The Chameleons: Post Punk's Most Influential 'Lost' Band

The Chameleons are the post punk band who've had the most amount of impact with the least amount of coverage. From In Shreds through to Strange Times and beyond, the Manchester (or rather, Middleton) group have influenced countless bands (from Interpol to Flaming Lips) and genres, including dream pop and shoegaze. So underrated is the work of Mark Burgess, John Lever, Dave Fielding and Reg Smithies that they may well be indie rock / alternative rock's ultimate cult band.

#thechameleons #thechameleonsuk #postpunk

[Michael-dibb]

Not just a band for me, but something almost sacred and spiritual. Their music is timeless and will live on forever.

[badtotheappendixx]

swamp thing’s intro is probably the coolest and most chilling 90 seconds of music i’ve heard

[GGPP]

This band is so underrated yet amazing and unforgettable. I saw them live several times around 10 years ago. I was lucky enough to open for them with my band October People at a concert in Madrid and meet Mark. It's one of my favorite memories.

[vickihill]

At Chameleons gig last night..manchester...I have followed them since they began...part of the magic for that packed audience, and we all knew every word and every riff, is that sense of being in on such a miraculous secret, like a private club for people with the most pristine music taste of all!

[-sunstar]

First heard the Chamelons on KROQ, an alternative radio station in Pasadena, Ca. Rodney Bingenheimer was their eclectic DJ and he played all the upcoming English bands during the early 80's. "In Shreds" was the initial introduction. I've been hooked ever since ❤

[pemarabsel]

Definitely underrated but I didn't realize they were this underrated. I love The Chameleons - some of the most existential provoking tracks I've ever heard from any band. Funny enough, I first listened to them when I was living in a zen monastery and one of the other guests shared their mp3 player with me. It was the best thing I'd heard, and I come back to this band every now and then.

[Muesli]

I remember reading that when they sent their first demo into John Peel, JP was convinced that someone was pulling his leg and the demo was actually from an established, signed band - he couldn't believe a band could be so good and yet unsigned.

[bobmckernan]

One of my favorite bands ever. I lived in the mountains and was a pro snowboarder when it was just really starting to get big. I would listen to script of the bridge over and over on my walkman!!!! Still the best album ever to be up on a mountain flying through the tress with snow falling. Pretty magical, like it was made for that!!!!

[ericbirch]

Mark Burgess played a semi acoustic double set of 2 and a half hours in the yard of my apartment building on Sunday August 14, 2022. It was one of the 3 greatest days of my life.

[saturnoh]

The Chameleons is the band of my life, their music shock me when i was 15, an spaniard teenager who didn’t speak english, but recognize the different vibration and energy of his music. Now I’m 51 and after all these years and a lot of records on my shelves, very few albums are at the level of creativity of theirs, both in sound and in texts.

[davidellis]

The Chameleons, The Sound & The Comsat Angels are the three best bands of the 80's that most missed.

[rogercorman]

Fell in love with the band ever since seeing them on the STRANGE TIMES tour in '86. The music (aggressive, driving, melodic, punk) combined with beautiful, haunting, romantic lyrics keeps the songs fresh in my mind. Still listening constantly. Still seeing them live every time they come to NYC. And I'm privileged to have meet them all. The nicest guys who deserved much more success then they ever got. But the music will continue to inspire songwriters like me to create for generations to follow.

[oliviernaud]

The Horrors’ first album too owes a lot to the Chameleons!

[williamcalvert]

I just visited a Thrift Shop in Georgia and found 7 CDs of The Chameleons. I have to admit I'd never heard of them but googled them to see what style they played. I'm so glad I got these. Very nice video here.

[aaronclick]

Can we talk about their song “Perfume Garden” and how it elicits such an emotional reaction from the listener? And the textures, layers, and intersecting guitar lines in that song are all genius! That song brings tears of both joy and melancholia simultaneously-words can’t rightly express how that song can affect me. It’s brilliant.

[timmkarlisch]

I love The Chameleons since I listened to them for the first time in '83, my favourite band of all times. For me the first 3 albums are the best I ever heard. I saw the original lineup in '86, 2000, 2001 and 2002 and since then ChameleonsVox many times, always unbelievable Live-shows, either the original or the actual lineup.
I always loved the guitar work of Dave and Reg, but for me personally it was always the otherworldly guitar sound of Dave that touched me deep.
So when some friends and me started ourselves a band in '85 I always wanted to sound like Dave, but never got even near to his sound. Nowadays I got very much nearer.
I simply love those etheral echo guitars and for me that's one big point why The Chameleons were and are that special.
But to be honest it was the band as a whole that created perfection.
Within only 5 years they wrote 3 albums with outstanding songs that stood and will forever stand the test of time. Reg Smithies and Dave Fielding creating wonderfull soundscapes, the unbelievable drum work of John Lever (Rest in peace John, best drummer in heaven), the punching basslines of Mark Burgess and the voice and lyrics of Mark, always loved that voice.
Every bit simply fitted perfectly and made the band as a whole outstanding.
Sorry for the long text but I simply love them so much, what I actually wanted to say:
Thank you to The Chameleons for the gift you gave to me and all the other people that love your music

[andrewjerome]

The Chameleons are in what a consider the quintet of forgotten, yet influential post-punk bands. The others are:
-Lowlife
-Asylum Party
-Consat Angels
- The Sound

[i.cant.sleep.anymore]

I've been a fan of Interpol for close to 20 years and today heard the intro to Swamp Thing. My heart was struck immediately, I can see the influence The Chameleons had on Interpol.. starting my journey into The Chameleons discography now!

[davidcopson]

Come down to Coventry and you'll hear 'Don't Fall' blasting out of this 65-year-old's car! I am of course in my autumn before winter having a last, mad surge of youth.

[pedromonroyvarela]

Yesterday I saw them in Madrid for second time is the most underrated band and (for me) the best band