The Glamour Chase

Tom Doyle

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This biography celebrates the ups and downs of the career of musician Billy MacKenzie.Billy MacKenzie was found dead, at his father's home in Scotland, on 22nd January 1997. He was 39 and had taken an overdose of prescribed sleeping pills. MacKenzie was a maverick figure within the music industry, but his wild and mischievous spirit probably did him more harm than good in the end. As lead singer of the Associates, gifted with an operatic voice and a talent that seemed somehow otherwordly, Billy MacKenzie - together with his partner Alan Rankine - enjoyed a handful of top 20 hits in 1982. At the height of their success however, MacKenzie and Rankine split, chiefly owing to Billy's reluctance to tour.Over the following years, MacKenzie gained a reputation for his unhinged working methods, generous spirit and knack of squandering large amounts of record comapny money. His unique voice attracted the attention of Shirley Bassey, for whom he wrote "The Rhythm Divine", and U2's Bono. In the tradition of Scott Walker, Syd Barrett and Nick Drake, MacKenzie's tale is one of thwarted talent. The author of this biography has conducted more than 50 new interviews with MacKenzie's family, friends and colleagues, and has also researched a number of rare and unpublished interviews. He also includes his own personal friendship with Billy.