Alan Rankine, Scottish musician and producer best known as co-founder of The Associates, has died at age 64. The news was announced by his sons Callum and Hamish on Tuesday, 3rd January, who said Rankine had died at home.
“He died peacefully at home shortly after spending Christmas with his family,” the sons wrote on Facebook, as per the BBC. “He was a beautiful, kind and loving man who will be sorely missed.”
The Associates: ‘Party Fears Two’
Rankine, a multi-instrumentalist, formed The Associates with Billy Mackenzie in 1979. They released two albums together, The Affectionate Punch in 1980, and Sulk in 1982. They also released a singles compilation, Fourth Drawer Down, in 1981. Rankine left the group not long after Sulk was released and went on to become a music producer, working with Cocteau Twins on their 1983 EP Peppermint Pig.
Rankine later released three projects as a solo artist: The World Begins to Look Her Age (1986), She Loves Me Not (1987), and the instrumental The Big Picture Sucks (1989), all of which came out through Belgian label Les Disques du Crépuscule.
Later in life, Rankine was a lecturer at Glasgow’s Stow College, and set up Electric Honey Records alongside his music business students. The label helped launch the careers of artists like Belle & Sebastian, Biffy Clyro, and Snow Patrol.
BMX Bandits singer Duglas T Stewart paid tribute to Rankine on Twitter. “Very sad news today that Alan Rankine has died,” he wrote. “I first became aware of Alan through The Associates and later got to know him a little. Sending love to his family and all who loved him.”
Further Reading
Three 6 Mafia’s Gangsta Boo Dead at 43
