Featured Artist for November 2: Aztec Camera

After a brief hiatus for CJSW's 25th Annual Funding Drive, Up All Night returns with this week's featured artist, Aztec Camera. Founded in Glasgow, Scotland by teen prodigy singer/songwriter Roddy Frame, the band was a force in the Britpop world in the 1980s, crafting numerous UK hits with lush instrumentations and catchy lyrics. Aztec Camera recorded six albums spanning the years 1983 to 1995, debuting with the critically acclaimed High Land, Hard Rain which many fans consider the band's finest album.

Founding members included Campbell Owens (bass) and Dave Mulholland (drums). Craig Gannon and Rob Cremona were members from 1983 to 1984, while guitarist Malcolm Ross joined the band in 1984, and played on the Knife album. By the time of their third album, Love (1987), Frame was the only remaining original member of the band. In fact, Love and all subsequent Aztec Camera albums were actually performed by Frame and various studio musicians, making them more like solo efforts than a true band at all.

Still, Frame's songwriting and wistful lyrics proved a terrific combination for some truly memorable pop songs that still found fresh today. Never a mainstream success in North America, the band retains a bit of a cult status outside their native UK. Following Aztec Camera's final recording Frestonia in 1995, Frame formally launched his solo career and has recorded three studio albums between the years 1998 and 2006.

Aztec Camera remains a personal favourite from the 1980s and a band that I feel never got their just accolades on this continent. So join Up All Night as we salute this innovative and under-appreciated group. And as always, if you have requests to offer, please leave a comment below.

Thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoy this week's show!