Of all the early 80s innovators, The Associates were one of the sublime. Billy, RIP, went some year ago. His multi talented pal, Alan has gone at the early age of 64. Legend.
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[Music] Alan Rankine RIP
- Thread starter Harry Wilson's tackle
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Live by the sea
Well-known member
- Oct 21, 2016
- 4,718
That’s sad , so young as well . Party fears two great song
boik
Well-known member
This was the only time I saw them. It was a great night. RIP Alan.
I was reading an article about Wah's Story of The Blues yesterday and for some reason that tune came into my head but I couldn't name it.
A sad way for me to find out what it was.
I loved The Associates so much, first seeing a TV live appearance on either Riverside or Something Else. Rankine, Mackenzie and guest pianist Martha Ladly were spellbinding.
RIP Alan.
RIP Alan.
Varndean VI Form College
Active member
Party Fears Two: way ahead of its time. RIP.
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- #8
I shall now take the liberty of posting some absolute magic. Starting with this. Alan did ALL the instruments.
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- #9
Enjoy.
CorgiRegisteredFriend
Well-known member
All for £1.40!
What a line up.
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- #11
How many decades is this ahead of its time?
aolstudios
Well-known member
Saw that legendary TotP performance in hospital. On a little black&white TV, drugged to the eyeballs. Made perfect sense
RIP Alan. Nice bloke & a special talent
RIP Alan. Nice bloke & a special talent
GT49er
Well-known member
"Even a slight remark
Makes nonsense and turns to shark".
One of my favourite examples of WTF lyrics! Still, time for just RIP.
Trufflehound
Re-enfranchised
The Affectionate Punch was a great album, but it was that string of singles they released afterwards (mostly in 1981 I believe, and later collected together on Fourth Drawer Down), before they went commercial with Sulk, that really stood out for me.
Loved Q Quarters & White Car in Germany, but Kitchen Person was one of those songs that the first time I heard it completely stopped me in my tracks, and was a real "WTF was that? That's incredible!" moment. As soon as I bought the 7" I went straight round to my mates' houses with it and insisted they had to listen.
RIP Alan
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- #15
I have 'double hipness' and 'wild and Lonely' on CD. Will dig out fourth drawer down. I missed all those singles....
Edit: bought (Amazon).
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el punal
Well-known member
That poster reminds me of the uni/poly gigs in the 70s where the students union managed to get really good acts to appear. At Brighton Poly, or maybe Sussex Uni, back around 1973 an unbelievably named band were listed. I give you ‘Randy Grope and the Exploding Green Laxative’. Anyone know or heard them?
Austrian Gull
Well-known member
Thanks to HWT for starting this thread. Such terrible news but not wholly surprising - he hadn't looked/sounded well in recent interviews.
For a few months in 1982 The Associates looked like the band who would make it big but Billy pulled the plug on touring America which led to Alan leaving. So sad that they would never work together long-term again as they brought out the best in each other. Alan was such a talented musician and helped a lot of bands on their way up.
Terry Hall and Alan Rankine in the space of a few days
For a few months in 1982 The Associates looked like the band who would make it big but Billy pulled the plug on touring America which led to Alan leaving. So sad that they would never work together long-term again as they brought out the best in each other. Alan was such a talented musician and helped a lot of bands on their way up.
Terry Hall and Alan Rankine in the space of a few days
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