Singer Billy Mackenzie and musician Alan Rankine formed The Associates in
Dundee, Scotland in 1979. They won critical acclaim for a sound that was called
'new pop' with a mix of psychedelia, glam rock, post-punk, and electronic pop
typified by their debut single, a cover of David Bowie’s “Boys Keep Swinging.”
The single attracted interest from labels and The Associates signed with Fiction
Records. Their debut album, The Affectionate Punch, was released in 1980 and
received positive press but did not sell as well as expected. They achieved
their commercial breakthrough with the re...