The cover of the magazine coincided with the release of the single Love Hangover/18 Carat Love Affair, a record which would go onto make #21 in the charts, the final smash hit that the duo enjoyed, following on from Party Fears Two (#9 in February 1982) and Club Country (#13 in April 1982).
Alan Rankine and Billy Mackenzie were hardly overnight successes - Party Fears Two had been their 10th single release in 3 years. Aned just as fame and fortune seemed to be coming their way, they split up, although Billy continued to write and record as Associates until 1990 after which he became a bona-fide solo artist. As many of you will know, he sadly took his own life in January 1997 at the age of 39 suffering from depression after the death of his mother.
Alan Rankine recorded four solo LPs in the 80s as well as a sought-after record producer. He later carved out a career as a lecturer in music at a further education college in the centre of Glasgow.
The pop world of today would have no place for talents like Alan and Billy. There's no way they would be indulged with ten goes before a chart hit and they would have had no career once the hits had dried-up. The pop world of today is a sadder and duller place than it was back in the days when I has a hairstyle and look like Mr Rankine on the cover.
Here's some 12" versions of Associates songs:-
mp3 : Associates - Tell Me Easter's On Friday
mp3 : Associates - Club Country
mp3 : Associates - Party Fears Two
mp3 : Associates - Those First Impressions
Happy Listening
9 comments:
Great tracks. Of course, coming from Dundee you'd expect nothing less than perfection. Billy Mackenzie, that is. Not me.
The best band ever made in Scotland, or anywhere actually. So sadly overlooked. Thanks for posting, for giving them some more limelight. They deserve all and more.
And thanks for your great work, hang on in there!
Never had the success they deserved, in my opinion. Even V2, when they re-released some of their LPs could have done more (once again in my opinion, AG It's You Again is a much better take than Arrogance Gave Him Up, and should have been included). But it's the older stuff I like. The first two albums are so different to anything that came out at the same time, especially Fourth Drawer Down. Who else could release a single with the lyric, "Anonymous as bathrooms, Androgynous as Dachshunds, try them out and see", than Associates? Who else could use money given by one record label to record tracks for another label than Associates? Who else could have a vocal range of Jose Carreras AND Kiri Te Kanawa at the same time than Billy? Nobody is the simple answer.
The Glamour Chase - the Maverick Life of Billy MacKenzie by Tom Doyle is well worth a read (even although it has a foreward by Bono)
You used to be able to get it in Fopp for about 3 quid
Great start to a New Year.
Great tracks.
SC
Have to agree that The Glamour Chase is an essential read. Billy was a classic music maverick (if one can be classic and maverick at the same time). Alan Rankine produced some very thoughtful, intelligent and memorable pop music post Associates. I think I listen to one or both in one guise or another every week.
Great to hear - Billy much missed, as always.
One of the most unique sounds of that time. No one I know or knew had these two pegged as great except Jim Nash at Wax Trax back then. I still treasure their contribution. Thanks for bringing them around. Please know I appreciate your posts here in Chicago.
I got The 'Glamour Chase for Christmas. Read it over a number of nights, and finished it the other night. I have posted before about Billy, and seems fitting to do it again. I forgot how hard he was to work with. The back catalogue is patchy in parts, but then again, whose isn't? A late, great genius
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