The Chameleons are back in action and will be playing Chalk in Brighton on Tuesday 4th July 2023, where they will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of and performing their ‘Script Of The Bridge’ debut album, which was originally released on 8th August 1983 by record label Statik.
Three singles were released from the album: ‘Up the Down Escalator’, ‘As High as You Can Go’ and ‘A Person Isn’t Safe Anywhere These Days’. The album was later released as a limited edition picture disc by Statik Records in 1985. It was re-engineered and re-released in 2012 by Blue Apple Music. It was restored and re-mastered for vinyl at Abbey Road Studios, by Grammy award winners Guy Massey and Steve Rooke. The package contains two heavyweight (180g) vinyl discs together with a free digital download code. The two 12” discs are in white poly bags inserted into a spined LP sleeve, featuring exclusive new artwork by The Chameleons guitarist Reg Smithies. Shrinkwrapped and stickered.
The tracklisting is:
Side A
‘Don’t Fall’
‘Here Today’
‘Monkeyland’
Side B
‘Second Skin’
‘Up The Down Escalator’
‘Less Than Human’
Side C
‘Pleasure And Pain’
‘Thursday’s Child’
‘As High As You Can Go’
Side D
‘A Person Isn’t Safe Anywhere These Days’
‘Paper Tigers’
‘View From A Hill’
Order your copy HERE.
The Chameleons lineup that recorded the ‘Script Of The Bridge’ album were:
Mark Burgess – bass guitar, vocals, production
Dave Fielding – guitar, production
Reg Smithies – guitar, production, album cover artwork
John Lever – drums, production
Additional personnel
Alistair Lewthwaite – keyboards
They were called the Chameleons UK in North America because an American band had claim to “the Chameleons” name, but abruptly called it a day in 1987 due to the sudden death of their manager. The Chameleons, known for their atmospheric, guitar-based sound, reformed in 2000, releasing the albums ‘Strip’ (2000), ‘Why Call It Anything’ (2001), and ‘This Never Ending Now’ (2002), but decided to call it a day in 2003.
Today, the Chameleons are regarded as one of the most underrated Manchester bands of the 1980’s, although they sadly did not attain the commercial success of other groups from the scene, they are a force to be reckoned with. Drummer John Lever passed away in 2017, when he was only 55 years old. Original members Mark Burgess and Reg Smithies again reformed The Chameleons in 2020 to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the ‘What Does Anything Mean? Basically’ album. Guitarist Dave Fielding didn’t come to the party this time around.
It is therefore currently believed that 2023 concert personnel is likely to consist of Mark Burgess (bass, vocals), Reg Smithies (guitars), Chris Oliver (guitars) and Stephen Rice (drums). Now it’s time to set the record straight and rectify history!
Purchase your tickets HERE, HERE or HERE.
The support act is to be announced in due course.
Check out The Chameleons merch HERE.
