More Info on Aztec CameraSimilar Pop & Rock MusicSearch Artistopia
Biography
Refimprove|date=January 2008Infobox musical artist | name = Aztec Camera| image =| caption =| image_size =| background = group_or_band| alias =| origin = Glasgow , Scotland , United Kingdom| instrument =| genre = New Wave music|New Wave , alternative rock , post-punk cite web |url=Allmusic|class=artist|id=p3594/biography|pure_url=yes|title=Aztec Camera|author=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |publisher= Allmusic |accessdate=3 December 2011| occupation =| years_active = 19801995| label = Postcard Records|Postcard , Sire Records|Sire / Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros. | associated_acts = Roddy Frame | website =| current_members =| past_members =| notable_instruments = Aztec Camera were a Scotland|Scottish New Wave music|New Wave musical ensemble|band from the Glasgow suburb of East Kilbride , formed in 1980 and centered around adolescence|teenage singer-songwriter , Roddy Frame . Their album Love was among the nominations for Best British Album at the 1989 The BRIT Awards|BRIT Awards .
History
The band's line-up changed numerous times in its first few years. The constant member has been guitarist / singing|vocalist / singer-songwriter Roddy Frame . Founding members included Campbell Owens ( Bass guitar|bass ) and Dave Mulholland ( Drum kit|drums ). Craig Gannon and Rob Cremona were members from 1983 to 1984. Guitarist Malcolm Ross (formerly of Josef K (band)|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 recording studio|studio session musician|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.Citation needed|date=December 2011 The band's first United Kingdom|UK Gramophone record|7" Single (music)|single was released by Glasgow based independent record label|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 (music)|C81 compilation album|compilation Compact cassette|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 Records|Rough Trade . United States|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 popular music|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 (album)|Knife (1984), Love (Aztec Camera album)|Love (1987), Stray (album)|Stray (1990), Dreamland (Aztec Camera album)|Dreamland (1993) and Frestonia (album)|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 , Warner Bros. Records|WEA .
Popular songs by Aztec Camera include " Oblivious (Aztec Camera song)|Oblivious ", "Still On Fire", "Walk Out to Winter", " Somewhere in My Heart ", and "Good Morning Britain" (a duet (music)|duet with former The Clash guitarist Mick Jones (The Clash)|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 ' Greatest hits|Best of ' collection was released in 1999.
High Land, Hard Rain (1983) - UK Albums Chart #22, #154 US Billboard 200
Knife (album)|Knife (1984) - UK #14, Sweden #29, http://finnishcharts.com/showitem.asp? key=44752& cat=a Knife Swedish Chart Position @ finnishcharts.com Retrieved June 2009 #188 US
Love (Aztec Camera album)|Love (1987) - UK #10, #193 USAllmusic|class=artist|id=p3594|pure_url=yes Billboard Album Positions @ Allmusic.com Retrieved July 2009
Stray (album)|Stray (1990) - UK #22, Sweden #50 http://finnishcharts.com/showitem.asp? interpret=Aztec+Camera& titel=Stray& cat=a Stray Swedish Chart Position @ finnishcharts.com Retrieved June 2009
Dreamland (Aztec Camera album)|Dreamland (1993) - UK #21
Frestonia (album)|Frestonia (1995) - UK #100
Compilations
The Best of Aztec Camera (1999) - UK Albums Chart|UK #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 Halen 's Jump (Van Halen song)|"Jump" , plus 4 tracks recorded live at the Dominion Theatre , 10/84
Singles
Year
Single
UK Singles Chart cite book
UK Indie Chart
U.S. Hot Modern Rock Tracks
Australia http:/ / finnishcharts.com/ showitem.asp? interpret=Aztec+Camera& titel=Somewhere+In+My+Heart& cat=s Somewhere In My Heart @ finnishcharts.com Retrieved June 2009
reflist Aztec Camera Category:British New Wave musical groups Category:Musical groups from Glasgow Category:Musical groups established in 1981 Category:Scottish pop music groups Category:Scottish indie rock groups Category:Sire Records artists Category:Sophisti-pop musical groups Category:Jangle pop groups Category:Warner Bros. Records artists Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1995
de:Aztec Camera es:Aztec Camera fr:Aztec Camera it:Aztec Camera nl:Aztec Camera ja:?????·??? pt:Aztec Camera ru:Aztec Camera fi:Aztec Camera sv:Aztec Camera
Copyright Citations
This article is licensed under the GNU License
Click here for original article: Aztec Camera
