What Happened to the Bay City Rollers? When lead singer Les McKeown passed away at age 65, the Scottish youth pop group from the late 1970s known for their singles “Money Honey” and “Saturday Night,” among many others, lost a crucial member.
McKeown has been with the band at their most popular in the late 1960s, despite not being an original member. Even though he had long since departed the group, he briefly rejoined them in a famous 2015 reunion tour. But where are the members of Bay City Rollers now?
What exactly happened to them? We will provide answers to all of these questions. The Bay City Rollers have had 24 members throughout their 60-year existence, with several lineup changes occurring after his passing. Numerous tragedies have occurred throughout that time, including the terrible deaths of five former members. Let’s learn about them and every change and tragedy they faced.
Also read: What Happened To Bernard In The Santa Clause 3?
All About The Members Of the Bay City Rollers
Stuart John Wood
The last surviving original band member is Stuart John “Woody” Wood. The 61-year-old plays bass in the group. In the 1970s, he enlisted in the band at just 16.
Alan Longmuir
The group’s bassist was Alan Longmuir. He suddenly died on July 2, 2018, at 70. A couple of weeks before his passing, he had traveled from Mexico to the United States while unwell. As the director of the stage production of “I Run with The Gang: The Tale of Alan Longmuir,” Liam Rudden remarked, “The fact crushes me he has left us.
I have worked very closely alongside Alan for the past seven years.” One of the most polite, giving, and kindhearted individuals I have ever met was Alan.” With a grin that made people feel special and the insistence that he was just “a plumbing from Edinburgh,” he left a mark on everyone he encountered.”
At the peak of their fame in 1976, Alan was substituted in the band. In 1978, Alan joined the group and alternated between playing keyboard, bass, and rhythm guitar.
Derek Longmuir
Alan Longmuir and Derek Longmuir were brothers. He was the group’s percussionist and founder. He completed nursing school and began working at Edinburgh Royal Hospital in the early 1980s. In 2000, Derek admitted to having child pornography and was given a community service requirement.
Although he was eventually invited back to the nursing registry, he was sacked from his position at the hospital. Derek claimed that the documents weren’t his but rather were left behind by a friend, despite entering a guilty plea. He claimed he entered a guilty plea to avoid a “media circus.”
Eric Faulkner
Lead guitarist Eric Faulkner joined the band in 1972. He sang as the group’s lead vocalist in the late 1990s after they had reassembled. In 2015’s early quarter of, Eric’s infectious encephalitis nearly claimed his life.
He developed post-encephalitic illness and hasn’t performed in front of an audience since August 2015. This summer, Eric is returning to the stage with concerts at Hawick Music Event. He has been creating and producing new music.
Les McKeown
When the band was at its peak, Les McKeown served as the frontman. But Les struggled with drug and alcohol problems for a while. On the television program Rehab in late 2008 and January 2009, he acknowledged having several gay relationships behind his spouse Peko’s back.
Les stayed for three months to detoxify, while the others were granted two weeks, which allowed him to reveal his hidden existence on television.
“I’ve been such a bit of the G. Michael, making friends, frequently acquaintances, for sex,” he admitted at the time. Les passed away unexpectedly in April 2021, according to information provided by his family on the group’s social media accounts.
Bay City Rollers Began Their Journey From A Garage
In the novel “Whenever The Scream Tends to stop: The Grim Story Of The Bay City Rollers,” teenage siblings Alan and Derek Longmuir teamed with an acquaintance to form the Ambassadors group amid the 1960s.
They never played somewhere as a band aside from one wedding gig. The Bay City Rollers underwent name changes and lineup adjustments throughout the following several seasons, according to the novel “Bay City Babylon: The Incredible But True Tale of the Bay City Rollers.”
Several band members even switched to other instruments. The group, known commonly as The Saxons, began its career by playing modest concerts like anniversaries or as an opening number for other bands. The band members performed most covers throughout this time, including songs by English Friends The Kinks.
The band, however, believed an American-sounding moniker could work better for the budding rockers because they liked American music and songs.
Why Did A Scottish Band Choose An English Name?
As per “The Great Rock Discography,” the band, now called “The Rollers,” opted for a much more American-sounding moniker after starting to play covers of American music. The plan was to toss a dart at the plot of the United States and add the city it fell on top of the name.
The group constructed a dart board and an image of the United States. The band wasn’t happy when the first dart fell on an unnamed Arkansas town. After another toss, the dart landed close to Bay City, Michigan. The inception of the Bay City Rollers.
According to reports of the band’s formation, the band “placed a pin” on a map of the United States around Michigan city, as well as the name of the band that was formed. Whatever the technicalities, the band used to have a new moniker by 1971 and was on the verge of becoming a household name.
Here Are The Bay City Rollers’ Best Songs
- Be My Baby
- Shang-A-Lang
- Give A Little Love
- Bye Bye Baby
- All Of Me Loves All Of You
- Yesterday’s Hero
- I Only want to Be With You
- Money Honey
- You Made Me Believe In Magic
Also read: Where Are Hogwarts Scenes Filmed in Harry Potter?
The Band Faces A Downturn
The band’s popularity was beginning to be uneven for the men that made up the band by 1976. As Per the “The Great Rock Album,” founding member Alan Longmuir opted to leave because he wasn’t happy being in a “pop group” whose audience was primarily young girls.
The band’s success was beginning to wane by the late 1970s, and the members were at odds over the artistic course the group would take. Some band members were eager to hear the group adopt a less bubble style of music in favor of more real music.
Over the decades, more member changes transpired while the band’s hits fell further and further down the charts. The Bay City Rollers had sold 130 million copies by 1980, and all that remained of their career were the suits.
According to some reports, six men who’d already played in the group’s numerous configurations filed a lawsuit against Arista Music in 2007, seeking millions in unspecified damages. Another ex-member who was a part of the band before they were well-known vowed to sue the six for leaving him out of their lawsuit.
As per the reports, two additional former members did sue the initial six in 2010 for leaving them out of their complaint.
What Happened To The Bay City Rollers?
Les McKeown, a renowned singer, died suddenly on Tuesday, in early 2021, and his family revealed on Wednesday that he had passed away unexpectedly at home at 65. The message was posted on the band’s Fb page and read as follows: “We regret to inform you of the passing of our devoted father and husband, Les Richard McKeown.
Tuesday, April 20, 2021, saw the untimely death of Leslie at her house.” Ian Mitchell, a native of Northern Ireland, joined the band at the age of 17 to take the position of drummer Alan Longmuir. He joined the band for only seven months before leaving in 1976.
He publicly admitted that he left the band because of internal conflict, adding, “I had to get out when I placed my head in the gas stove.” It was revealed that Ian had gone away in early September 2020 at 62. even Alan, another co-founder, died at the age of 70 in 2018. The group was also facing some members leaving the band, and thus the lineup changed forever.
Why Did Some People Hate Bay City Rollers?
It has historically failed to strike a chord with real music critics, and in the scenario of the Edinburgh fellas, it has left an especially sour taste in some people’s mouths. This practice of promoting upbeat and catchy music to young teens while wearing tight clothes, belly-button shirts, and oozing boyish sex appeal has become a tradition.
For instance, when discussing the most despised British records of all time with Brodie, owner of a record store in Scotland, they expressed disappointment that the Bay City Rollers were just not mentioned.
“All of the Bay City Roller albums weren’t available. However, they were included, “said he. Similar to this, according to reports, a listener of BBC Radio 2 filed a formal complaint when the DJ persistently refused to play any Bay City Rollers songs for several years.
Where Are Bay City Rollers Now?
The band has changed since Alan Longmuir’s untimely passing in July 2018; now, Stuart John Wood is the only surviving original band member. The spotlight is no longer on Derek Longmuir. After coming dangerously close to death in 2015, Eric Faulkner left the industry. 2020 saw Ian Mitchell’s passing, and Les McKeown passed away at age 65.
Who Are the Members Of Bay City Rollers Today?
Stuart Wood is the original member, along with Ian Thomson, Marcus Cordock, Gary O’Hagan, and Jamie McGrory.
Also read: What Happened At The Woodstock 99 Music Festival? The Ugly Truth Explained
