MacKenzie died by suicide in 1997. == History == === 1979–1982: Formation and independent success === Billy Mackenzie and guitarist Alan Rankine met in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1976 and formed the cabaret duo the Ascorbic Ones, although Rankine claimed that this was "a fantasy band that Bill and I dreamt up to give ourselves a past".
In 1978, they recorded songs as Mental Torture before changing the name to the Associates. Disappointed that their early recordings were not getting picked up, Mackenzie concocted the stunt of doing a cover of David Bowie's "Boys Keep Swinging", without copyright permission, just six weeks after Bowie's version hit the UK Top 10.
The Associates (or simply Associates) were a Scottish post-punk and pop band, formed in Dundee in 1979 by singer Billy Mackenzie and guitarist Alan Rankine.
The group first gained recognition after releasing an unauthorized cover of David Bowie's "Boys Keep Swinging" as their debut single in 1979, which landed them a contract with Fiction Records.
MacKenzie died by suicide in 1997. == History == === 1979–1982: Formation and independent success === Billy Mackenzie and guitarist Alan Rankine met in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1976 and formed the cabaret duo the Ascorbic Ones, although Rankine claimed that this was "a fantasy band that Bill and I dreamt up to give ourselves a past".
Released in June 1979, this debut Associates single reached No.
They followed with their debut album The Affectionate Punch in 1980 and the singles collection Fourth Drawer Down in 1981, both to critical praise. They achieved commercial success in 1982 with the UK Top 10 album Sulk and UK Top 20 singles "Party Fears Two" and "Club Country", during which time they were associated with the New Pop movement.
How dare they!'" The ensuing attention earned them a contract with Fiction Records, and their debut album, The Affectionate Punch, followed on 1 August 1980. A string of 1981 non-album singles on the label Situation Two were compiled as Fourth Drawer Down, released that October.
They followed with their debut album The Affectionate Punch in 1980 and the singles collection Fourth Drawer Down in 1981, both to critical praise. They achieved commercial success in 1982 with the UK Top 10 album Sulk and UK Top 20 singles "Party Fears Two" and "Club Country", during which time they were associated with the New Pop movement.
How dare they!'" The ensuing attention earned them a contract with Fiction Records, and their debut album, The Affectionate Punch, followed on 1 August 1980. A string of 1981 non-album singles on the label Situation Two were compiled as Fourth Drawer Down, released that October.
Also in 1981, Rankine and Mackenzie released a version of "Kites" under the name 39 Lyon Street, with Christine Beveridge on lead vocals.
They followed with their debut album The Affectionate Punch in 1980 and the singles collection Fourth Drawer Down in 1981, both to critical praise. They achieved commercial success in 1982 with the UK Top 10 album Sulk and UK Top 20 singles "Party Fears Two" and "Club Country", during which time they were associated with the New Pop movement.
The B-side, "A Girl Named Property" (a remake of "Mona Property Girl" from the "Boys Keep Swinging" single), was credited to the Associates. === 1982-1988 the WEA/Warner years === As Situation Two's parent label Beggars Banquet had a labels deal with WEA International at the time (primarily for Gary Numan), the Associates found themselves signed to Warner with their releases now going out on their own Associates record label.
The band's breakthrough came in 1982 with the release of the single "Party Fears Two".
On 14 May 1982, the band released their most commercially successful album, Sulk.
Martha Ladly, of Martha and the Muffins, contributed backing vocals and keyboards to this album. Rankine left the band in 1982 just before the Sulk tour.
In 1985 the album Perhaps was released and charted at number 23 in the UK albums chart. In 1988, WEA/Warner rejected the fourth Associates album The Glamour Chase considering it not commercially viable (it was later released on a two-disc set with Perhaps).
In 2002, The Glamour Chase (recorded in the years 1985–87) was finally released as a set titled The Glamour Chase & Perhaps.
It reached number 56 on the Gallup/Official Chart Company's UK Singles chart and was put on Popera: The Singles Collection by WEA in 1990 alongside withdrawn follow-up single "Country Boy" and a version of the Mackenzie/Boris Blank song "The Rhythm Divine". Between 1987 and 1992, Mackenzie worked with Blank and musical partner Dieter Meier of Swiss avant-garde outfit Yello.
In 1985 the album Perhaps was released and charted at number 23 in the UK albums chart. In 1988, WEA/Warner rejected the fourth Associates album The Glamour Chase considering it not commercially viable (it was later released on a two-disc set with Perhaps).
"Heart of Glass" was released in September 1988 on a number of formats including a 12 inch single with an anaglyphic 3-D cover (which came with 3-D glasses) and a CD single.
Rankine left the group that year, leaving MacKenzie to record under the Associates name until 1990.
Mackenzie continued to write and record music under the name Associates until 1990.
It reached number 56 on the Gallup/Official Chart Company's UK Singles chart and was put on Popera: The Singles Collection by WEA in 1990 alongside withdrawn follow-up single "Country Boy" and a version of the Mackenzie/Boris Blank song "The Rhythm Divine". Between 1987 and 1992, Mackenzie worked with Blank and musical partner Dieter Meier of Swiss avant-garde outfit Yello.
The album was released on 24 March 1990 and was produced by Australian record producer Julian Mendelsohn.
It reached number 56 on the Gallup/Official Chart Company's UK Singles chart and was put on Popera: The Singles Collection by WEA in 1990 alongside withdrawn follow-up single "Country Boy" and a version of the Mackenzie/Boris Blank song "The Rhythm Divine". Between 1987 and 1992, Mackenzie worked with Blank and musical partner Dieter Meier of Swiss avant-garde outfit Yello.
In 1992 Mackenzie released an electronica-influenced solo album Outernational for Circa Records with limited success. In 1993, Mackenzie and Rankine began working on new material together.
They briefly reunited in 1993.
In 1992 Mackenzie released an electronica-influenced solo album Outernational for Circa Records with limited success. In 1993, Mackenzie and Rankine began working on new material together.
In addition to the original albums, two compilation albums were released: Double Hipness (2000), a collection of early tracks with the 1993 reunion demos; and Singles (2004), an extended version of Popera – The Singles Collection which caught up with post-1990 material and included the cover of Bowie's "Boys Keep Swinging".
Mackenzie went back to his solo work, signing a deal with Nude Records and finding a new collaborative partner in Steve Aungle. Rankine later became a lecturer in music at Stow College in Glasgow, and worked with Belle and Sebastian on their 1996 debut album, Tigermilk. === 1997–present: Legacy releases === Mackenzie committed suicide in 1997 at age 39, shortly after the death of his mother.
MacKenzie died by suicide in 1997. == History == === 1979–1982: Formation and independent success === Billy Mackenzie and guitarist Alan Rankine met in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1976 and formed the cabaret duo the Ascorbic Ones, although Rankine claimed that this was "a fantasy band that Bill and I dreamt up to give ourselves a past".
Mackenzie went back to his solo work, signing a deal with Nude Records and finding a new collaborative partner in Steve Aungle. Rankine later became a lecturer in music at Stow College in Glasgow, and worked with Belle and Sebastian on their 1996 debut album, Tigermilk. === 1997–present: Legacy releases === Mackenzie committed suicide in 1997 at age 39, shortly after the death of his mother.
Finally, Wild and Lonely and Mackenzie's solo album Outernational were repackaged with bonus tracks in 2006. The Tom Doyle book The Glamour Chase: The Maverick Life of Billy Mackenzie, first published in 1998 and reissued in 2011, documented the band's career and Mackenzie's subsequent life. == Legacy and influence == The Associates drew stylistically on a variety of genres, including art rock, disco, glam, minimalism, balladry and cabaret.
In 2002, The Glamour Chase (recorded in the years 1985–87) was finally released as a set titled The Glamour Chase & Perhaps.
The albums Beyond the Sun (1997) and Eurocentric (2000) were released posthumously and, in 2004, reconstructed and expanded with new unreleased songs into the two albums Auchtermatic and Transmission Impossible. Before Mackenzie's death, almost all Associates records had been deleted.
Former band member Michael Dempsey and the MacKenzie estate began a reissue programme to make sure the band's legacy continued, reissuing almost every Associates album, including a 25th anniversary edition of The Affectionate Punch in 2005.
Finally, Wild and Lonely and Mackenzie's solo album Outernational were repackaged with bonus tracks in 2006. The Tom Doyle book The Glamour Chase: The Maverick Life of Billy Mackenzie, first published in 1998 and reissued in 2011, documented the band's career and Mackenzie's subsequent life. == Legacy and influence == The Associates drew stylistically on a variety of genres, including art rock, disco, glam, minimalism, balladry and cabaret.
Finally, Wild and Lonely and Mackenzie's solo album Outernational were repackaged with bonus tracks in 2006. The Tom Doyle book The Glamour Chase: The Maverick Life of Billy Mackenzie, first published in 1998 and reissued in 2011, documented the band's career and Mackenzie's subsequent life. == Legacy and influence == The Associates drew stylistically on a variety of genres, including art rock, disco, glam, minimalism, balladry and cabaret.
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