I Ran With The Gang by Alan Longmuir

I Ran With The Gang by Alan Longmuir

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 in the 1960s. Firstly, he enlisted his brother and then his cousin and via throwing a dart at a map they eventually became the Bay City Rollers. Success was slow in coming but when it did it was beyond Alan’s (and almost everyone else’s) wildest dreams. A string of million selling records led to Rollermania – a mass-hysterical fan reaction not seen since Beatlemania. Like a wildfire it spread across the world. The Rollers’ juggernaut was out-of-control. Alan Longmuir recounts his surreal journey from the Dalry backstreets to the Hollywood hills and back to being a plumber. Along the way he punctures some of the myths and untruths that have swirled around the group. Most of all, though, Alan captures the great adventure that a bunch of young boys from Edinburgh embarked on that for a few years threatened to turn the whole world tartan. Tragically, while finishing his memoirs Alan Longmuir was taken ill while on a holiday in Mexico marking his 70th birthday and died back in Scotland a short while later. It was his great desire that I Ran With The Gang should be released.

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

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.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781910022757
ISBN 10	1910022756
Title	I Ran With The Gang
Author	Alan Longmuir
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Luath Press Ltd
Year published	2021-11-15
Number of pages	288
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable