . The Independent . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180702135007/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/alan-longmuir-dead-bay-city-rollers-bassist-edinburgh-mexico-tributes-a8426271.html . 2 July 2018.
  11. Web site: Alan Longmuir, 70: Founding member of the Bay City Rollers, who made 70s hits . The Washington Post . 7 July 2018.