Billy MacKenzie

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Billy Mackenzie in 1985 at the Dundee University Student Union

William MacArthur "Billy" MacKenzie (in some sources also Billy Mackenzie ; born March 27, 1957 in Dundee , Scotland , † January 22, 1997 in Auchterhouse , Scotland) was a Scottish singer with a noticeably high tenor voice . He became known as a member of the band Associates and as a guest singer for Yello , BEF and other artists. On January 22, 1997, MacKenzie died of a prescription drug overdose at the age of 39 .

life and work

Billy MacKenzie grew up in the Scottish city of Dundee. In 1976 he met the guitarist Alan Rankine . Their musical collaboration resulted in the first single under the band name Associates in 1979 , a cover version of David Bowie's top 10 hit Boys Keep Swinging . This was followed by more singles and two studio albums by the band, before the breakthrough came in 1982 with the single Party Fears Two and Sulk, the most commercially successful album, was released. At the height of her success, Rankine left the band, even before the Sulk tour . MacKenzie continued to write songs for the Associates until 1990 , which resulted in several more albums and initially unreleased works. He also worked as a guest singer, including from 1987 to 1992 for the Swiss band Yello .

In 1992 MacKenzie released his first solo album called Outernational . He worked with Rankine again in 1993 and there were rumors that the Associates would reunite. But when Rankine and the record company asked MacKenzie to abandon his other musical projects, MacKenzie canceled. Instead, he continued to work with his new partner, Steve Aungle, without being able to build on his old successes. In 1995 MacKenzie was practically bankrupt. He signed a contract with Nude Records for a second solo album. Before this could be completed, MacKenzie, who suffered increasingly from depression after the death of his mother , took his own life. The album was using Simon Raymonde ( Cocteau Twins completed) and 1997 posthumously under the name Beyond The Sun published.

MacKenzie's friend Paul Haig ( Josef K ) released an album of their joint works from the previous years under the name Haig / MacKenzie: Memory Place in 1999 . The 2001 released album Eurocentric is a compilation of MacKenzie's recordings from 1992 to 1996 with Steve Aungle. Along with other previously unreleased works, two more compilations appeared on the Transmission Impossible and Auchtermatic albums in 2004 .

obituary

The Cure dedicated a song to MacKenzie called Cut here in 2001 , which was released in the same year as a single and as part of the best-of album Greatest Hits . Front man Robert Smith worked on the last encounter with his former friend.

Discography

With associates

Solo albums

  • 1992: Outernational (Circa; re-released in 2006 with 3 bonus tracks , 2013 with 4 bonus tracks on Cherry Red)
  • 1997: Beyond The Sun (Nude)
  • 1999 with Paul Haig: Memory Palace (Rhythm Of Life; re-released in 2005 with 4 bonus tracks on One Little Indian )
  • 2001 with Steve Aungle: Eurocentric (Rhythm Of Life)
  • 2004: Auchtermatic (One Little Indian; compilation with previously unpublished works)
  • 2004: Transmission Impossible (One Little Indian; compilation with previously unpublished works)

As a guest singer

Only appearances as main singer with selected, well-known artists are listed here. He worked on many other works, including as a background singer and lyricist.

  • 1982: BEF - Music of Quality & Distinction Volume 1 in Secret Life Of Arabia and It's Over
  • 1987: Yello - One Second in Moon On Ice 1
  • 1987: Yello - limited edition of the maxi single The Rhythm Divine 1 (originally with Shirley Bassey )
  • 1991: Yello - Baby in Capri Calling
  • 1991: BEF - Music of Quality & Distinction Volume 2 in Free
  • 1997: Apollo Four Forty - Electro Glide in Blue in Pain In Any Language 1
1 Text written by Billy MacKenzie

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Billy MacKenzie: Biography. In: discogs.com. Retrieved April 17, 2013 .
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g Billy Mackenzie: Biography. In: allmusic.com. Retrieved April 17, 2013 .
  3. ^ Haig * / MacKenzie * - Memory Palace. Retrieved January 13, 2018 .
personal data
SURNAME MacKenzie, Billy
ALTERNATIVE NAMES MacKenzie, William MacArthur; Mackenzie, Billy
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Scottish singer with a noticeably high tenor voice
DATE OF BIRTH March 27, 1957
PLACE OF BIRTH Dundee , Scotland
DATE OF DEATH January 22, 1997
Place of death Auchterhouse , Scotland