The Associates Then: Billy MacKenzie and Alan Rankine were vetrans of several local bands before forming the Associates in 1979. After a few false starts with a minor record labels, they formed their own label distributed by Sire/WEA Records. It seemed that was all they needed when "Party Fears Two" crashed into the UK Top 10 in March of 1982. That same year Rankine would leave to pursue another musical direction. Two other Top 30 hits followed as the Mackenzie pursued other side projects and wouldn't see the band recording until 1984. This was followed by low album sales . The Associates had become an occasional group functioning around MacKenzie and reconvened for 1990's Wild And Lonely. Now: Vocalist Billy MacKenzie, after dealing with the depression following the loss of his mother, was took his own life in his parents home January 23rd, 1997. Post-humous material was released under the CD title Beyond The Sun.