Party fears two stopped me in my tracks when I first heard it as a 13 year old staying at my grannies for the weekend. It was belting out of her downstair neighbour’s bedroom window. When it was finished I ran down and asked him to play it again. We became firm music pals going to concerts. The 80’s was a great time to be a young music fan. I was sad to hear of Alan’s passing, I’ve always enjoyed listening to his interviews. He had a beautiful speaking voice as well as being a talented musician. 😢
Incredible that they knew it was special and had the patience and intelligence to hold it back until the right time. Alan was a unique and extremely talented musician. And seems like he was an absolute hoot as well. Gone far too soon.
Listen to it probably once a year and it's always stirring ,it always makes the hairs stand on end , it's the emotion in Billy's voice, I know it's a cliche but it's the soundtrack of our lives.
I remember the review of this single in Record Mirror at the time: "This pisses on every other release from a very great height." (apparently Alan shagged the reviewer to get that 🙊). Also, every record shop here in Edinburgh sold it cheap to help it get up the charts! It remains one of the best songs of *any* decade.
This song along with Club Country and 18 Carat Love affair define my young life in the 80s...Many Thanks Alan for this...Just heard the news Alan passed away Jan 2023. R.I.P Alan Rankin.
One of the top 5 bands ever.....pure genius.....was so glad to have been there.....thanks so much Alan.....really appreciate this.....we miss all of you ❤️ 💙
I first heard this on late night radio (Peel show?) working in my garage. I stopped everything because I could not believe my ears and knew I had to own this music.
Its a brilliant song one of my favourite. Ever. I remembered it from my childhood and it took me AGES to find out who wrote it. I love Billy's kind of abstract howling at the end. Yes. That will stick with me forever that song.
So this song was made 1977 thats just even cooler..i heard this song first time in 2022 and i emidiately knew this was something else..iv bin listening to it non stop for 48 hrs.. especially the ending over and over.
Brilliant. Their choruses were always like nothing else. Shouldn't have worked but verging on genius for my money. The piano riff on this track is sheer joy.
Thank you times a million for uploading this! God bless Alan, but the only thing missing is the incomparable, matchless, four-octave voice of Billy Mackenzie. Now singing with a choir of angels......
Just superb listening and memories! I fell in love from that first moment on TOTP. Obsessed! To this day, not a day goes by that I don’t listen to an Associates / Billy Mackenzie song. Pure genius! 🙏💚🙏💚🙏💚🙏
Iconic still, no wonder it was only released when the time was right. Whatever the generation I bet when the first hear The Associates they think "Wow"!
i love them both and did then. I had the associates album then in the 80s. I rated them as a great band and refreshing too. Yes new wave fitted these. I got a perm and danced to club country. im sorry Billy died. But Alan you were the talent Billy turned to so keep doing. RIP Billy
Life pierces us with its strange relation... I was one of the band's biggest fans circa 1977, when they were called Caspian and played prog rock covers in Edinburgh pubs, not least Nicky Tam's. The Associates, I'm sorry say, completely passed me by and I only began putting two and two together recently when I saw a video of Billy Mackenzie from the early 80s and thought he looked vaguely familiar. Alan (wasn't his nickmake Black Boab?) was easily the best guitarist I'd heard play live at that point in my teenage life and the band (I think: it's a long time ago now) did an astonishingly good cover of Pink Floyd's Time. I was smitten - and I went weak at the knees when Alan nodded to me one time in NIcky Tam's before a gig. Mackenzie's solo party piece back then was an unaccompanied song called Blue Soap. I have to confess - I didn't much care for it...
A "stand out track" from when I used to travel into Manchester on the way to a night out at 16/17. Absolute class! Respect to Andy & Billy for creating a masterpiece and a part of my life.
Thank you for your breakdown of Party Fears... It was really intriguing to see your creative process, and just simply listen to you thoughts and experiences of your time. Party Fears two is one of thise exquisite and moving ballads of an era that stays in one's memory. 👍🏽🤝🏽🤗🖤❤💚💛👏
Im not very nostalgic for old childhood stuff, childhood wasnt a good time for me, much like adulthood to be honest but there are certain 80's songs that take me back to that time when, although very unhappy, i still had hope and dreams. Party fears two is one of those songs. The sound of Billy Mckenzie's voice, the music the lyrics. Just such depth and honesty. Im suprised more people dont seem to remember the song. This is a lovely video seeing how the song emerged and developed. Is there a long version of the interview? Edit: just found the other bits of interview!
