The Chameleons

The Chameleons are a British post-punk band distinguished by their atmospheric, guitar-driven sound and leader Mark Burgess' urgent, passionate vocals, with his lyrics expressing the alienation and anxiety of life in a post-industrial landscape. Though only a few of their releases have landed in the U.K. charts, the Chameleons have endured as a major influence on alternative and indie rock bands of nearly every stripe, from goth and dream pop to Brit-pop and post-punk revival. Their now-classic debut album, Script of the Bridge, appeared in 1983, and their most commercially successful release was 1986's Strange Times, which included their most well-known song, "Swamp Thing." The group disbanded in 1987 following the death of their manager, and its bandmembers formed several other groups, with Burgess launching a solo career. The Chameleons re-formed in 2000, issuing their fourth studio effort Why Call It Anything the following year, and two albums of acoustic arrangements. Burgess and other musicians performed the group's back catalog under the name ChameleonsVox for several years, then Chameleons re-formed again, issuing their fifth studio album Arctic Moon in 2025. Formed in Middleton, Greater Manchester in 1981, the first lineup of the Chameleons consisted of vocalist and bassist Mark Burgess along with guitarists Reg Smithies and Dave Fielding. They worked with a few drummers in their early years, eventually going forward with John Lever. The group was heavily inspired by U2's first album, and they worked with producer Steve Lillywhite on their first single "In Shreds," which was released by Epic in 1982. The label wasn't a fitting match for the band, who were protective of their image, and they opted to sign with Statik Records. Script of the Bridge, the band's debut album, arrived in 1983, and a shortened version of the record was issued in the United States by MCA Records (where they were known as Chameleons UK), earning the group a stateside following through college radio airplay. Their second album, What Does Anything Mean? Basically, appeared in 1985, reaching number 60 on the U.K. album chart. The Fan and the Bellows, a compilation of early material, was issued in 1986, and the band signed to Geffen Records, which released their third album, Strange Times. It became their highest-charting effort, hitting number 44 on the album chart, and the complex, anthemic "Swamp Thing" became their biggest hit. However, there was inner-band tension, and following the sudden death of manager Tony Fletcher due to cardiac arrest, the Chameleons broke up in 1987. Even while the Chameleons were inactive, they issued numerous compilations, live efforts, radio sessions, and a 1990 EP dedicated to their manager, Tony Fletcher Walked on Water.... La La La La La-La La-La-La, consisting of songs recorded during the band's final session. The members went on to form several other bands. Burgess and Lever regrouped as part of the Sun and the Moon and remained with Geffen for the release of their 1988 self-titled full-length. After that album, Burgess left and the remaining members briefly continued as Weaveworld. Smithies and Fielding formed the Reegs with vocalist Gary Lavery, issuing two albums on Imaginary Records during the early '90s. Burgess formed Mark Burgess & the Sons of God, releasing their debut album Zima Junction in 1993, then following it with Spring Blooms Tra-La in 1994. Working with Yves Altana, Burgess issued Paradyning in 1995. Burgess and Altana then formed a band called Invincible, who toured and released Venus in 1998. The Chameleons re-formed at the beginning of 2000, and prepared to play a series of concerts at the Witchwood, a pub and venue in the Manchester area. The shows were successful, and the band continued touring, eventually playing concerts in Europe and North America. They also released Strip, an album of acoustic reimaginings of songs from their back catalog. Percussionist/vocalist Kwasi Asante joined the group, and their fourth album of original material, Why Call It Anything, was released in 2001. A second acoustic album, This Never Ending Now, followed in 2002, but the band fell apart once again in early 2003. Burgess formed other groups, such as Bird and Black Swan Lane (which continued after Burgess left the project), briefly re-formed the Sun and the Moon, and published his autobiography, A View from a Hill (2007). Burgess and Lever formed ChameleonsVox in 2009 in order to perform material from the Chameleons' back catalog. They issued the EP M + D = 1(8) in 2013, followed by Where in the World in 2017, as well as several live recordings, including full performances of Strange Times and Script of the Bridge. Additionally, Lever and Fielding formed Red-Sided Garter Snakes and issued the album Endless Sea in 2015. After a short illness, Lever died at the age of 55 in 2017. Chameleons (minus "The") officially returned in 2021, with founding members Burgess and Smithies joined by members who had played in ChameleonsVox. They recorded Edge Sessions (Live from the Edge), which was released by Metropolis in 2022. The band established a lineup featuring drummer Todd Demma, guitarist Stephen Rice, and keyboardist Danny Ashberry, and they opened for She Wants Revenge in 2022, followed by headlining tours, including dates with the Psychedelic Furs. Chameleons released Where Are You?, a three-song EP of new material, in May of 2024, followed in October by Tomorrow Remember Yesterday, a five-song EP of early songs re-recorded by the band's contemporary lineup. Arctic Moon, Chameleons' fifth original studio album, arrived in 2025, featuring the politically charged single "Saviours Are a Dangerous Thing." ~ Paul Simpson