▁the ▁bass ▁guitar ▁in ▁the ▁band ▁whilst ▁his ▁younger ▁brother ▁D erek ▁Long mu ir ▁was ▁drum mer . ▁ ▁Biography ▁Long mu ir ▁was ▁born ▁at ▁Sim pson ▁Memorial ▁Mat ern ity ▁Pav il ion ▁Hospital , ▁Edinburgh . ▁His ▁father ▁was ▁an ▁undert aker . ▁A ▁member ▁of ▁a ▁musical ▁family , ▁he ▁formed ▁his ▁first ▁band ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 7 , ▁with ▁his ▁brother ▁D erek ▁and ▁two ▁others . ▁They ▁changed ▁their ▁name ▁and ▁line - up ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁Bay ▁City ▁Roll ers . ▁Until ▁their ▁career ▁took ▁off , ▁he ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁pl umber . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁at ▁the ▁height ▁of ▁the ▁band ' s ▁popular ity , ▁Alan ▁Long mu ir ▁left ▁and ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁rh ythm ▁guitar ist ▁Ian ▁Mitchell , ▁a ▁man ▁ten ▁years ▁his ▁junior , ▁who ▁would ▁in ▁turn ▁make ▁way ▁for ▁Pat ▁McG lyn n . ▁Tam ▁Pat on , ▁then ▁the ▁group ' s ▁manager , ▁alleg ed ▁that ▁Long mu ir ▁had ▁tried ▁to ▁commit ▁suic ide . ▁Pat on ' s ▁own ▁conduct ▁was ▁later ▁revealed ▁as ▁a ▁contrib ut ory ▁factor ▁in ▁the ▁unh app iness ▁of ▁some ▁band ▁members . ▁ ▁Long mu ir ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁group ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁following ▁McG lyn n ' s ▁departure , ▁and ▁there after ▁switched ▁between ▁bass ▁guitar , ▁rh ythm ▁guitar ▁and ▁key boards . ▁ ▁He ▁also ▁played ▁piano ▁accord ion .