As 2022 ended with the sad news that the godmother of punk, Vivienne Westwood, had died at the age of 81 - so the losses in the music world are already mounting.
In the last two days we have lost two men from very different genres, but both who were part of bands that made an impact.
Alan Rankine
Neither Alan Rankine nor his band The Associates, who we formed in Dundee in 1979 with the late, great Billy McKenzie, were perhaps household names, but the band's legacy and Rankine's association with other great Scottish bands, has left an indelible mark on the musical map.
He recorded three albums with the band and was a part of their one big hit, Party Fears Two, which centred around McKenzie's distinctive vocal style, and made the Top10 in 1982. Rankine left the band soon after that and before the tour for the parent album, Sulk.
As well as releasing three solo albums, he also worked as a producer for a number of bands, including Cocteau Twins and the Pale Fountains. He also worked as a college lecturer for a while at Stow College in Glasgow - encouraging the students to set up their own record label, Electric Honey, which saw the launch of bands like Belle & Sebastian, Snow Patrol and Biffy Clyro.
Writer, Grant McPhee, 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."
His sons, Hamish and Callum, announced the news of his passing on his Facebook page, saying that he was a "beautiful, kind, and loving man who will be sorely missed."
Party Fears Two: https://youtu.be/wGtw9_XeIss
Fred White
And yesterday we learnt of the passing of Fred White, drummer with funk, soul legends, Earth, Wind & Fire. The band has been formed in 1970 by his older brothers, Maurice (half-brother) and Verdine - and by the time Fred joined the band in 1974, he had already had stints drumming in the Chicago clubs for the likes of Donny Hathaway and Little Feat.
He would drum with the band for the next decade, until they went on hiatus in 1984. He would drum on eight albums, from 1975's That's The Way Of The World, through to 1983's Electric Universe - including the smash hits, Shining Star, Boogie Wonderland and After The Love Has Gone.
In an Instagram post announcing news of his brother's passing, Verdine said, "Our family is saddened today with the loss of an amazing and talented family member, our beloved brother Frederick Eugene 'Freddie' White," and that Fred was a wonderful brother who was "always entertaining and delightfully mischievous. We could always count on him to make a seemingly bad situation more light hearted! He will live in our hearts forever, rest in power beloved Freddie!"
Lenny Kravitz said, "I was blessed to have been in his presence and blessed to have been influenced by him. A true king. Rest in power."
Boogie Wonderland: https://youtu.be/god7hAPv8f0
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