The Chameleons in 1984: Mark Burgess, Reg Smithies, John Lever, Dave Fielding

The Chameleons (called The Chameleons UK on some American releases) were a dream pop/post-punk band that formed in Middleton, in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England in 1981 (see 1981 in music). They consisted of singer and bassist Mark Burgess, guitarist Reg Smithies, guitarist Dave Fielding, and drummer John Lever. Their body of work is still critically acclaimed within the music press and influenced bands as diverse as The Smiths, Protokoll, The Comsat Angels, Puressence, Interpol, Editors and Oasis.[1]

The band initially released 3 studio albums in the 1980's. After their 3rd release, Strange Times, in 1987 they abruptly disbanded following the sudden death of band manager Tony Fletcher. The Chameleons were, for all practical purposes, extinct for well over a decade before releasing a final studio album in 2001, entitled Why Call It Anything. The band quickly dissolved once again in 2002 due to personal differences, after a successful reunion tour which took them across Europe and the United States. The band never attained the level of commercial success or fame enjoyed by their contemporaries (e.g. U2, Echo and the Bunnymen, Joy Division).

Musical & Lyrical Style

Through Mark Burgess' penetrating vocals and dark and ironic lyrics, their songs often dealt with personal themes of childlike innocence and a reverence for nostalgia. Musically, perhaps most notable in their work was the band's innovative and distinctive use of dual guitar melodies, courtesy of Reg Smithies and Dave Fielding, as opposed to the traditional rhythm-and-lead guitarist format prevalent in rock music even to this day. These arrangements were often characterized by the use of delay and choral effects. The Chameleons' unique sound is quite often compared to U2's The Edge.

Currently many indie bands such as Interpol, as well as more mainstream acts like Coldplay, rely heavily on the use of choral and delay guitar effects in their musical arrangements.

1980's: The First Three Albums

In 1981, after the band recorded a series of demos and released their first single "In Shreds", the late legendary Radio 1 DJ John Peel featured The Chameleons on his radio program Peel Sessions (Many of these recordings were re-released years later, following the band's breakup. Several live albums and compilations were also released.

Following the Peel Sessions, The Chameleons released their first full-length studio LP, Script of the Bridge, on the Statik label in 1983. The album features a blend of acoustic and electronic rhythm with guitar textures, all of which provide a moody and intense backdrop for Mark Burgess' haunting vocals.

Discography

Albums

• 1983 Script of the Bridge
• 1985 What Does Anything Mean? Basically
• 1986 Strange Times
• 1987 Tony Fletcher Walked on Water....La La La La La - La La - La - La / EP Released in 1997
• 2000 Strip (acoustic versions of earlier material)
• 2001 Why Call It Anything?
• 2002 This Never Ending Now (acoustic versions of earlier material)

Live Albums

• Live Shreds
• 1990 John Peel Sessions
• 1993 The Radio One Evening Sessions
• Dali's Picture
• Live in Berlin

Singles

• 1982 In Shreds/Less Than Human
• 1983 As High As You Can Go
• 1983 A Person Isn't Safe Anywhere These Days
• 1983 Up the Down Escalator (Import)
• 1983 Don't Fall (Import)
• 1985 In Shreds/Nostalgia
• 1985 One Flesh (Import)
• 1985 Singing Rule Britannia (While the Walls Close In)
• 1986 Tears
• 1986 Swamp Thing

Compilations

• 1986 The Fan and the Bellows
• 1997 Return of the Roughnecks: The Best of the Chameleons

External links

• The Chameleons: Home Is Where the Heart Is - Official webpage with news, articles, discography, lyrics, and store
• Biography at allmusic.com
• The Chameleons on Myspace