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 otherworldly, 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 accompany 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.
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Amazon Review
Billy Mackenzie was unique. Blessed with an extraordinary voice, which shifted effortlessly from bass blues to falsetto diva posturing, the Dundee-born Mackenzie fronted the Associates' early 80s series of archly literature, miraculously melodious hit singles and a classic album, Sulk. But the success collapsed, and saving a few scattered moments of genius, Mackenzie fell into obscurity. When news broke in January 1997 that he had killed himself days before his 40th birthday, most people had long forgotten he was alive.
Tom Doyle is a Dundee lad himself who first met Mackenzie in his teens. From a plethora of interviews, he has fashioned a fascinatingly intimate account of Billy's rise and fall. Although print can never capture that voice, Doyle depicts Mackenzie as good old-fashioned genius: temperamental and perfectionist to the point of neurosis. Doyle recreates some marvellous moments, such as Mackenzie's first television appearance, and his encounter with Shirley Bassey, who recorded his The Rhythm Divine. But the lasting impression is one of chaos and waste--of one of music's most idiosyncratic talents thrown away by a recording industry that had not the faintest idea what to do with him. Hopefully Doyle's book will get Mackenzie back in the public eye--and his long out-of-print oeuvre back in the record shops. --Alan Stewart --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
'An affectionate portrait and incredibly well informed. A fine epitaph for an extraordinary character and talent.' --Record Collector
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Tom Doyle's book about Billy Mackenzie is the greatest rock n roll story ever told. Except that it's not really about rock n roll. It's got nothing to do with sex and drugs or throwing TVs out of hotel windows. Billy's biography is a hugely funny, strangely innocent, ultimately tragic family story.
He was the handsome, charismatic, mischievous frontman of 80s Scottish pop band The Associates. Looking like a cross between Johnny Depp and Mickey Rourke, Mackenzie had a voice that could scale three octaves and still burst a microphone with its power.
Not surprisingly, everybody - including Warner Records - thought Billy would go on to become a global mega-star. And s a young man, he did really, really wanted to be a pop star and he loved music. But, most of all, he loved his family... he loved his whippets... and he loved a laugh.
Mackenzie was an unusual guy, with an irrepressible sense of humour. He was a
charmer from a tough, 'rag-and-bone trade' background. And he'd been an athlete at
school. So, he could handle himself in a business deal, or indeed a punch-up.
The one story most people know about Mackenzie is how he was eventually 'let go' by
Warners. They'd invested a fortune in him. He'd given them a few hits, given the A&R
man assigned to look after him a nervous breakdown, pulled heaps of scams, stunts and
gags on them. And though he never owned up, he had probably pinched the master
tapes to one of his own albums - which are still missing.
And even when Warners finally had had enough, they still liked him. So they took him to
lunch to tell him the bad news: he was being 'dropped'. As they were leaving Billy said to
Max Hole, their A&R man: 'Don't look so sad Max." And Max asked "Will you be alright?
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
There has been much purple prose written about the music of Billy Mackenzie and the Associates - about his operatic voice, his cheeky demeanour, his insatiable lust for life...but most of it came after his untimely death. By the time he died Billy was forgotten by the mainstream music press...but some of us remembered him, willing him back into the charts where he belonged.Tom Doyle's book is a masterclass in how music biographies should be written - Billy is in turn funny and frustrating, inspiring and infuriating.Tales of excess and largesse reveal a complicated man driven by fame but endlessly pulling away from it.Record company indifference and the clamour for commercial success contribute to him being marginalised at the fringes of the music biz but in the end Billy was master of his own destiny and perhaps the most telling passage comes when he's engaged in conversation with a former bandmate Steve Knight telling him how everybody is prophesising big things for him ''But I'm not gonna do it, I'm just gonna throw it all away''. Read this book , buy yourself a copy of Sulk and remember him.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By M. A. Serlin
Format:Paperback
Tom Doyle is a gifted writer. His research is thorough and he manages to remain objective even while it is clear that he was a big fan of Billy's. He writes with humour and compassion and once I'd started reading this fascinating and tragic account of one of the greatest pop stars who never was I couldn't put it down till I reached the end; at which point I had to find some Associates tracks and read it again!
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Tom Doyle's book about Billy Mackenzie is the greatest rock n roll story ever told. Except that it's not really about rock n roll. It's got nothing to do with sex and drugs or throwing TVs out of hotel windows. Billy's biography is a hugely funny, strangely innocent, ultimately tragic family story.
He was the handsome, charismatic, mischievous frontman of 80s Scottish pop band The Associates. Looking like a cross between Johnny Depp and Mickey Rourke, Mackenzie had a voice that could scale three octaves and still burst a microphone with its power.
Not surprisingly, everybody - including Warner Records - thought Billy would go on to become a global mega-star. And as a young man, he did really, really wanted to be a pop star and he loved music. But, most of all, he loved his family... he loved his whippets... and he loved a laugh.
Mackenzie was an unusual guy, with an irrepressible sense of humour. He was a charmer from a tough, 'rag-and-bone trade' background. And he'd been an athlete at school. So, he could handle himself in a business deal, or indeed a punch-up.
The one story most people know about Mackenzie is how he was eventually 'let go' by Warners. They'd invested a fortune in him. He'd given them a few hits, given the A&R man assigned to look after him a nervous breakdown, pulled heaps of scams, stunts and gags on them. And though he never owned up, he had probably pinched the master tapes to one of his own albums - which are still missing.
And even when Warners finally had had enough, they still liked him. So they took him to lunch to tell him the bad news: he was being 'dropped'. As they were leaving Billy said to Max Hole, their A&R man: 'Don't look so sad Max." And Max asked "Will you be alright?" And Mackenzie replied "Yeah.
... Read more ›6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By Julie D
Format:Paperback
Given the passion felt by fans like me towards the subject of 'The Glamour Chase', this book would have been a tall order for any writer as so much is expected. At the risk of seeming to be a lone voice, I don't believe Tom Doyle is a great writer though his credentials in terms of having met and come from the same town as MacKenzie and gone on to become a contributing editor to Q and a contributor to Mojo, The Times and The Guardian are undeniable. How I would loved to have seen Paul Morley, Nick Kent or Charles Shaar Murray's take on the life of Billy MacKenzie. Equally, I don't believe this review will deter any ardent fan - or even anyone justifiably keen to find out more about MacKenzie - from buying this book. It is essential reading but largely due to the fact that there is so little else out there and I was delighted to see it reprinted in 2011 as I'd waited a long time to read it after missing its original 1998 publication.
For a writer with Doyle's credentials, I was left disappointed. I feel that more research and interviews with those closely connected with Billy would have made for a book which truly soared - much like the voice, deep and gorgeous and semi-operatic. I would have liked to see more of Alan Rankine's takes on things; surely he would have had much to contribute as Billy's former Associate? There are more tantalising facts in 'The Glamour Chase' than you can shake a diamante encrusted stick at. I was fascinated and intrigued by the boutique MacKenzie opened in Dundee funded by his father which ultimately folded. I was dismayed that Doyle had not thought to pursue this story in more detail - Dundee cannot have been awash with boutiques and Dundee residents of a certain age must have memories of the place and the proprietor.... Read more ›
For a writer with Doyle's credentials, I was left disappointed. I feel that more research and interviews with those closely connected with Billy would have made for a book which truly soared - much like the voice, deep and gorgeous and semi-operatic. I would have liked to see more of Alan Rankine's takes on things; surely he would have had much to contribute as Billy's former Associate? There are more tantalising facts in 'The Glamour Chase' than you can shake a diamante encrusted stick at. I was fascinated and intrigued by the boutique MacKenzie opened in Dundee funded by his father which ultimately folded. I was dismayed that Doyle had not thought to pursue this story in more detail - Dundee cannot have been awash with boutiques and Dundee residents of a certain age must have memories of the place and the proprietor.... Read more ›
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
William, it was really something........
As a massive fan of The Associates and indeed Billy Mackenzie this book is just brilliant!!
Their songs were very much part of the 'soundtrack to my life'.. Read more
Their songs were very much part of the 'soundtrack to my life'.. Read more
Published 2 months ago by punky
5.0 out of 5 stars
McKenzie biography
Fantastic book a pleasure reading about golden years with Associates and one of the most influencing band of the eighties. Good price and fast delivery from amazon. Thanks!!
Published 4 months ago by Giova
5.0 out of 5 stars
What a Star
What a truely amazing read.
Anyone who remembers Billy and the Associates will love this book so much.
Anyone who remembers Billy and the Associates will love this book so much.
Published on 30 Aug 2010 by Michael Healy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Billy Mackenzie - the man behind the music
This book is written well and is very accurate regarding events, dates, places, names of people, names of songs etc.As Billy was my all time favorite singer I was dying to read it. Read more
Published on 6 Dec 2009 by hidden jewels
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