The Portastylistic: pop*eye...Aztec Camera aka Roddy Frame...

Aztec Camera was a Scottish new wave band from Glasgow.

Glasgow, United Kingdom (1981 – 1995)

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 guitar pop. 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).

Aztec Camera albums:

High Land, Hard Rain (1983)
*recommended*

Knife (1984)

Love (1987)

Stray (1990)

Dreamland (1993)

Frestonia (1995)

The Best of Aztec Camera (1999)

Roddy Frame

Roddy Frame (born January 29, 1964 in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, Scotland) is the founder of the 1980s Scottish indie band, Aztec Camera. They released their first album, High Land, Hard Rain, when Frame was aged nineteen. It spawned the hit single “Oblivious”, and Aztec Camera were recognised as one of the key acts on Glasgow’s Postcard record label, along with Orange Juice and Josef K.

Frame later signed to Rough Trade. Aztec Camera’s biggest hit was 1988’s “Somewhere In My Heart”, which reached number 3 in the UK singles chart and is still a staple of FM radio. Frame duetted with one of his musical heroes, Mick Jones of The Clash, on his 1990 single “Good Morning Britain”, which showcased an overtly political streak that sometimes featured in his work. He also recorded with the Japanese composer, Ryuichi Sakamoto. Aztec Camera disbanded in 1996 after the release of their final album Frestonia.

Frame is now pursuing a solo career. His first solo album The North Star came out in 1998 and featured the single “Reason For Living”. There was a change of gear for 2002’s Surf, an album of acoustic songs that attracted widespread critical acclaim and was generally seen as a return to Frame’s best songwriting form. The track “Small World” was used as the theme music to the BBC TV comedy series, Early Doors.

Roddy Frame and Edwyn Collins

Roddy Frame emerges from his Aztec Camera moniker with a charming blend of jangling guitars and soulful crooning. "River or Brightness" is a particularly beautiful standout track, where Frame's mandolin creates poetical dense waves of charm. There's not really much sonic difference from an Aztec Camera release, as every album was basically a Roddy Frame solo affair, in that he's written almost every Aztec Camera song on his own. The North Star is a pleasure throughout the ten tracks, as he never fails to register sweet emotion or frolicking joy. "Bigger Brighter Better" suggests that Frame is both overjoyed with and at full-mastery of his endearing acoustic pop style. "Sister Shadow" sounds as if it has been produced by Phil SpectorThe North Star isn't this artist at his best, then he must have purely transcendental songs up his sleeve for future releases. With this confident solo debut, as strong or stronger than any Aztec Camera release, Roddy Frame confirms his status as a first-rate emotional balladeer.

Solo performer: