The Associates ‘Party Fears Two’

1982. There’s a theme developing here. Indulge me, I’ll get over it soon and move on. Still, you can see why ‘Ashes To Ashes’ was set in 1982. ABC, Tears For Fears, Blondie, Madness, Fun Boy Three, Soft Cell, The Jam, Motorhead… would be nice to have seen a few more leftfield choices, like The Associates.

They were a much darker and more abrasive band than the charts were used to, and it was their commercial success, which began with ‘Party Fears Two’ (pictured above), that proved to be their undoing. Of course, no one could have known at the time, but they just don’t make bands like The Associates anymore. In Billy MacKenzie they had a unique talent. Doherty is perhaps the closest we come to the same kind of flawed genius, except Billy had more talent in his little fingernail. Listen to the incomparable ‘Sulk’ album if you’re in any doubt. ‘Largely conceived in an amphetamine induced frenzy’, is how the Wikipedia entry not so delicately puts it. You can understand why the band began to unravel from then on.

Following the death of his mother, MacKenzie tragically committed suicide in 1997, aged just 39. He had been suffering from clinical depression. His magnificent solo album, ‘Beyond The Sun’, album still gets a regular outing at rippingvinyl towers. His distinctive voice remains unique, he should have been a massive, massive star. Long may his music live on.

footnote: ‘Ashes To Ashes’ Season Two finale has just aired in the UK – as the big set piece kicks off we are (finally) treated to The Associates with a bit of ‘Club Country’. Magnificent stuff and light years apart from anything else on the show. I can sleep easy now.

More hear…

- At the time of his death, pretty much the entire Associates back cat had been deleted, not an expression you hear too much these days. Since then, his estate has worked to ensure his music isn’t forgotten and almost everything has been re-released.

We’d recommend…
- ‘Singles’ (2002), buy
– ‘The Glamour Chase’ / ‘Perhaps’ (1988, released in 2002, with ‘Perhaps’ as a bonus) buy
- ‘Sulk’ (1982 – rare as hen’s teeth, hence the price) buy
- ‘Beyond the Sun’ (1997) buy