Editing Aztec Camera (section)

===Early years (1980–1983)===

Aztec Camera were formed in [[East Kilbride]] in 1980 by [[Roddy Frame]] and drummer David Mulholland after they had left the punk-inspired band Neutral Blue.<ref>Davis, Hays [https://www.undertheradarmag.com/interviews/aztec_camera_-_roddy_frame_on_1983s_high_land_hard_rain Aztec Camera – Roddy Frame on 1983’s “High Land, Hard Rain”] Under The Radar 9 April 2014</ref> Aztec Camera 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.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}} The band's first United Kingdom (UK) [[Single (music)|single]] release was sold in a [[Gramophone record|7"]] format by [[Postcard Records]]—a Glasgow-based [[independent record label]] cofounded by [[Edwyn Collins]] and Alan Horne—in 1981. The single featured the song "Just Like Gold" and a B-side entitled "We Could Send Letters"; an acoustic version of the latter song appeared on a [[compilation album]], entitled ''[[C81 (music)|C81]]'', that was released on [[Cassette tape|cassette]] in 1981 through a partnership between ''[[NME]]'' magazine and [[Rough Trade Records]]. Frame, aged 16 years, met Collins for the first time during the Postcard period when the latter was 21 years old.<ref name="Tom">{{cite web|title=The Tom Robinson Show|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/player/b044v68w#|publisher=BBC Radio 6|access-date=29 May 2014|format=Audio upload|date=24 May 2014}}</ref>

A second single, also released in 1981, featured the songs "Mattress of Wire" and "Lost Outside the Tunnel". Following the two 7" releases with Postcard, the group signed with Rough Trade Records in the UK and [[Sire Records]] in the United States (US) for their debut album.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Mike Duquette|title=Walk Out to Winter: Aztec Camera's Debut Expanded for 30th Anniversary|url=http://theseconddisc.com/2014/01/08/walk-out-to-winter-aztec-cameras-debut-expanded-for-30th-anniversary/|website=The Second Disc|access-date=5 July 2014|date=8 January 2014}}</ref> At this point, the band were officially a quartet:  Roddy Frame (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Bernie Clark (piano, organ), Campbell Owens (bass) and Dave Ruffy (drums, percussion).