Chameleons are Old World lizards capable of colour-shifting camouflage. See how many you can spot today...
Lori Lartey was the singer drafted in by Teardrops bassist Dave Balfe and future Justified Ancient of Mu Mu Bill Drummond to front one of the first acts on their Liverpudlian indie label, Zoo Records. Here's their debut single from 1979...
Lori & The Chameleons - Touch
Pictured above is Richard Crandall and his invention, a digital piano called the "Albatross", which led to the formation of Portland, Oregon's own Chameleons in 1981. I'd almost given up on finding any music from these guys until I stumbled across a blog connected to local Portland radio station WFMU.
THE CHAMELEONS #2
Arriving from Middleton, Manchester in 1981, Mark Burgess's The Chameleons caused certain precocious wankers in the music press to coin the term "sonic cathedrals". But let's not hold that against them, as these Chameleons are rightly regarded as leading lights in the British post-punk scene of the 80s. And they're still around today, with the promise of a new album - their first in 23 years - getting gentlemen of a certain age quite excited.
These Chameleons appear to have been forced to call themselves The Chameleons UK when releasing music in the States... but I'm struggling to find the US band who made such a suffix necessary. Possibly one of two American bands called Chameleon, neither of which I can feature here due to their solitary natures. Or it might just be because of these guys...
THE CHAMELEONS #3
Pictured above is Richard Crandall and his invention, a digital piano called the "Albatross", which led to the formation of Portland, Oregon's own Chameleons in 1981. I'd almost given up on finding any music from these guys until I stumbled across a blog connected to local Portland radio station WFMU.
THE CHAMELEONS #4
As someone who used to play in a brass band, I approve of these particular Chameleons, caught here performing at the San Diego Zoo in 2016.
CHAMELEONS #5
And here's a Christmas record from some Austrian Chameleons, also released in 2016...
CHAMELEONS #6
Now here's some eponymous Doom Metal from Washington in 2019. Surprisingly listenable Doom Metal, to be honest. I expected it to be much more Doomy.
CHAMELEONS #7
And finally, some funky Spanish Chameleons from this very year.
Only seven Chameleons to choose from... but which are the Lizard Kings, and which are just plain stink-ing?
I know he doesn't qualify as he is a solo artist with an E on the end of his name, but could I put in a good word for Uganda's own Jose Chameleone:
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/GtHc4QSqYx4?si=jO1_wVWWgMZ9o2cA
#1 took me on a trip down Memory Lane so that gets my vote
When I finally run out of bands with the same name, I've considered doing a follow up feature on bands / artists that ALMOST have the same name. But at this rate, I'll be old(er) and grey(er) by the time I reach that point.
DeleteI'm playing #4 first, and it's the one to beat
ReplyDeleteWell, Swamp Thing is my favourite Chameleons track, so this is a done deal.
ReplyDeleteIt is of course #4, but #3 is surprisingly good.
ReplyDeleteYou're such a snowflake.
Delete