I Ran With The Gang

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About the Book: 

The Bay City Rollers were one of the brightest things to happen in the tumultuous 1970s, illuminating a dark decade marred by falling stock markets, a plummeting economy and industrial unrest. Alan Longmuir, an apprentice plumber from Edinburgh, was inspired by The Beatles to form a band. After enlisting his brother and throwing a dart at a map, they became the Bay City Rollers.

In I Ran with the Gang, Alan recounts his incredible journey from the Dalry backstreets to the Hollywood hills and back again. Along the way, he punctures some of the myths and untruths that have swirled around the group, and unflinchingly tells of the acrimony and exploitation that led to the disintegration of the band. Most of all, though, Alan captures the great adventure of five young boys from Edinburgh who for a few heady years threatened to turn the whole world tartan.

Reviews: 

Almost impossible to put down, this is a highly refreshing music business memoir, devoid of dirt-dishing, upbeat in the face of negativity, and inspiring in its positivity. PETER MASON, Morning Star

A riveting inside track on life in the Rollers. BRIAN FERGUSON, The Scotsman

It’s a fascinating read for anyone who’s ever sung along to Shangalang and wondered just who this group of young men were, from boom to bust. KENNY SMITH, Scottish Field

How can I resist a combo of Martin Knight and the iconic Bay City Rollers? IRVINE WELSH

It’s really good writing, it’s a really good story. It is very much Alan’s story… you can hear Alan on every page. It’s exceptionally well-written and entertaining; there’s bits that are really funny, there’s bits that are really poignant in it. KARIN INGRAM

About the Author:

MARTIN KNIGHT is the author of several books including collaborations with footballers George Best, Peter Osgood and Dave Mackay. He is co-author of terrace culture classic Hoolifan as well as accounts of a bare-knuckle fighter and international drug smuggler. Novels include Common People and Battersea Girl. In 2009 Gypsy Joe was selected as The Observer Sports Book of the Year. He lives in Surrey and Norfolk.

ALAN LONGMUIR was a Scottish musician best known as the bassist and founding member of the iconic 1970s pop group, the Bay City Rollers. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Alan developed an early passion for music, teaching himself to play the bass guitar. Alongside his younger brother, Derek, he co-founded the Bay City Rollers in the late 1960s, which would go on to achieve massive success in the UK and internationally with hits like Bye Bye Baby and Shang-A-Lang. Known for his quiet and humble demeanor, Alan remained a steady presence in the band during their meteoric rise to fame, which saw them become one of the most popular boy bands of their era.

After leaving the group in the mid-1970s, Longmuir led a quieter life, returning to work as a plumber, a trade he had learned before his music career took off. However, his contributions to music continued to be recognised, and he often participated in reunions and performances with former bandmates. In his later years, Alan embraced his role as a symbol of 70s pop nostalgia, and in 2018, shortly before his passing, he published an autobiography, I Ran With the Gang, chronicling his life and time with the Bay City Rollers.

Alan Longmuir is remembered as a warm-hearted and talented musician who helped shape the sound of an era, leaving a lasting legacy in the world of pop music.