Very sad news this week as Alan Longmuir, the original Bay City Roller, lost his battle with life.
I first met Alan in 2015, just before he announced the Bay City Roller reunion.
I interviewed him in Edinburgh’s Le Monde Hotel where I joked that I’d be the envy of all the Bay City Rollers fans finally making it into one of the band’s bedrooms. He chuckled as he agreed.
Alan was a gentle soul with a playful sense of humour. He was always pretty content to let things play out – and didn’t ask for much to be happy.
He’d often phone me up out of the blue with news of his latest trip to Japan or plan for his book. I might have missed Rollermania in the 70s, but I sang Shangalang and ran with his gang for a few years and I’m privileged and thankful I did.
It will be emotional to watch his former band-mate Les McKeown perform at Scotfest in Ingliston tomorrow, and I’m sure he’ll be playing a tearful tribute to Al. I know Stuart “Woody” Wood and Les, who formed the reunion tours, as well as the other Rollers, will miss him dearly.
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