Today, the 27th March, would have been Billy Mackenzie’s 66th Birthday …
… so I make no apologies for how much the ‘Track 14’ soundtrack leans on some of my favourite songs from both The Associates and Billy’s later (largely ignored) solo work.
Bjork once described Billy as, “an incredibly spontaneous and intuitive singer,” with a vocal style that was, “raw and dangerous,” and, let’s face it, there is no one better qualified to hand down such a judgement!
Hopefully therefore, a few of you will at least dip in to today’s playlist to take a listen, in memory, to that stunning voice. If you only have time for a single Mackenzie song, then I would recommend missing out the (possibly familiar) singles and going straight to my own favourite ‘Even Dogs in the Wild’ (from The Associates debut album), a song that Ian Rankin once used as a title (and plot device) for one of his Rebus novels.
For those with a bit more soundtrack stamina however, the ‘Track 14’ playlist does later broaden out to cover a more varied and eclectic collection of tunes.
There are even a few songs/artists included (as deliberately planted in the latest chapter) that potentially serve as (seasonally appropriate) ‘Easter Eggs’, giving readers a hint on how they might start to unravel the overall mystery that sits behind ‘Challenge 69’. At this stage, of course, I am not going to reveal which tracks they are!
And before I go, I will leave the last word on our angelic voiced (much missed) Birthday boy to Morrissey. To quoting from the lyrics of The Smiths song written as their own Mackenzie tribute, “Oh William, it was really nothing!”