Aztec Camera

Play Radio

1,121,070 plays (132,311 listeners)

Shop now at Amazon | Send Aztec Camera Ringtones to Cell
Buy
Add to my Library

Glasgow, United Kingdom (1981 – 1995)

Aztec Camera was a Scottish band from Glasgow.

The line-up of the band changed several times over the years, but the constant member had been guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Roddy Frame. Founding members included Campbell Owens (bass) and Dave Mulholland (drums). Ex-Bluebells bassist Craig Gannon was a member from 1983 through 1985, before joining The Smiths. Guitarist Malcolm Ross (formerly of Josef K and Orange Juice) also joined in 1983, and appeared on the Knife album.

Though generally considered to be born out of the New Wave movement, Aztec Camera’s music is mostly acoustic oriented and might be better described as . There is no doubt that the band took some musical and lyrical inspiration from Elvis Costello. Aztec Camera opened for Costello on a U.S. tour early in their career.

The band’s first UK 7” single was released by Glasgow-based indie label Postcard Records in January, 1981, and contained the songs “Just Like Gold” and “We Could Send Letters”. The latter song appeared on the influential C81 compilation cassette, released by NME in 1981.

Aztec Camera’s debut album, High Land, Hard Rain, was released in 1983. However, Owens and Mulholland left the group before the release, leaving Frame to complete the album alone. The album was quite 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).

Popular tags: , , , ,  See more

Share this artist:

Top Albums

  • High Land, Hard Rain
    Aztec Camera Play
    Buy
  • The Best of Aztec Camera
    Aztec Camera Play
    Buy
  • Love
    Aztec Camera Play
    Buy
  • Stray
    Aztec Camera Play
    Buy
See more

Top Tracks

1  
429
2
302
3
150
4
107
5
97
6
88
7
79
8
61
9
58
10
55
11
52
12
51
13  
48
14
40
14
40
Buy all tracks at Amazon MP3
See more

Shoutbox

Leave a comment. Log in to Last.fm or sign up (it’s free).
  • R3V0LV3R_2011

    Finally, Aztec Camera tracks & albums available for purchase on iTunes USA.

    last month
  • Bia_Correa

    Deep & Wide & Tall <333

    last month
  • simontogo

    High Land, Hard Rain and Knife !

    February 2012
  • mvkut37

    sounds so good

    January 2012
  • Sonicjr01

    Yeah ... What zombilicous said ...

    January 2012
  • zombilicous

    OBLIVIOUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!

    November 2011
  • dAniel_brit

    ░░░░█░░░░░█████░██████░░█████░██░░░█░█████░░░░░ ░░░░█░░░░░█░░░░░█░░░░░░░█░░░░░█░█░░█░█░░░░█░░░░ ░░░░█░░░░░█████░█░░███░░█████░█░░█░█░█░░░░█░░░░ ░░░░█░░░░░█░░░░░█░░░░█░░█░░░░░█░░░██░█░░░░█░░░░ ░░░░█████░█████░██████░░█████░█░░░░█░█████░░░░░

    October 2011
  • mattsmith92

    'High Land, Hard Rain' is so perfect!!

    September 2011
See all 99 shouts

Videos

See more

Listening Now

Top Listeners

See more

More Information

Links
Band Members
Labels