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The Chameleons

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(1981 – 1987, 2001 – 2002)

The Chameleons (called The Chameleons UK on some American releases) were a dream pop/post-punk band that formed in Middleton, in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England in 1981. They consisted of singer and bassist Mark Burgess, guitarist Reg Smithies, guitarist Dave Fielding, and drummer John Lever.

The band initially released three studio albums in the 1980’s, to solid critical acclaim. After their third release, Strange Times, in 1987 they abruptly disbanded following the sudden death of band manager Tony Fletcher. The Chameleons were, for all practical purposes, extinct for well over a decade before releasing - to the delight and even disbelief of its ardently loyal fan base - a final studio album in 2001, entitled Why Call It Anything. The band quickly dissolved once again in 2002 due to personal differences, after a successful reunion tour which took them across Europe and the United States. Though having never attained the level of commercial success or fame enjoyed by their contemporaries (e.g. U2, Echo and the Bunnymen, Joy Division), The Chameleons’ early impact can still be felt throughout much of popular music today.

Dave Fielding went on to form The Reegs who released a couple of ep’s . Then in 2003 formed Coconut Dogfuck a trance techno dance act with Ralph on percussion, Paul Didge on didge and Dave playing guitar and dulcimer . They released an ep and played festivals and gigs around the uk .

Tagged as:

post-punk, new wave, 80s, dream pop, alternative
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Top Albums

Script of the Bridge
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Strange Times
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The Fan And The Bellows
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What Does Anything Mean? Basically
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Top Tracks

1	Don't Fall full track	567
2	Second Skin full track	463
3	Up The Down Escalator full track	407
4	Here Today full track	397
5	Monkeyland full track	390
6	Less Than Human full track	372
7	Pleasure And Pain full track	327
8	Paper Tigers full track	309
9	Swamp Thing	302
10	View From a Hill full track	296
11	Thursday's Child full track	282
12	A Person Isn't Safe Anywhere These Days full track	261
13	As High As You Can Go full track	245
14	In Shreds full track	233
15	Tears	183

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skmelanie wrote:
yesterday morning

There are so many amazing songs by this band, but Swamp Thing builds into one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard.

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sootypunk wrote:
Sunday evening

for all who are interested caution in my opinion is the greatest song ever written

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shortbuzzrider wrote:
Sunday morning

Could very well be the most underrated band of all time. My god they are good!

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Saranella wrote:
Saturday morning

<3

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kamikuntzi wrote:
7 days ago

the chameleons changed my life. the acoustic full arrangement of tears....... christ

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Hollow7 wrote:
10 days ago

oh god,wonderful.

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AprilPhantom wrote:
11 days ago

I should really get Strange Times.

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AdamGrey wrote:
12 days ago

Обожаю! Хочу на ДР "This Newer ending now" купить, но, похоже, в городе его не найти... Даже Озон не знает этот альбом

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stroke_me wrote:
15 days ago

<3

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TheMcEneaney wrote:
19 days ago

How is "Tears" not one of the top songs? Best song ever!

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ycallmeanything wrote:
20 days ago

If Carlsberg did Rock Bands ........

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finckaxl wrote:
21 days ago

genius, actually

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dragonrage300 wrote:
26 days ago

I want a heart button for this entire band. -- If your interested, free dream/dark neoclassical/electronica: http://www.last.fm/music/Artificial+and+Lethal

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Wellsy5767 wrote:
29 days ago

The Chameleons or The Sound?

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blaztik wrote:
30 days ago

The chameleons, The Comsat Angels and The Sound the three best post punk/new wave bands ever, no need to say any more than that, have to mention The Wild Swans as well though they were truly great.

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chamaleonicann wrote:
December 2009

that band deseved more and now, I'm not surprised that young people like them...they will be famous...as a masterpiece band, because they are...a masterpiece band

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rattlebag wrote:
December 2009

http://www.blueapplemusic.co.uk/chameleondetails/chamREF091.html

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Zelda7 wrote:
December 2009

Oh shit ... I just discovered them. And it's brilliant indeed, for fans of The Cure and Joy Division.

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venenumest wrote:
December 2009

or at least early modern english...

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blaztik wrote:
November 2009

Moden English are brilliant too...

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Recent Activity

s_ch added The Chameleons to s_ch’s library. yesterday evening
seko0408888 tagged The Chameleons with dream pop, 80s, new wave and one other tag. yesterday evening
maggiecb7 added The Chameleons to maggiecb7’s library. yesterday evening
Rotor12 tagged The Chameleons with ‘goth’. yesterday afternoon
hardijs_gruduls, lekeitio1970, jessica_ganzert and 5 other people added The Chameleons to their libraries. yesterday afternoon
dothedark wrote about The Chameleons in Top albums. yesterday morning
dothedark wrote about The Chameleons – Script of the Bridge in Top albums. yesterday morning
postindiemetal, Kennethdood1234, Drexl69 and 10 other people added The Chameleons to their libraries. yesterday morning
stroke_me connected The Chameleons to the group I'm so goth, I shit bats.. Tuesday afternoon
melancholylover added The Chameleons to melancholylover’s library. Tuesday afternoon