The legacy of The Chameleons dates all the way back to 1981 when the band were discovered by the legendary BBC Radio host John Peel. Following their debut single ‘In Shreds’ for Epic Records in 1982, the band released three seminal albums in the 1980’s: the widely acclaimed ‘Script Of The Bridge’ (1983), cited by many sources to be a masterpiece way ahead of its time, the follow up ‘What Does Anything Mean? Basically!’ (1984) and for US-based Geffen Records ‘Strange Times’ (1986).
Their unique sound quickly captivated the public through their very own mix of melancholic, yet energetic and powerful tunes, hypnotic ethereal riffs and the potent, timeless lyrical style. The Chameleons are considered to be one of the most influential guitar bands of the 80’s and 90’s, contributing substantially to the post-punk, shoegaze and indie scenes and are often regarded as one of the most underrated bands ever to emerge from the era.
The Chameleons disbanded in 1987 only to re-emerge in 2000 with the independently released ‘Why Call It Anything?’ and toured widely across Europe and the United States. However, following the tragic death of their drummer, John Lever, and the departure of another founding member, guitarist Dave Fielding, the group disbanded once more. The Chameleons reformed in 2021 with founders and principal writers: guitarist Reg Smithies and bassist, vocalist & lyricist Mark Burgess, joined by guitarist Stephen Rice, Danny Ashberry on keyboards, and Todd Demma on drums.
Over the decades the popularity and reputation of the band continued to grow, leading them to share the stage with the likes of U2, Killing Joke, Bauhaus, Simple Minds, Talk Talk, and The Cure amongst others. The Chameleons regard themselves primarily as a ‘live band’, which has earned the fan’s loyalty and respect for decades with their effortlessly intense and emotionally charged performances. They have been touring extensively in the EU, UK, US and as far abroad as Australia, South America and China.
In 2024 the Chameleons released their first single in over a decade ‘Where Are You?’ on Metropolis Records in conjunction with Strange Times Entertainment and they are currently working on the brand-new album ‘Arctic Moon’.
You can catch The Chameleons live in action in Brighton on Wednesday 12th November at the Concorde 2 where support will be coming from the Isle of Scilly psychedelic garage noir duo West Wickhams. Tickets are on sale and can be purchased HERE.
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