MUSIC: I'll Sing Like Billy MacKenzie in Heaven

Today marks the 17th anniversary of the death of The Associates singer Billy MacKenzie, at age 39. He committed suicide after the recent death of his mother and his battle with depression.

Although a blip on the pop radar of '80s UK New Wave, The Associates released six gloriously loopy, lush, pretty, weird, shrill albums (three as a duo and three as a solo act under the band name). MacKenzie's voice was an operatic delight, deep and creamy or high and fluttery, much like his hero Bowie. The Associates first single was a cover of 'Boys Keep Swinging' and came out within a month of Bowie's version.

The Associates cover Bowie

They had a flash of fame in 1982 with their third album 'Sulk' (Top 10 in the UK) and two singles that charted in the top 10 and top 20 in the UK. But then on the eve of touring America for the first time, the band split.

The Associates performing 'Party Fears Two' on Top of the Pops

MacKenzie carried on under the band name for the rest of the '80s and then under his own name for most of the '90s. Although he always remained a critical darling, his albums and singles either charted poorly (the rest of the '80s) or failed to chart at all (the '90s). I'd heard about the band for ages as a teenager but only discovered them buy buying their first singles compilation, 'Popera' (1990) - an apt title.

Here is The Glamour Chase, a 45-minute doc on Billy's life in and out of music. One-time pop anomaly gone cult hero.

Years, even decades, later as part of the electronic duo Microfilm, we wrote a song about him with his name in the title (and the title of this blogpost). I imagine my limited voice achieving the range and glory of Billy in his prime. Listen: 'I'll Sing Like Billy MacKenzie in Heaven'  Additional vocals and guitar were done by Scissor Sisters' guitarist Del Marquis, in his shimmering style.

R.I.P. Billy.