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Chameleons, The

  / artists (C)
Real Name:Mark Burgess, Reg Smithies, Dave Fielding, John Lever
Profile:The band formed in 1981 in Middleton, six miles north of Manchester. Before this, Mark had been in the Clichés while Reg and Dave were in Years. Dave was in a school band called Sen. The three started without a drummer and got the attention of the legendary Radio 1 DJ John Peel. Their first single, "In Shreds" on CBS, made number 42 on John Peel's Festive Fifty in 1982. They originally signed with CBS, but they disagreed with how they should sound. CBS dropped them after the one single, despite encouraging sales. They soon signed with Statik. However, Statik was distributed by Virgin, so they couldn't qualify for the independent charts and were thus overlooked by the music press.
The debut album, "Script of the Bridge", was recorded in Rochdale during a six-week period. The band was really pissed when they found out about the reduced version which was released by MCA in the US. They then became unhappy with Statik and tried to get away from them, but were bound by contractual obligations. After their second album, "What Does Anything Mean? Basically", they signed with Geffen. While signed to Geffen, the band released what was to be their last album together for fifteen years, "Strange Times" as the band literally fell apart, acrimoniously, with grief after Tony's death.
The dawning of a new millenium saw an ending to the 'hostilities' as the band buried hatchets, kissed and made friends once more, culminating in a reforming of the group, and a new 'unplugged' album entitled 'Strip'. A triumphant, sold out, 5 day residency at their old stomping ground 'The Witchwood' in Ashton confirmed their old reputation for being one of the tightest live outfits ever.

The band are currently working on individual projects - check out the news, releases and live sections for details.
URLs:http://www.thechameleons.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chameleons
http://www.myspace.com/thechameleons
Members:Brian Schofield, Dave Fielding, John Lever, Mark Burgess, Martin Jackson, Reg Smithies
Name Variations: All | Chameleons, The | Chameleons | Chameleons U.K. | Chameleons UK, The
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Releases:
Script Of The Bridge (LP, Album) Statik Records, Virgin  
Strange Times (CD, Album) Geffen Records  
In Shreds (7") Epic 1982
A Person Isn't Safe Anywhere These Days (12") Statik Records 1983
A Person Isn't Safe Anywhere These Days (7") Statik Records 1983
As High As You Can Go (12") Statik Records 1983
As High As You Can Go (7") Statik Records 1983
Script Of The Bridge (LP) Megadisc 1983
Script Of The Bridge (LP, Tex) Statik Records 1983
Script Of The Bridge (LP) MVM Records 1983
Script Of The Bridge (Cass, Album) Statik Records 1983
Script Of The Bridge (LP, Album) MCA Records 1983
Script Of The Bridge (LP, RE, Glo) Statik Records 1983
Script Of The Bridge (LP) Statik Records 1983
Script Of The Bridge (LP, Album) Statik Records, Virgin 1983
Script Of The Bridge (LP, Album) MCA Records 1983
Up The Down Escalator (12") Statik Records 1983
Up The Down Escalator (12", Maxi) Virgin Schallplatten GmbH 1983
Up The Down Escalator (7") Statik Records, Virgin 1983
A Person Isn't Safe Anywhere These Days (12") MVM Records 1984
In Shreds / Nostalgia (7") Statik Records 1985
In Shreds / Nostalgia / Less Than Human (12") Statik Records 1985
In Shreds / Nostalgia / Less Than Human (12") Megadisc 1985
In Shreds / Nostalgia / Less Than Human (12") Statik Records 1985
One Flesh (7", Promo) Polydor 1985
Script Of The Bridge (CD, Album) Statik Records 1985
Script Of The Bridge (LP, Pic) Statik Records 1985
Singing Rule Britannia (While The Walls Close In) (7") Statik Records 1985
What Does Anything Mean? Basically (LP, Album) Statik Records, Virgin 1985
What Does Anything Mean? Basically (CD, Album) Statik Records 1985
What Does Anything Mean? Basically (LP) Statik Records 1985
What Does Anything Mean? Basically (LP) Statik Records 1985
What Does Anything Mean? Basically (LP) Megadisc 1985
What Does Anything Mean? Basically (LP) MVM Records 1985
Singing Rule Britannia (While The Walls Close In) (12") Statik Records 1986
Strange Times (CD) Geffen Records 1986
Strange Times (LP) Geffen Records 1986
Strange Times (LP) Geffen Records 1986
Strange Times (2xCD, Ltd) Geffen Records 1986
Strange Times (LP, Album) Geffen Records 1986
Strange Times (LP, Album) Geffen Records 1986
Swamp Thing (7", Single) Geffen Records 1986
Swamp Thing (12") Geffen Records 1986
Swamp Thing / John, I'm Only Dancing (12", Promo) Geffen Records 1986
Tears (12") Geffen Records, Geffen Records 1986
Tears (2x7", ltd) Geffen Records, Geffen Records 1986
Tears (12") Geffen Records 1986
Tears (7", Single) Geffen Records, Geffen Records 1986
The Fan And The Bellows (LP) Hybrid Records 1986
The Fan And The Bellows (12", Promo) Hybrid Records 1986
The Fan And The Bellows (CD, Album) Hybrid Records 1986
The Fan And The Bellows (CD) Caroline Records 1986
The Fan And The Bellows (LP) Caroline Records 1989
John Peel Sessions (CD, Album) Strange Fruit 1990
John Peel Sessions (LP) Strange Fruit 1990
John Peel Sessions (CD, Comp) Dutch East India Trading 1990
Tony Fletcher Walked On Water.... (12") Glass Pyramid 1990
Tony Fletcher Walked On Water.... (CD, EP) Glass Pyramid 1990
Tripping Dogs (LP) Glass Pyramid 1990
Tripping Dogs (CD, Album) Glass Pyramid 1990
Here Today... Gone Tomorrow (CD) Imaginary Records 1992
Here Today... Gone Tomorrow / Live In Toronto (2xLP) Imaginary Records 1992
Here Today... Gone Tomorrow / Live In Toronto (2xCD, Album) Imaginary Records 1992
Live In Toronto (CD) Imaginary Records 1992
Live In Toronto (LP) Imaginary Records 1992
Radio 1 Evening Show Sessions (CD, Album) Nighttracks 1992
Aufführung In Berlin (CD, Album) Imaginary Records 1993
Dali's Picture (CD, Album) Imaginary Records 1993
Dali's Picture / Live In Berlin (2xCD) Imaginary Records 1993
Free Trade Hall Rehearsal (CD) Imaginary Records 1993
Northern Songs (CD) Bone Idol 1994
Strange Times (2xCD, Ltd) Geffen Records 1994
Script Of The Bridge (CD, Album) Dead Dead Good 1995
What Does Anything Mean? Basically (CD, Album, RE) Dead Dead Good 1995
Live Shreds (CD) Cleopatra 1996
Live Shreds (CD, Album) Cleopatra 1996
Recorded Live At The Gallery Club Manchester, 18th December 1982 (CD) Visionary Communications 1996
The Fan And The Bellows (CD) Dead Dead Good 1996
Recorded Live At The Gallery Club Manchester, 18th December 1982 (CD, Album, Ltd) Visionary Communications, Contraseña Records 1997
Return of the Roughnecks - The Best of The Chameleons (CD) Dead Dead Good 1997
Return Of The Roughnecks - The Best Of The Chameleons / Tony Fletcher Walked On Water (2xCD, Comp) Dead Dead Good 1997
Live At The Witchwood (CD, Ltd, W/Lbl, Album) Not On Label 2000
Strip (CD, Album) Paradiso (UK) 2000
Strip (LP, Pic) Paradiso (UK) 2000
Live At The Gallery Club, Manchester, 1982 (CD, Enh) Cherry Red 2001
Why Call It Anything (CD, Album) Artful Records 2001
Live At The Academy (2xCD) Paradiso (UK) 2002
Live At The Gallery Club & The Hacienda, Manchester (DVD, Reg) Cherry Red 2002
This Never Ending Now (CD, Album) Paradiso (UK) 2002
Why Call It Anything (CD, Album) Cleopatra 2002
Live @ KEXP Radio Seattle Session + Interview (CDr, Promo) Not On Label 2003
Live From London (DVD) Demon Vision 2004
Singing Rule Britannia - The Chameleons Live (DVD) Cherry Red 2004
Strange Times (CD, Album, RE) Geffen Records 2004
Ascension (2xDVD, NTSC) Scourge Productions, The 2006
Script Of The Bridge (25th Anniversary Edition) (2xCD, Album, RM, Ltd) Blue Apple Music 2008
Appears On:
United Music For Compilations (CD) The Fan And The Bellows Fun Factory! Records 1993
For A Fistful Of Deutschmarks (CD, Ltd) Less Than Human Red Sun Records 1998
Will You (7") The Fan And The Bellows Revelation Records (US) 2000
Tracks Appear On:
TT 35 (CD) Indian Text Und Ton Magazin  
Your Secret's Safe With Us (2xLP) Here Today Statik Records 1982
Debüt LP / Zeitschrift Ausgabe 2 (LP, Smplr) Thursday Child Debüt 1983
Your Secret's Safe With Us (2xLP) Here Today Discos Victoria 1983
Manchester, So Much To Answer For (CD) Second Skin (Films) Strange Fruit 1990
Manchester, So Much To Answer For (CD, Comp) Second Skin (Films) Strange Fruit, Dutch East India Trading 1990
Manchester, So Much To Answer For (CD) Second Skin (Films) Wotre Music 1991
Winters Of Discontent - The Peel Sessions 77-83 (CD) The Fan And The Bellows Strange Fruit 1991
Hardest Hits Volume Three (CD) Swamp Thing SPG Music Productions Ltd. 1993
Radio FFN Nightline 2 (CD, Comp) Tears SPV Recordings 1993
Goth Box (4xCD) In Shreds Cleopatra 1996
Goth Box (VHS) In Shreds Cleopatra 1996
Guitars & Machines Vol. 2 (2xLP) Second Skin Blanco Y Negro (2) 1996
Guitars & Machines Vol. 2 (2xCD) Second Skin Blanco Y Negro (2) 1996
Guitars & Machines Vol. 2 (2xCass) Second Skin Blanco Y Negro (2) 1996
Maxi Pop III (2xCD) Swamp Thing Contraseña Records 1996
Maxi Pop III (2xLP) Swamp Thing Contraseña Records 1996
Maxi Pop III (2xCass) Swamp Thing Contraseña Records 1996
Spirit Of The 80's (CD) Don't Fall Facedown 1996
Goth's Undead (3xCD) Paper Tigers (Live) Cleopatra 1997
Neurostyle Vol. VIII (CD) Second Skin Sub Terranean 1997
Post Punk Diary 1980 - 1982 (CD) High As You Can Go (Li... Cherry Red 1997
The Best Of Indie Pop (2xCD, Comp, Ltd) Up The Down Escalator Max Music (Spain), Wanted Music (2) 1998
Pearls Of Passion (2xCD) Second Skin Zoomshot Media Entertainment 1999
Postpunk Chronicles: Left Of The Dial (CD) In Shreds Rhino Entertainment Company 1999
17-Track Guide To The Month's Best Music (CD) Anyone Alive? Uncut Magazine 2001
D-Side 2 (CD, Smplr) Indian D-Side 2001
Techno Pop - Vol. 4 (2xCD) Tears (Original) Contraseña Records 2001
Goth - The Ultimate Collection (2xDVD) In Shreds Music Video Distributors, Cleopatra 2002
Goth Box (DVD) In Shreds Music Video Distributors 2002
Neat Neat Neat (CD) Indiana Uncut Magazine 2002
The Dark Side (DVD-9, PAL) Don't Fall Universal Marketing Group GmbH 2003
Left Of The Dial: Dispatches From The 80s Underground (4xCD, RM + Box, Comp) Swamp Thing Rhino Entertainment Company 2004
LateNightTales (CD, Mixed, Comp) Up The Down Escalator Azuli Records 2005
A Life Less Lived - The Gothic Box (3xCD + DVD) Don't Fall Rhino Entertainment Company 2006
Unofficial Releases:
Hey Mr. Undecided (CD, Album) Not On Label  
New Wave Mix Vol. 4 (CDr, Ltd) Home Is Where The Hear... Not On Label  
New Wave Mix Vol. 5 (CDr, Ltd) In Shreds Not On Label  

User Reviews:
Escapist, Nov 20, 2005

Bringing a new spectrum of music from the onslaught of bands of the post-punk era, the Chameleons brought a mature, dreamlike sound to light. Frontman Mark Burgess & company created thrilling ethereal music from elements of old-school psychedelia and avant-garde 70's music. Shrill and melodic guitarwork from Reg Smithies and Dave Fielding complimented Burgess' trancey basslines and voice with John Lever's thundering drums. Four solid albums and several compilations of great stuff keep the Chameleons going strong from one century to the next. So glad they got back together!

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