High land, hard rain...

Aztec Camera is a Scottish band formed in 1980 by Roddy Frame. Who will be joined by Bernie Clark, Campbell Owens and Dave Ruffy.

The group released their first two singles "Just like gold" and "Mattress of wire" in 1981. Singles which will experience a very honorable career in the English Indie Chart.

It was not until 1983 that the group recorded their first real success when the album "High land, hard rain" was released. Critically acclaimed album with certain success across the Channel. And to a lesser extent in the USA.

The first single extracted is "Oblivious" which becomes the group's first officially classified single. Little followed by the excellent "Walk out to winter".

A year later in 1984 released the album "Knife" which did even better than its predecessor. At least in England. “All I need is everything” will be the main hit.

Three years will pass before the release in 1987 of the album "Love", album of the consecration and which will produce the biggest hit of all their discography with the single "Somewhere in my heart". And which will also produce two other minor hits which are "How men are" and "Working in a goldmine".

At the rate of an album every 3 years, it is the album "Stray" which in turn comes out in 1990. New success but last notorious success on the single side with "Good morning britain".

The album "Dreamland" which will be released in 1993, their last successful album thanks to the participation of a certain Ryuichi Sakamoto, will only produce 2 minor hits.

To discover or rediscover.

Discography (among others ...) :

Just like gold 1981
Mattress of wire 1981
Pillar to post 1982
Oblivious 1983
Walk out to winter 1983
All I need is everything 1984
Still on fire 1984
Deep wide and tall 1987
How men are 1988
Somewhere in my heart 1988
Working in a goldmine 1988
The crying scene 1990
Good morning Britain 1990
Spanish horses 1992
Dream a sweat dream 1993
Sun 1995

Clips :

1981 ... a first title which immediately gives the sound bases of the group. There is still work to be done, but everything is already there...

1981...the proof since their first 2 titles will end up classified. Certainly in the independent Charts but it's already that as they say...

1982 ... the years pass and the group matures, slowly but surely. A light and airy tone that will forever remain their trademark ...

1983 ... the efforts are finally rewarded. Here comes the 1st ranked title. Of course, we are far from the top of the Charts but it is a start !

1983 ... which will surely remain as one of their best titles. The melodic line of the group obviously wins in quality. It can be heard !

1984 ... success slowly spread to the entire Anglo-Saxon sphere. And always this freshness of writing which gives fluid and light titles ...

1984 ... the hits follow one after the other. The group is now one of the best groups across the Channel and fully deserves its success

1987 ... the style has evolved somewhat, that's obvious. An adaptation necessary in this second part of the 1980s

1988 ... finished the light and the air, here comes the time of the Intimist. The group delivers here a magnificent ballad which shows in a brilliant way that they also know how to do in this field

1988 ... then comes THIS title, the title of planetary consecration ! Simply the biggest hit of their career and a direct ticket to a definitive entry into the pantheon of the best bands of the decade. MAS-TER-FUL !

1988 ... an exceptional year 1988 with a 3rd title of very high caliber. The group literally walks on water and offers us another magnificent Intimist title. Well done gentlemen !

1990 ... a change of decade which rhymes with flagrant reorientation of the sound. A hardening of the tone that disconcerts, to say the least ...

1990 ... dazzling return of inspiration on a title which gave them their second biggest success. The 90s style has nothing to do with that of the previous decade but there are nice surprises, that's clear !

1992 ... sudden return of influences from the previous decade. We're starting to get lost. One step forward, one step back ...

1993 ... the last hit. A quiet end of the adventure for one of the best groups of its generation, which has left several pieces of more than certain quality in history !