Alan Rankine, keyboardist, and guitarist for the Scottish band The Associates, died at the age of 64. His sons, Callum and Hamish, announced his death on the band’s official Facebook page on Tuesday, January 3. They said:
“It is with great sadness that my brother, Hamish, and I announce the death of our father, Alan Rankine. Only a few days after celebrating Christmas with his family, he died quietly at home. He was a gentle, kind, and loving man who will be greatly missed. Callum, Rankine, and Hamish.”
Callum and Hamish also pitched in:
“Because our father appreciated the Facebook community, we’d like to keep this account active and encourage you to remember him on this page.”
Alan Rankine was the guitarist and keyboardist for The Associates
In the late 1970s, Alan Rankine and vocalist Billy McKenzie co-founded The Associates. After releasing an unofficial copy of David Bowie’s Boys Keep Swinging in 1979, the pair rose to prominence in Scotland. The rendition reportedly landed them a deal with Fiction Records.
According to The Scotsman, the song also earned them exposure from Radio One DJ John Peel. The band’s debut album, The Affectionate Punch, was released in 1980. As a duet, The Associates, who became synonymous with the British New Pop style, released three albums. They released a singles collection called Fourth Drawer Down in 1981 and Sulk in 1982, in addition to The Affectionate Punch in 1980.
They rose to prominence following the release of their smash single, The Party Fears Two, from their album Sulk. In the United Kingdom, the song reached the top 20. The album’s biggest singles were Club Country and 18 Carat Love Affair
According to Billboard, The Associates’ Fourth Drawer Down peaked at No. 5 on the UK Independent Albums Chart, while Sulk peaked at No. 23 on the UK Official Albums Chart. Until Alan Rankine left The Associates in 1982, Mackenzie continued to release tracks under the same moniker and his own name. However, he died in 1997, at the age of 39.
He, on the other hand, rose to prominence as a producer, working with artists such as Cocteau Twins, Paul Haig, and The Pale Fountains. Rankine made her solo debut in 1986, releasing albums such as The World Begins to Look Her Age, She Loves Me Not, and The Big Picture Sucks.
Rankine also taught at Glasgow’s Stow College, according to the NME. He assisted his students in the formation of the Electric Honey record label, which launched the careers of Biffy Clyro, Belle & Sebastian, and Snow Patrol. The Associates’ first album, which was played at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections event two years ago, was reimagined live by Rankine and Mackenzie’s family.
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