Aztec Camera
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| Aztec Camera | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Glasgow, Scotland |
| Genre(s) | Indie Pop New Wave Alternative Rock |
| Years active | 1981 - 1995 |
| Label(s) | Postcard, Rough Trade, Sire, WEA |
| Associated acts | Roddy Frame |
Aztec Camera was a Scottish New Wave music band from Glasgow. Although generally considered to be borne out of the post-punk movement, Aztec Camera's music is mostly acoustic oriented and might be better described as guitar based indie pop.
Contents |
[edit] History
The band's line-up changed numerous times in its first few years. The constant member has been guitarist / vocalist / singer-songwriter Roddy Frame. Founding members included Campbell Owens (bass) and Dave Mulholland (drums). Craig Gannon was a member from 1983 to 1984. Guitarist Malcolm Ross (formerly of Josef K and Orange Juice) joined the band in 1984, and played on the Knife album. By the time of their third album, Love (1987), Roddy Frame was the only de facto member of the band: this and future albums credited to Aztec Camera were actually performed by Frame and studio musicians hired on a track-by-track basis.
The band's first UK 7" single was released by Glasgow-based indie label Postcard Records in March 1981, and contained the songs "Just Like Gold" and "We Could Send Letters". An acoustic version of the latter song appeared on the influential C81 compilation cassette, released by NME in early 1981. A second single, "Mattress Of Wire", was also the last Postcard Records release before the group signed for fellow independent record label, Rough Trade. US releases were on Sire Records.
Aztec Camera's debut album, High Land, Hard Rain, was released in April 1983. The album was successful, gathering significant critical acclaim for its well-crafted, multi-layered pop. The band went on to release a total of six albums, although most of these were essentially written and played by Frame. The albums included Knife (1984), Love (1987), Stray (1990), Dreamland (1993) and Frestonia (1995).
After the release of Aztec Camera's sixth album, Frestonia, Frame finally decided to record under his own name, and left the major record label, WEA.
Popular songs by Aztec Camera include "Oblivious", "Still On Fire", "Walk Out to Winter", "Somewhere in My Heart", and "Good Morning Britain" (a duet with former The Clash guitarist Mick Jones). "Somewhere in My Heart", the second single from Love, remains their biggest hit, reaching #3 on the UK Singles Chart.
A 'Best of' collection was released in 1999.
[edit] Musicians
Roddy Frame - Guitar / Harmonica / Vocals (1981-1995)
- Bass
- Campbell Owens (1981-1985, 1990)
- Will Lee (1987)
- Paul Powell (1990-1993)
- Gary Tibbs (1993)
- Yolanda Charles (1995)
- Guitar
- Craig Gannon (1983-1984)
- Malcolm Ross (1984)
- Keyboards
- Bernie Clarke (1981-1983)
- Rob Mounsey (1987)
- Gary Sanctuary (1990-1993)
- Mark Edwards (1995)
- Drums
- Dave Mulholland (1981-1983)
- Dave Ruffy (1984-1985)
- Steve Jordan (1987)
- Frank Tontoh (1990)
- David Palmer (1993)
- Jeremy Stacey (1995)
[edit] Other musicians
- Paul Carrack - Keyboards (1990)
- Edwyn Collins - Guitar / Vocals (1990)
- Mick Jones - Guitar / Vocals (1990)
- Steve Sidelnyk - Percussion (1990-1993)
- Victor Bailey - Bass (1993)
- Barry Finclair - Violin (1993)
- Sylvia Mason-James - Vocals (1993)
- Romero Lubambo - Guitar (1993)
- Vivian Sessoms - Vocals (1993)
- Naná Vasconcelos - Percussion (1993)
- Sue Dench - Strings (1995)
- Claudia Fontaine - Vocals (1995)
- Leo Payne - Strings (1995)
- Audrey Riley - Strings (1995)
- Chris Tombling - Strings (1995)
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio albums
- High Land, Hard Rain (1983)
- Knife (1984)
- Love (1987)
- Stray (1990)
- Dreamland (1993)
- Frestonia (1995)
[edit] Compilations
- The Best of Aztec Camera (1999)
[edit] EPs
- Aztec Camera (1985) - A 10" US only release featuring a cover of Van Halen's "Jump", plus 4 tracks recorded live at the Dominion Theatre, 10/84
[edit] Singles
| Year | Single | UK singles | UK indie | U.S. Modern Rock | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | "Just Like Gold" | - | 10 | - | - |
| 1981 | "Mattress of Wire" | - | 8 | - | - |
| 1982 | "Pillar to Post" | - | 4 | - | High Land, Hard Rain |
| 1983 | "Oblivious" | 47 | 1 | - | High Land, Hard Rain |
| 1983 | "Walk Out to Winter" | 64 | 3 | - | High Land, Hard Rain |
| 1983 | "Oblivious" (re-issue) | 18 | - | - | High Land, Hard Rain |
| 1984 | "All I Need Is Everything" / "Jump" | 34 | - | - | Knife |
| 1984 | "Still on Fire" | 83 | - | - | Knife |
| 1987 | "Deep & Wide & Tall" | 55 | - | - | Love |
| 1988 | "How Men Are" | 25 | - | - | Love |
| 1988 | "Somewhere in My Heart" | 3 | - | - | Love |
| 1988 | "Working in a Goldmine" | 31 | - | - | Love |
| 1990 | "The Crying Scene" | 70 | - | 3 | Stray |
| 1990 | "Good Morning Britain" | 19 | - | 12 | Stray |
| 1992 | "Spanish Horses" | 52 | - | - | Dreamland |
| 1993 | "Dream Sweet Dreams" | 67 | - | - | Dreamland |
| 1993 | "Birds" | - | - | - | Dreamland |
| 1995 | "Sun" | - | - | - | Frestonia |
[edit] See also
- List of Scottish musicians
- List of New Wave bands and artists
- List of British pop musicians of the 1980s
- Indie pop
- Indie rock
- Alternative rock
[edit] References
- ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums, 19th, London: Guinness World Records Limited, p. 35. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
