The Associates

The Associates formed in Dundee in 1979, the creative partnership of vocalist Billy Mackenzie and multi-instrumentalist Alan Rankine. Mackenzie possessed one of the most remarkable voices in British pop — a four-octave range deployed with theatrical intensity and emotional depth that was genuinely unlike anything else. Their early recordings on Fiction Records showed enormous promise, and a cover of David Bowie's 'Boys Keep Swinging' announced their ambition.

'Sulk' (1982) on Associates Records remains one of the great overlooked albums of the decade. Produced with extraordinary ambition — reportedly costing a fortune and involving an orchestra — it produced the hits 'Party Fears Two' and '18 Carat Love Affair', both top ten singles. The album's combination of orchestral pop, new wave energy, and Mackenzie's astonishing vocals was genuinely unique. It should have made them superstars.

Rankine departed after 'Sulk', and Mackenzie continued under The Associates name with varying personnel. Further albums followed but never matched the heights of 'Sulk'. Mackenzie's life ended tragically in 1997 when he died by suicide at the age of 39. His voice and the music he made with Rankine have been consistently reassessed as among the most extraordinary achievements in British pop, and his legacy continues to grow.