Sad News: Famous The musician and producer Alan Rankine,aged 64, co-founder of acclaimed Scottish band The Associates,has been confirmed…It is with heavy heart that we announced the sad news as he’s confirmed to be……Read More

Rankine’s sons Callum and Hamish confirmed the news on the guitarist and keyboard player’s Facebook page.

They said their father died peacefully at home shortly after spending Christmas with his family.

Rankine formed the Associates, whose biggest hit was Party Fears Two, with singer Billy Mackenzie in Dundee in 1979.

They released three albums before Rankine left the band in 1982.
His sons said their father was a “beautiful, kind, and loving man who will be sorely missed.”

They said his social media account would be kept open for friends and fans to celebrate his life.Director Grant McPhee, who featured Rankine in his 2015 Scottish post-punk documentary Big Gold Dream, said the musician was a “true one-off maverick genius.”

He told BBC Scotland: “He had an innate understanding of feel for a project, which can be clearly heard in the wonderful music he made.

“He also is probably the most naturally-gifted musician I’ve ever had the pleasure to speak to, and certainly one of the all-time greats.

“Kindness is a skill that is rare and Alan had that in abundance to his prodigious musical and storytelling talents.”