If talent ruled the music industry, The Associates would've been one of the most important new wave acts of the '80s. At the heart of the band was the captivating tenor of Billy MacKenzie and guitar wizardry of Alan Rankine, a combustible duo whose stars aligned just long enough for a trio of inspired art-pop LPs. Peaking commercially with Sulk in 1982, the band imploded and became MacKenzie's solo project, even though the twosome almost got back together in 1993. After MacKenzie's death in 1997, those reunion sessions were released in 2003 to celebrate his life and The Associates' brief legacy.