Aztec Camera plus Mick Jones, formerly of The Clash and Big Audio Dynamite: an above average combination.

Wikipedia claims that before Stray Roddy Frame’s lyrics were the subject of some criticism, and considered one of Aztec Camera’s weak points. Hard to believe that could be true of the man who would go on to write Small World.

In 1981 Aztec Camera were very briefly label-mates with Orange Juice and Josef K on Postcard Records, before signing to Rough Trade. Indie-pop, new wave, call them what you will, they were best known for Somewhere in my heart, which reached number three in 1988, but for me for some reason this one lingered longer…

Ah, now I remember, it’s because it appeared on the generally otherwise not terribly brilliant compilation The Hit Pack. To give you an idea of how good this rival to the Now That’s What I Call Music series was, the last two tracks on side two were:

  • New Kids on the Block - Tonight
  • Gazza and Lindisfarne - Fog On The Tyne

I don’t know what to say, except that in my defence I took it back to Woolies as soon as I could.