The Associates is a Scottish group formed in 1979 in Dundee and originally composed of Billy Mackenzie and Alan Rankine.
A band that stood out from the start with its – unauthorized – cover of David Bowie's title "Boys keep swinging", a cover that will not go unnoticed, far from it.
A media overexposure which allows the group to release its first album "The affectionate punch" a year later in 1980. Album which will know a nice success of esteem without being able to produce the slightest high-caliber single...
But it is especially from the year 1981 that things accelerated with the release of the single "Tell me Easter's on Friday", single which will be their first classified title. Followed by few "Q quarters" which will go even stronger than its predecessor.
New album "Sulk" the following year in 1982, album which will offer the group the biggest success of all its discography on the album side. Album that will produce the 2 flagship singles "Party fears two" and "Club country".
Rankine will surprisingly leave the group in the wake and it is therefore in a somewhat reworked form that the group releases their new album "Perhaps" three years later in 1985. Album which will mainly produce the single "Breafast".
Two other albums will be released later but will only experience a limited level of success...
Discography (among others…) :
Boys keep swinging 1979
The affectionate punch 1980
Tell me Easter's on Friday 1981
Kites 1981
Q quarters 1981
Kitchen person 1981
A 1981
Message oblique speech 1981
White car in Germany 1981
Party fears two 1982
Club country 1982
18 carat love affair 1982
A matter of gender 1982
Those first impressions 1984
Waiting for the loveboat 1984
Breakfast 1985
Take me to the girl 1985
Heart of glass 1988
Country boy 1988
Fever 1990
Fire to ice 1990
Just can't say goodbye 1991
Clips :
1979...a first title that rhymes with an unauthorized cover of David Bowie's title released a few months earlier. Daring bet, risky bet but successful bet because this revisited version will not go unnoticed...
1980... the buzz created on the previous title did not benefit them paradoxically. They fall back into the most complete anonymity on this title and they will therefore have to redouble their efforts to come back into the light...
1981... the efforts ended up paying off because they were going to get their first hit here, admittedly, on a small scale, but it's still better than nothing as they say...
1981... the group relapses directly behind unfortunately. A yoyo effect that does not really go in the direction of a serene and well-orchestrated career...
1981... suddenly it works, suddenly it doesn't. We therefore imagine that if the previous title has passed under the radar, this one will therefore know an already more favorable destiny …
1981...for the moment we cannot say that their sound is intended for the general public. They will therefore have to work on it a minimum if they want to move on to the next level...
1981...another title that will go under the radar. The production of titles is plethoric in this year 1981 but the results are very variable in terms of success, it is the least that one can say...
1981...surprisingly, the less mainstream the sound, the better the title works in the Independent Charts. Strange paradox...
1981... they will produce no less than 5 titles just during this year 1981. Afterwards, the quantity will have been there, not necessarily the quality...
1982... they will finally ask themselves the right questions the following year and above all adapt their style and their sound. With the direct consequence of obtaining the biggest success of their career, just that. HU-GE !
1982...a 1982 which will undoubtedly remain as their best vintage. Everything smiles on them and each title that comes out clearly proves that they have finally overcome the level on which they have been stuck since their debut...
1982...on the other hand, they only took 3 years to join the big leagues, which is already not bad. Others will have tried and will never have succeeded...
1982 ... there will still be some 'industrial accidents' including this one. This title will go unnoticed to say the least and reminds us that success is very random...
1984...we will lose sight of them during the year 1983 and here they are again in this year 1984 in a form that we will qualify as certain. Sufficient especially to allow them to return to the race...
1984...certainly they will never find again the level of success reached during the year 1982 but they will come close to it. It's already that...
1985 ... we had not yet seen them in the Intimist register and here they are venturing there. In their own way of course, but they will have at least tried...
1985...which will surely remain as one of their most accomplished titles. Not necessarily the best ranked, which may seem surprising to say the least...
1988...we will lose sight of them again for almost 3 years and here they are playing in the luxury cover as a comeback. Taking up Blondie's flagship title dating from 1978 is a daring bet to say the least. And partly successful, partly only...
1988 ... almost every year will have its title which will pass 'through'. For the year 1988, it will be this title. There had to be one...
1990...a successful passage to the next decade with a return to the Charts which will allow them to continue to believe in the future. And us with them...
1990...especially since they achieved their first success here in the United States, which was remarkable to say the least. That's for the good news. The bad news is that it will be the group's last major hit...
1991...an adventure that will go no further than this title. Too bad because the group was in a positive dynamic to say the least. Sometimes you don't have to try to understand...
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