Alan Rankine, founding member of the Associates, dies aged 64

Alan Rankine, the Scottish musician and record producer best known as keyboardist and guitarist for rock band the Associates, has died.

His sons Callum and Hamish Rankine announced the 64-year-old’s death on Tuesday, January 3.

“He died peacefully at home shortly after spending Christmas with his family,” they said in a statement.

“He was a beautiful, kind and loving man who will be sorely missed.”

Rankine’s sons said his Facebook page would be kept live and invited people to celebrate his life on it because the “community meant a lot to our dad”.

Born in Bridge of Allan, Stirlingshire, Rankine began his career with the cabaret band Caspian, which would become the Associates with singer Billy Mackenzie – who died in 1997 aged 39.

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 and went on to establish himself as a producer, working with artists such as Paul Haig and the Cocteau Twins.

In 1986, he embarked on a solo career recording three albums on independent Belgian record label Les Disques du Crépuscule.

The label paid tribute to Rankine describing him as a “writer, musician and producer extraordinaire, and in The Associates one half of the finest pop band of the 1980s”.

Later, Rankine lectured at Stow College in Glasgow where he helped students set up their own record label, Electric Honey, which went on to launch the careers of bands such as Belle and Sebastian, Snow Patrol and Biffy Clyro.

Broadcast Vic Galloway said Rankine’s death was “unbelievably sad news”.

A former student of Rankine’s at Stow College said the lecturer was “a good laugh and had loads of very rock and roll stories about the shenanigans that him and Billy Mackenzie used to get up to back in the old days”.

BMX Bandits songwriter and lead vocalist Duglas T Stewart paid tribute to Rankine.

“Very sad news today that Alan Rankine has died,” he wrote on Twitter.

“I first became aware of Alan through The Associates and later got to know him a little.

“Sending love to his family and all who loved him.”

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