Alan Rankine

Alan Rankine (17 May 1958 – 3 January 2023) was a Scottish musician and record producer best known as keyboardist and guitarist for rock band the Associates, which he co-founded with lead vocalist Billy Mackenzie in the late 1970s.

Early life

Alan Rankine was born in Bridge of Allan, Stirlingshire. He lived in "the posh part of Dundee" until around the age of 11, followed by Glasgow and then Linlithgow. His father, Jim Rankine, was a school inspector and his mother was a secretary. As a youth, he was a national-level tennis player, but as racket technology developed, he knew that he was too short (5ft 8in/1.73 m) to continue competing. After he heard the guitar sound in "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum, he said, "I want that". Once Rankine stopped playing tennis, he practised the guitar up to five or six hours a day.

Career

Rankine began his career with the cabaret band Caspian, which became the Associates.Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, , p. 473 Together they recorded three albums: '' The Affectionate Punch'' (1980), the singles compilation ''Fourth Drawer Down'' (1981) and '' Sulk'' (1982). Rankine left the band in 1982 on the eve of what would have been the Sulk tour.

While Mackenzie continued with other associates, Rankine established himself as a producer, working with artists such as Paul Haig, Cocteau Twins, and the Pale Fountains. He signed a recording contract with Belgian label Les Disques du Crépuscule in 1986 and embarked on a solo career. He recorded three solo studio albums: ''The World Begins to Look Her Age'' (1986), ''She Loves Me Not'' (1987), and the fully instrumental ''The Big Picture Sucks'' (1989).

Rankine later worked as a lecturer in Stow College in Glasgow until 2010, when he left to return to music production. While working as a lecturer he helped students to set up their own inhouse record label Electric Honey, which went on to launch the careers of bands such as Belle and Sebastian, Snow Patrol and Biffy Clyro.

Death

Rankine died on 3 January 2023, at the age of 64.Alan Rankine, founding member of the Associates, dies aged 64
''STV News''. Retrieved on 3 January 2023. The musician died peacefully in his home after spending Christmas with his family.

Solo discography

Albums

* ''The World Begins to Look Her Age'' (1986), Les Disques du Crépuscule
* ''She Loves Me Not'' (1987), Virgin/Les Disques du Crépuscule
* ''The Big Picture Sucks'' (1989), Les Disques du Crépuscule

Compilation album

* ''The Big Picture Sucks/The World Begins to Look Her Age'' (1989), Crépuscule au Japon/ JVC Victor

Singles

* "The Sandman" (1986), Les Disques du Crépuscule
* "Last Bullet" (1986), Les Disques du Crépuscule
* "Days and Days" (1987), Les Disques du Crépuscule
* "The World Begins to Look Her Age" (1987), Virgin/Les Disques du Crépuscule
* "The Sandman" (1987), Virgin/Les Disques du Crépuscule

References

External links

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1958 births
2023 deaths
The Associates (band) members
Scottish keyboardists
Scottish new wave musicians
Scottish record producers
Scottish rock guitarists
Scottish male guitarists
Scottish songwriters
Musicians from Edinburgh

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