ABOUT
Bruce Woolley & The Camera Club — Biography
Bruce Woolley & The Camera Club ignited at the height of the late-1970s new wave movement, blending razor-sharp pop sensibilities with the futuristic textures of emerging synth sounds. Led by acclaimed songwriter Bruce Woolley, the group became a creative home for forward-thinking musicians including Thomas Dolby and Matthew Seligman, who would go on to shape much of the decade’s sonic landscape.
Their 1979 debut album English Garden captured the imagination of a generation, featuring the band’s own version of “Video Killed the Radio Star” — co-written by Bruce — alongside standout tracks like “Clean, Clean” and “Dancing with the Sporting Boys.” The record’s adventurous energy placed The Camera Club firmly among the most innovative voices of their era.
Now, with a new release through Cherry Red Records, the band’s work is enjoying a powerful resurgence. This collaboration not only brings rare and unreleased material to light, but also celebrates the enduring influence of The Camera Club’s sound.
Far from being a footnote in music history, The Camera Club represents a vibrant, evolving chapter in pop and new wave culture — a band whose creative spark continues to resonate with both longtime fans and new listeners discovering their music today.
NEWS
Bruce Woolley & The Camera Club –
New Release News
Legendary singer-songwriter Bruce Woolley and his seminal band The Camera Club have today announced that their definitive anthology collection, The Definitive Anthology 1977-1981, is now available via Cherry Red Records. The 3-CD set brings together their entire original studio album, rare out-takes, unreleased live recordings and previously unheard demos from the archive of one of the most overlooked bands of the post-punk/new-wave era.
With Bruce Woolley’s voice front and centre and a line-up which included Thomas Dolby, Matthew Seligman and Dave Birch, The Camera Club’s 1979 album English Garden showcased Woolley’s songwriting before the global breakout of “Video Killed the Radio Star”. The anthology revisits that era and lifts the lid on what might have been had the band taken a different commercial path.
Cherry Red label copy describes the set as “a comprehensive 69-track 3CD anthology covering the recordings of Bruce Woolley & The Camera Club between 1977-1981. Includes 41 previously unreleased tracks…”
In Bruce Woolley’s own words, “Out today!! Hooray! This brings me a disproportionate amount of joy! The 1978 original, pre-CBS Everblue Music recording of ‘No Surrender’ (with cellos and slap bass!) … is out today on DSPs via Good Time Records. This is the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle for English Garden Expanded – which is now fully available as a digital download.” — a sentiment which emphasizes the archival importance of the release for fans, collectors and music historians alike.
The timing is ideal: the set not only revisits a period when Woolley was innovating in pop, but also positions the material for rediscovery by a new generation of listeners exploring the roots of electronic and new-wave music. Music publications have already praised the set’s breadth and depth, noting that the material is more than simply nostalgia — it’s a document of creative ambition.
The release comes complete with deluxe packaging, liner notes, rare photos and previously unseen memorabilia, making it a must-have for any fan. With the digital download now available, and physical copies in limited run, the band invites listeners to dive into the origin story of one of pop’s quietly influential acts.
For further information, high-res images or interview requests, please contact QEDG management: