Editing The Associates (band) (section)

===1989–1997: Circa and solo years===
After his fourth album was rejected and "Country Boy" single scrapped, MacKenzie signed to [[Virgin Records|AVL/Virgin]] subsidiary Circa Records, to release the fifth Associates album ''[[Wild and Lonely]]'' (the fourth studio album to be released during Billy MacKenzie's lifetime).<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/19454/associates/|title=ASSOCIATES &#124; full Official Chart History &#124; Official Charts Company|website=Officialcharts.com|access-date=16 June 2021}}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.stevepafford.com/associateshog/|title=Random Jukebox: the Associates cover Blondie's Heart of Glass|website=Stevepafford.com|date=5 September 2018|access-date=16 June 2021}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web |url=https://www.electricityclub.co.uk/the-beginners-guide-to-billy-mackenzie/ |title=A Beginner's Guide to BILLY MACKENZIE - THE ELECTRICITY CLUB |access-date=17 March 2021 |archive-date=25 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125235510/http://www.electricityclub.co.uk/the-beginners-guide-to-billy-mackenzie/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="auto3">''The Glamour Chase: The Maverick Life of Billy Mackenzie'' by Tom Doyle (published by Birlinn General {{ISBN|9781846972096}})</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://recordcollectormag.com/articles/wild-and-lonely|title=Wild and lonely|website=Recordcollectormag.com|access-date=16 June 2021}}</ref> The album was released on 24 March 1990 and was produced by Australian record producer [[Julian Mendelsohn]]. It peaked at No. 71 on the UK Albums Chart and had three singles charting in the lower parts of the UK Singles Chart with "Fever", "Fire to Ice" and "Just Can't Say Goodbye", peaking at numbers 81, 92 and 79 respectively.<ref name="auto2"/> ''[[Wild and Lonely]]'' was the last album MacKenzie recorded under the name The Associates, as from this point his releases would go out under his own name. However, recordings were sporadic and subsequent records failed to reach the UK chart and sold far fewer than their/his early albums. In 1992, MacKenzie released an electronica-influenced solo album, ''Outernational'', for Circa Records with limited success.<ref name="vvbrt" />

In 1993, MacKenzie and Rankine began working on new material together. News of an Associates revival generated hype and speculation of a tour, and the demos recorded by the two were promising. However, MacKenzie was not fully committed to the reunion and especially touring with it, so Associates split for a final time. MacKenzie went back to his solo work, signing a deal with [[Nude Records]] and finding a new collaborative partner in Steve Aungle.<ref name="vvbrt">{{cite web|title=The Vinyl Villain – SATURDAY'S SCOTTISH SINGLE (Part 11)// // BTRread|url=http://www.btrtoday.com/read/the-vinyl-villain-saturdays-scottish-single-part-11/|website=Btrtoday.com}}</ref>

Rankine later became a lecturer in music at [[Stow College]] in [[Glasgow]], and worked with [[Belle and Sebastian]] on their 1996 debut album, ''[[Tigermilk]]''.