Associates

The Associates were a new wave duo founded in Dundee, Scotland in 1976 by Billy MacKenzie and Alan Rankine. Their debut single was a cover of David Bowie's Boys Keep Swinging, released in June 1979 just six weeks after Bowie's original. Their ploy worked: they secured a publishing deal with Bowie's publishers and a proper record deal. By 1980 they were touring with the Cure and signed to Fiction Records, for whom they recorded the LP The Affectionate Punch. At the turn of the year they relocated to Situation Two and put out a string of singles, later compiled on the album Fourth Drawer Down, recorded using money from major labels who were expecting demos to be produced with their money. In tandem with their increasing consumption of coke and speed, the groups' music became increasingly deranged and experimental. John Murphy and Mike Dempsey (ex-The Cure) became official members.

The Associates signed with WEA in 1982. Martha Ladly joined as back-up singer. Billy and Alan immediately scored a string of UK top 20 chart hits, including Party Fears Two, which was used as the theme tune for Radio 4's satire show Week Ending. The album Sulk made the UK top 10, winning album of the year awards in the UK music press. However, the group's drug use was at a peak - Billy & Alan's behaviour was becoming somewhat erratic. On the eve of their biggest ever UK tour MacKenzie pulled out. A US deal with Island was consequentially lost. Deciding that he couldn't continue, Alan Rankine left the group. This proved disastrous for the band's career, as they were being courted by Seymour Stein of Sire Records who soon lost interest when Mackenzie refused to tour.

Mackenzie continued to write and record music under the name Associates until 1990. The albums Perhaps, The Glamour Chase (which the record company refused to release, considering it not commercially viable) and Wild and Lonely were made during this period. However, recordings were sporadic and subsequent Associates records failed to reach the charts in the UK and sold far fewer than their early albums.

Festive Fifty Entries

 * 1982 Festive Fifty (yearly chart): 'Club Country' #55
 * 1982 Festive Fifty (yealry chart): 'Party Fears Two' =#14 with Bauhaus

Sessions

 * Number of sessions? Any commercial release of sessions?

1. Recorded: YYYY-MM-DD. First broadcast: DD Month YYYY. Repeated: DD Month YYY 2. Recorded: YYYY-MM-DD. First broadcast: DD Month YYYY. Repeated: DD Month YYY etc
 * Song title / Song Title / Song Title / Song Title
 * Song title / Song Title / Song Title / Song Title

(Please correct mistakes and add any missing info)

Other Shows Played

 * 11 August 1980: 'The Affectionate Punch (7")' (Fiction)
 * 13 August 1980: 'Transport To Central (LP-The Affectionate Punch)' (Fiction)
 * 25 March 1981: 'Tell Me Easter's On A Friday (7")' (Situation Two)
 * Peel 1981: 'Tell Me Easter's On A Friday (7")' (Situation Two)
 * 28 April 1982: 'Club Country (7")' (Associates)
 * 03 May 1982: 'Bap De La Bap (LP-Sulk)' (Associates/Beggars Banquet)
 * 03 May 1982: 'Nude Spoons (LP-Sulk)' (Associates/Beggars Banquet)
 * 03 May 1982: 'Skipping (LP-Sulk)' (Associates/Beggars Banquet)
 * 04 May 1982: 'No (LP-Sulk)' (Associates/Beggars Banquet)
 * 27 May 1982: 'Skipping (LP-Sulk)' (Associates/Beggars Banquet)
 * 28 December 1982: 'Party Fears Two (7")' (Associates/Beggars Banquet) (JP: 'Good to hear that again, I must say.')
 * 14 August 1985: 'Would I... Bounce Back (LP-The Affectionate Punch)' (Fiction)
 * 06 January 1997: 'Heart Of Glass' (Janice Long session, 8/9/85)
 * 25 February 2003: 'Nude Spoons (LP-The Radio One Sessions Volume One 1981-1983)' (Strange Fruit)