Aztec Camera
Encyclopedia
Aztec Camera were a Scottish
New Wave
band
from the Glasgow
suburb of East Kilbride
, formed in 1980 and centered around teenage
singer-songwriter
, Roddy Frame
. Their album Love was among the nominations for Best British Album at the 1989 BRIT Awards.
/ vocalist
/ singer-songwriter
Roddy Frame
. Founding members included Campbell Owens (bass
) and Dave Mulholland (drums
). Craig Gannon
and Rob Cremona were members 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), 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 first appeared on a Glasgow cassette-only compilation of local unsigned bands on the Pungent Records label, affiliated with the Fumes Fanzine run by Danny Easson and John Gilhooly, who championed several Glasgow bands before they hit the big time.
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
. U.S.
releases were on Sire Records
.
Aztec Camera's debut album, High Land, Hard Rain
, was produced by John Brand and 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). In 1990, Aztec Camera contributed the song "Do I Love You?
" to the Cole Porter
tribute album "Red Hot + Blue
" produced by the Red Hot Organization
, the proceeds from which benefited AIDS
research.
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
. "Good Morning Britain" was considered to be a comeback for them, as previous single "The Crying Scene" had only reached #70 in the UK.
A 'Best of
' collection was released in 1999.
- guitar, harmonica, vocals (1981–1995)
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
from the Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
suburb of East Kilbride
East Kilbride
East Kilbride is a large suburban town in the South Lanarkshire council area, in the West Central Lowlands of Scotland. Designated as Scotland's first new town in 1947, it forms part of the Greater Glasgow conurbation...
, formed in 1980 and centered around teenage
Adolescence
Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development generally occurring between puberty and legal adulthood , but largely characterized as beginning and ending with the teenage stage...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, Roddy Frame
Roddy Frame
Roddy Frame is a Scottish singer-songwriter and musician, who was the founder of the 1980s indie band, Aztec Camera, and more recently is a solo performer.-Career:...
. Their album Love was among the nominations for Best British Album at the 1989 BRIT Awards.
History
The band's line-up changed numerous times in its first few years. The constant member has been guitaristGuitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
/ vocalist
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
/ singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Roddy Frame
Roddy Frame
Roddy Frame is a Scottish singer-songwriter and musician, who was the founder of the 1980s indie band, Aztec Camera, and more recently is a solo performer.-Career:...
. Founding members included Campbell Owens (bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) and Dave Mulholland (drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
). Craig Gannon
Craig Gannon
Craig Gannon , is an English guitar player. Previously best known for being the second guitarist in The Smiths, he is now a composer for film and television.-Career:...
and Rob Cremona were members from 1983 to 1984. Guitarist Malcolm Ross (formerly of Josef K
Josef K (band)
Josef K were a Scottish post-punk band, active between 1979 and 1982, who released singles on the Postcard Records label. The band was named after the protagonist of Franz Kafka's novel The Trial...
and Orange Juice
Orange Juice
Orange Juice was a Scottish post-punk band founded in the middle class Glasgow suburb of Bearsden as the Nu-Sonics in 1976. Edwyn Collins formed the Nu-Sonics with his school-mate Alan Duncan and was subsequently joined by James Kirk and Steven Daly, who left a band called The Machetes. The band...
) joined the band in 1984, and played on the Knife album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
. By the time of their third album, Love (1987), 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
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
musicians
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
hired on a track-by-track basis.
The band first appeared on a Glasgow cassette-only compilation of local unsigned bands on the Pungent Records label, affiliated with the Fumes Fanzine run by Danny Easson and John Gilhooly, who championed several Glasgow bands before they hit the big time.
The band's first UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
7"
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
was released by Glasgow based indie label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
Postcard Records
Postcard Records
Postcard Records is a Glasgow-based independent record label founded by Alan Horne in 1979, as a vehicle for Orange Juice and Josef K releases. The label's motto was "The Sound of Young Scotland", a parody/tribute to the Motown motto; its logo featured a cartoon cat beating a drum...
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
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
cassette
Compact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
, released by NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
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
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
, Rough Trade
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
. U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
releases were on Sire Records
Sire Records
Sire Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehrer, each investing ten thousand dollars into the new company. Its early releases as a...
.
Aztec Camera's debut album, High Land, Hard Rain
High Land, Hard Rain
High Land, Hard Rain was the debut album by jangle pop, alternative rock, new wave band Aztec Camera, released in 1983. Three tracks from the album originally appeared on the Oblivious EP which reached number 18 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1983. The album itself reached number 22 on the UK...
, was produced by John Brand and released in April 1983. The album was successful, gathering significant critical acclaim for its well-crafted, multi-layered pop
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
. 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
Knife (album)
Knife is the second album by Aztec Camera and was released in 1984. It reached number 14 on the UK Albums Chart – their highest showing at that time...
(1984), Love
Love (Aztec Camera album)
Love is the third album by Scottish group Aztec Camera, released in November 1987 on the WEA label.Love was something of a stylistic departure for the group. Various big-name producers were involved in the recording of the album which, with its radio-friendly hooks and glossy production values was...
(1987), Stray
Stray (album)
Stray is the fourth album by British group Aztec Camera, released in June 1990 on the Sire Records label.Stray was praised for its diversity of songs and styles, and for the assured nature of Roddy Frame's lyrics...
(1990), Dreamland
Dreamland (Aztec Camera album)
Dreamland is a studio album by the alternative rock band Aztec Camera, released in 1993.-Track listing:All songs written by Roddy Frame#"Birds" 4.56#"Safe in Sorrow" 4.56#"Black Lucia" 4.00#"Let Your Love Decide" 5.03#"Spanish Horses" 4.35...
(1993) and Frestonia
Frestonia (album)
Frestonia is the sixth album by British group Aztec Camera, released in November 1995 on the Reprise Records label. It is the last album to be released under the name of Aztec Camera: Roddy Frame's subsequent releases would be under his own name...
(1995). In 1990, Aztec Camera contributed the song "Do I Love You?
Do I Love You?
"Do I Love You?" is a 1939 popular song written by Cole Porter, for his musical DuBarry Was a Lady, where it was introduced by Ronald Graham and Ethel Merman.-Notable recordings:*Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook...
" to the Cole Porter
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
tribute album "Red Hot + Blue
Red Hot + Blue
Red Hot + Blue is the first in the series of compilation albums from the Red Hot Organization. The recording was the first in the Red Hot Benefit Series...
" produced by the Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
, the proceeds from which benefited AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
research.
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
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, WEA
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
.
Popular songs by Aztec Camera include "Oblivious
Oblivious (Aztec Camera song)
"Oblivious" is the fourth single by Scottish New Wave band Aztec Camera. It was released as the second single from their 1983 studio album High Land, Hard Rain. The song managed a moderate charting of #47 on the UK Singles Chart, but a re-release of the song later that same year proved even more...
", "Still On Fire", "Walk Out to Winter", "Somewhere in My Heart
Somewhere In My Heart
"Somewhere in My Heart" is the twelfth single and biggest hit by the Scottish band Aztec Camera. It was released as the third single from their 1987 studio album Love. The song was produced by Michael Jonzun and written by Roddy Frame....
", and "Good Morning Britain" (a duet
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
with former The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
guitarist Mick Jones
Mick Jones (The Clash)
Michael Geoffrey "Mick" Jones is the former lead guitarist, secondary vocalist and co-founder for the British punk rock band The Clash until his dismissal in 1983. He went on to form the band Big Audio Dynamite with Don Letts before line-up changes led to the formation of Big Audio Dynamite II and...
). "Somewhere in My Heart", the second single from Love, remains their biggest hit, reaching #3 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. "Good Morning Britain" was considered to be a comeback for them, as previous single "The Crying Scene" had only reached #70 in the UK.
A 'Best of
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
' collection was released in 1999.
Musicians
Roddy FrameRoddy Frame
Roddy Frame is a Scottish singer-songwriter and musician, who was the founder of the 1980s indie band, Aztec Camera, and more recently is a solo performer.-Career:...
- guitar, harmonica, vocals (1981–1995)
- Bass
- Campbell Owens (1981–1985, 1990)
- Will LeeWill Lee (bassist)Will Lee aka William Franklin Lee IV is an American musician and bassist, best known for his work on the CBS television program The Late Show with David Letterman as part of the CBS Orchestra....
(1987) - Paul Powell (1990–1993)
- Clare Kenny (1990–1993)
- Gary TibbsGary TibbsGary Tibbs is a bass guitarist and actor, who appeared in the film Breaking Glass, alongside Hazel O'Connor....
(1993) - Yolanda Charles (1995)
- Guitar
- Craig GannonCraig GannonCraig Gannon , is an English guitar player. Previously best known for being the second guitarist in The Smiths, he is now a composer for film and television.-Career:...
(1983–1984) - Malcolm RossMalcolm Ross (musician)Malcolm Rosss musical career started when he played guitar in the Scottish band Josef K. They released a string of singles and an album, The Only Fun in Town, on Postcard Records in the early 1980s....
(1984) - Gary Sanford (1987–1991)
- Craig Gannon
- Keyboards
- Bernie Clarke (1981–1983)
- Tony MansfieldTony MansfieldTony Mansfield, born May 28, 1943, Salford, England, is an English songwriter, musician and record producer. Mansfield was the main songwriter/producer for New Musik, a synthpop band that performed from 1979 to 1982.-References:...
(1983) - Eddie Kulak (1984–1990)
- Rob MounseyRob MounseyRob Mounsey is an award-winning composer, music producer, and musician. He was born in Berea, Ohio and grew up in Seattle, Washington and several Ohio towns. At the age of 17, he was awarded a BMI Student Composer's Award in New York. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston from 1971 to 1975...
(1987) - Gary SanctuaryGary SanctuaryGary Sanctuary is a British pianist, keyboard player, composer and in-demand session musician. He has recorded and toured with a number of well-known musicians, including Michael McDonald, George Benson, Chaka Khan, Maxi Priest, Aztec Camera, Beverley Craven, Terence Trent D'Arby, Jaki Graham,...
(1990–1993) - Mark Edwards (1995)
- Drums
- Dave Mulholland (1981–1988)
- Colin Auld (1982)
- Patrick David Hunt (1982)
- Dave Ruffy (1982–1988)
- Steve JordanSteve Jordan (musician)Steve Jordan is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, musical director and Grammy Award-winning artist, who has made a name for himself as a producer from the Bronx in New York City. A graduate of the Fiorello H...
(1987) - Dave WecklDave WecklDave Weckl is a highly acclaimed jazz fusion drummer. Weckl attended Francis Howell High School in St. Charles, MO and graduated in 1978. He majored in jazz studies at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut...
(1987) - Kevin Smith (1988)
- Frank Tontoh (1990)
- David Palmer (1993)
- Jeremy StaceyJeremy StaceyJeremy Stacey is a British drummer. His early work included the 1990s band, The Lemon Trees and Denzil...
(1995)
Other musicians
- Paul CarrackPaul CarrackPaul Carrack is an English singer, songwriter and musician. Carrack has been a member of several bands including Ace, Squeeze, Mike + The Mechanics, and Roxy Music, been a session and touring musician for several others including Nick Lowe, and has enjoyed success as a solo artist as well...
- keyboards (1990) - Edwyn CollinsEdwyn CollinsEdwyn Stephen Collins is an Ivor Novello Award winning Scottish musician, playing mostly electric guitar-driven pop. Collins formed the musical group Nu-Sonics in 1976, which later became Orange Juice...
- guitar, vocals (1990) - Mick JonesMick Jones (The Clash)Michael Geoffrey "Mick" Jones is the former lead guitarist, secondary vocalist and co-founder for the British punk rock band The Clash until his dismissal in 1983. He went on to form the band Big Audio Dynamite with Don Letts before line-up changes led to the formation of Big Audio Dynamite II and...
- guitar, vocals (1990) - Steve Sidelnyk - percussion (1990–1993)
- Ryūichi SakamotoRyuichi SakamotoAfter working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
- keyboards (1993) - Victor Bailey - bass (1993)
- Barry Finclair - violin (1993)
- Marcus MillerMarcus MillerMarcus Miller is an American jazz composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. Miller is best known as a bassist, working with trumpeter Miles Davis, singer Luther Vandross, and saxophonist David Sanborn, as well as maintaining a prolific solo career...
- bass (1987) - Sylvia Mason-JamesSylvia Mason-JamesSylvia Mason-James born in 1959 is a British singer who has worked extensively as a backing vocalist and solo artist.She started her career with the disco band Voyage in 1977....
- vocals (1993) - Romero LubamboRomero LubamboRomero Lubambo is a Brazilian jazz guitar player.Romero Lubambo started learning classic piano at a very early age...
- guitar (1993) - Vivian Sessoms - vocals (1993)
- Naná VasconcelosNaná VasconcelosNaná Vasconcelos is a Brazilian Latin jazz percussionist, vocalist and berimbau player, most notable for his works with Pat Metheny, Don Cherry, Egberto Gismonti, and Gato Barbieri....
- percussion (1993) - Sue Dench - strings (1995)
- Claudia FontaineClaudia FontaineClaudia Fontaine is a backing vocalist from Bethnal Green, London, England. She has sung with Betty Boo, Dusty Springfield, Claudia Brücken, Julia Fordham and the bands Pink Floyd and The Beatmasters...
- vocals (1995) - Leo Payne - strings (1995)
- Audrey RileyAudrey RileyAudrey Riley is a cellist and string arranger based in the UK. Riley trained at the Guildhall School of Music with Leonard Stehn and was a cellist for Virginia Astley from 1983 to 1986 and a one-time auxiliary member of The Family Cat. She has been a member of the post-minimalist band Icebreaker...
- strings (1995) - Chris Tombling - strings (1995)
- Guy FletcherGuy FletcherGuy Wilson Fletcher is an English multi-instrumentalist, best known for his position as the keyboardist in the British rock band Dire Straits from 1984 until the group's dissolution, and his involvement in nearly every part of Mark Knopfler's solo work to date.-Biography:Fletcher was born into a...
of Dire Straits (1984)
Studio albums
- High Land, Hard RainHigh Land, Hard RainHigh Land, Hard Rain was the debut album by jangle pop, alternative rock, new wave band Aztec Camera, released in 1983. Three tracks from the album originally appeared on the Oblivious EP which reached number 18 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1983. The album itself reached number 22 on the UK...
(1983) - UK Albums ChartUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#22, #154 US Billboard 200Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... - KnifeKnife (album)Knife is the second album by Aztec Camera and was released in 1984. It reached number 14 on the UK Albums Chart – their highest showing at that time...
(1984) - UK #14, Sweden #29, #188 US - LoveLove (Aztec Camera album)Love is the third album by Scottish group Aztec Camera, released in November 1987 on the WEA label.Love was something of a stylistic departure for the group. Various big-name producers were involved in the recording of the album which, with its radio-friendly hooks and glossy production values was...
(1987) - UK #10, #193 US - StrayStray (album)Stray is the fourth album by British group Aztec Camera, released in June 1990 on the Sire Records label.Stray was praised for its diversity of songs and styles, and for the assured nature of Roddy Frame's lyrics...
(1990) - UK #22, Sweden #50 - DreamlandDreamland (Aztec Camera album)Dreamland is a studio album by the alternative rock band Aztec Camera, released in 1993.-Track listing:All songs written by Roddy Frame#"Birds" 4.56#"Safe in Sorrow" 4.56#"Black Lucia" 4.00#"Let Your Love Decide" 5.03#"Spanish Horses" 4.35...
(1993) - UK #21 - FrestoniaFrestonia (album)Frestonia is the sixth album by British group Aztec Camera, released in November 1995 on the Reprise Records label. It is the last album to be released under the name of Aztec Camera: Roddy Frame's subsequent releases would be under his own name...
(1995)
Compilations
- The Best of Aztec Camera (1999) - UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#36 - In and Out of Fashion - Cassette Compilation - Pungent Records (1980)
EPs
- Aztec Camera (1985) - A 10" US only release (although also available in Australia) featuring a cover of Van HalenVan HalenVan Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
's "Jump"Jump (Van Halen song)"Jump" is a song by the American rock group Van Halen. It is the only single the group released in their career to reach number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It was released in 1984 as the second track on the album 1984...
, plus 4 tracks recorded live at the Dominion TheatreDominion TheatreThe Dominion Theatre is a West End theatre on Tottenham Court Road close to St Giles Circus and Centre Point Tower, in the London Borough of Camden.-History:...
, 10/84
Singles
| Year | Single | UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
UK Indie Chart UK Indie Chart The UK Independent Chart or Indie Chart is a chart of the best-selling independent record releases in the UK.- History :In the wake of punk, small record labels began to spring up, as an outlet for artists that were unwilling to sign contracts with major record companies, or were not considered... |
U.S. United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... Modern Rock |
Australia ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | "Just Like Gold" | - | 10 | - | - | - |
| 1981 | "Mattress of Wire" | - | 8 | - | - | - |
| 1982 | "Pillar to Post" | - | 4 | - | - | High Land, Hard Rain |
| 1983 | "Oblivious Oblivious (Aztec Camera song) "Oblivious" is the fourth single by Scottish New Wave band Aztec Camera. It was released as the second single from their 1983 studio album High Land, Hard Rain. The song managed a moderate charting of #47 on the UK Singles Chart, but a re-release of the song later that same year proved even more... " |
47 | 1 | - | - | High Land, Hard Rain |
| 1983 | "Walk Out to Winter" | 64 | 3 | - | - | High Land, Hard Rain |
| 1983 | "Oblivious Oblivious (Aztec Camera song) "Oblivious" is the fourth single by Scottish New Wave band Aztec Camera. It was released as the second single from their 1983 studio album High Land, Hard Rain. The song managed a moderate charting of #47 on the UK Singles Chart, but a re-release of the song later that same year proved even more... " (re-issue) |
18 | - | - | - | High Land, Hard Rain |
| 1984 | "All I Need Is Everything" | 34 | - | - | - | Knife |
| 1984 | "Still on Fire" | 83 | - | - | - | Knife |
| 1985 | "Backwards and Forwards" | - | - | - | - | Knife |
| 1987 | "Deep & Wide & Tall" | 79 | - | - | - | Love |
| 1988 | "How Men Are" | 25 | - | - | - | Love |
| 1988 | "Somewhere in My Heart Somewhere In My Heart "Somewhere in My Heart" is the twelfth single and biggest hit by the Scottish band Aztec Camera. It was released as the third single from their 1987 studio album Love. The song was produced by Michael Jonzun and written by Roddy Frame.... " |
3 | - | - | 34 | Love |
| 1988 | "Working in a Goldmine" | 31 | - | - | - | Love |
| 1988 | "Deep & Wide & Tall" (re-issue) | 55 | - | - | - | 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 |
See also
- Alternative rockAlternative rockAlternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
- Indie popIndie popIndie pop is a genre of alternative rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid 1980s, with its roots in the Scottish post-punk bands on the Postcard Records label in the early '80s, such as Orange Juice, Josef K and Aztec Camera, and the dominant UK independent band of the mid...
- Indie rockIndie rockIndie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
- List of New Wave bands and artists
- List of Scottish musicians