Musician Alan Rankine, co-founder of The Associates, dies

• Alan Rankine dies at the age of 64.
• He was a co-founder of Scottish band The Associates.
• He went solo after leaving the group.

Another death in the entertainment world! A few days after the start of 2023, the death of  musician Alan Rankine, who co-founded of the acclaimed Scottish band The Associates, was announced. Rankine passed away at the age of 64, according to reports.

His sons Callum and Hamish confirmed the news on January 3. Alan Rankine formed the band in the late 1970s, according to the Mexican newspaper Excelsior. They earned their fame in a way few imagined at first.

What did his sons say?

The Associates’ fame is due in large part to an unauthorized version of the song Boys Keep Swinging, by the iconic David Bowie, according to Excelsior. Their daring and talent earned them a contract with a record label and that was only the beginning.

“He died peacefully at home shortly after spending Christmas with his family. He was a beautiful, kind and loving man who will be greatly missed,” reads the statement from Rankine’s sons Callum and Hamish.

How Alan Rankine made it to the top

The band reached ‘the pinnacle’ of success in 1982 with the album titled Sulk, which took them to the top 10 in the UK. Songs like Party Fears Two and Club Country contributed to The Associates’ rise to fame, according to Excelsior.

Currently, the band that Rankine formed together with Billy Mackenzie has more than 50,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Some of the band’s biggest hits are Breakfast and 18 Carat Love Affair.

Wasn’t that enough? The beloved musician went solo

Alan Rankine left the band he founded with Billy Mackenzie in 1982 to become a producer. However, his passion for music brought him back to the stage in 1986 as a soloist, according to Excelsior. People expressed their grief on social media.

“It’s very sad to hear the news that my dear friend Alan Rankine of The Associates has died. We lived just around the corner and had planned to meet for coffee. RIP Alan Rankine, a beautiful soul, and condolences to his entire family,” journalist John Dingwall tweeted.

Who was Alan Rankine?

Alan Rankine and Billy Mackenzie got their start in the cabaret team Mental Torture, according to their Spotify bio. After their success, and on the eve of their first big tour, Rankine quit, causing the band to lose momentum that they never recovered.

“Fans dreamed that the dream team would come together one day to rekindle their destiny. Once or twice it almost happened, but Mackenzie’s tragic death in 1997 eliminated that possibility forever,” reads the band’s bio.