Chameleons : Classic or Dud

that's true for most musicians re: political analysis

& i agree!

Thanks for the answer. I must admit that I pay less attention to the exact contents of lyrics : being french but english speaking, I do understand the lyrics without the meaning coming straight to my understanding. I'm almost done with the book from Burgess "View From A Hill", and he said that he had been inspired by the american presidential elections at the time for the sing.
As I expected, "Free For All" was only a temporary frenzy, followed by "Paradiso".

would The Chameleons Vox be worth catching on the upcoming tour?

If you've never seen Mark perform Chameleons songs, yes, because he can be a hell of a performer -- but if you were lucky enough to catch the Chameleons reunion tour (and I realize that it's almost a decade old by now -- yipes!), I'd not be so eager. Having seen the Chams a total of four times and Mark solo in various configurations even more, Chameleons songs can really only be played by the original four straight up; there's something always lacking otherwise. The except is when Mark does solo acoustic performances, those are often remarkable precisely because they don't and can't try to compete with the original arrangements.

hm, that's what I was thinking... well, having never had the chance to catch 'em in the past, I'll prob check it out anyways. will just have to make sure I set my expectations for what it is. thx

Thought I'd share this for any ILX Chameleons fans (of which there are many).

New limited vinyl remaster of 'Script of the Bridge'.

http://www.blueapplemusic.co.uk/chameleondetails/chamREF121.html

Strictly limited to 1000 numbered copies worldwide, The Chameleons seminal debut album ‘Script of the Bridge’ has been restored and re-mastered for vinyl at Abbey Road Studios, London.

The gatefold package contains two heavyweight (180g) vinyl discs and also includes a cd, produced without the use of a ‘limiter’, which greatly increases the dynamic range of the recordings.

The restoration project was undertaken by production team Guy Massey and Steve Rooke, who received a Grammy Award last year for their work on the Beatles Box Set. Guy Massey quotes Script of the Bridge as an influential album on his career.

This is the first time that Script of the Bridge has been made available as a ‘double album’. By dividing the tracks onto two 12” discs, the sound quality greatly increases with none of the compression that hampered the original Chameleons vinyl.

Working from original studio tapes, the production pair painstakingly restored the album song by song, to create what the band believe is the truest reflection of how the recordings were meant to be.

The gatefold sleeve features exclusive new artwork by The Chameleons guitarist Reg Smithies.

Consider me in!

Indeed.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/c1e3720f0aa99954417a003a1786b987/tumblr_mj52eoKFnI1qar3r2o1_1280.jpg

Bi-zarre!

Allegedly, Mark, John Lever and two other guys have formed ChameleonsVox and will be releasing a new album, "Eden", this spring. There's one track floating in the aether from a radio session.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lfkjW1iKCc

A new Mark interview

http://www.drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4147553-dis-meets-mark-burgess-from-the-chameleons

He'll never make anything good with Yves.

Why do you say that?

Because everything he's done with him has felt half-baked and weak. Maybe I'm being hard on Yves, it's also possible Mark can no longer handle constructive criticism and so surrounds himself with people who tell him everything he does is great. I don't know for sure, but "Paradyning" is mostly bad, Invincible has one redeeming tune and the new EP is forgettable. Whereas "Zima Junction" is wonderful and "Why Call It Anything" is underrated, suffering only because the first three records are some immense. I want to believe Mark has one great album left in him but at this point, probably not.

Okay, ouch.

I kind of lump Zima Junction and Paradyning together — both solid 3.5 star albums. But I love the Invincible album; maybe even more than Why Call it Anything.

The semi-official live album from the Paradyning tour is very good, as well.

they're playing script of the bridge at my local pub
but it's £16 :( and i'm second skint
down the up price guys

i'm going to go and see them play here. how could i not? 30 years of listening to the chameleons and i've still never seen them live

this is very silly:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vasr1_sJV1A

Definitely go see them live! But I wish Mark would expand his focus beyond Script, as great as that album is, and give some love to the rest of his work.

That is a silly clip but, jeez, his words still penetrate. "Nothing's forever, some things rearrange the scheme of things" - a simple insight but what we all need to hear sometimes.

http://devonrecordclub.com/2014/06/10/the-chameleons-strange-times-round-68-robs-choice/

Mark Burgess autobiography, View From A hill, about to be reissued.

We're very proud to announce the imminent publication of a newly-edited and augmented edition of View From A Hill. It has been produced with Mark's blessing and co-operation, and will be available in the UK and Europe in mid-late November.

You can make pre-orders here and they will reach you in time for Christmas: http://mittenson.com/vfah.html

There will be a kindle edition available at the same time, and we will make the paperback available in other parts of the world too. Please contact us for details of these, and with any questions - i✧✧✧@mitten✧✧✧.c✧✧.

Apparently there's a Chameleons Vox farewell tour, being a performance of Script Of The Bridge.

They toured the UK last year performing Script in its entirety and they're touring here again in a month or so doing the whole second album. Unless something has happened suddenly to make Mark change his plans?

Mark change his mind? How unexpected.

**rolls eyes**

Oh, so you know Mark too...

I am embarrassed that I own nothing by The Chameleons. However hearing songs of theirs pop up in my Killing Joke Pandora station have convinced me I need to rectify that.

Am I good if I pick up Return of the Roughnecks or are the first three albums all essential?

Just get Strange Times, and if it thrills, proceed sequentially.

The compilation is expensive! An import only evidently.

I can get the original versions of the albums cheaply since they did the deluxe remaster dealios, I'll probably go that route unless those remasters are really essential.

No you just need the first album. And the peel sessions. Then you're good.

i mean, get all three albums, don't get a best of...

Is the Return Of Roughnecks the only compilation containing the Tony Fletcher EP?

Yes.

I was hoping it would show up on a Strange Times reissue.

You need all three albums, no question. The "Tony Fletcher" EP is available on the "Dreams In Celluloid" comp of early material, so it won't be redundant, and is also available cheaply.

Thank you very much. I heard the first three albums a decade ago and its nice not having to pay for an overpriced Best Of to get the EP.

Absolutely awful news -- John Lever has passed.

http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2017/03/13/john-lever-chameleons-dies/

oh shit. wouldn't have been the same band without him, imagine 'soul in isolation' without JL

Yeah I keep turning over so many different fills and breaks of his in my mind. Just would NOT have been the same, indeed.

Ouch. That is indeed unsettling news.

LIstening to soul in isolation on this, fantastic, thanks Ned.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSfxjgIYjeGYUBs4NLlFEaMaKp5C6FPpC

You're welcome of course. I'll have a piece running in the Quietus tomorrow.

RIP :(

Way too young. A remarkable drummer in terms of what he didn't do, powerful without overpowering.

One of my favourite little bits of JL is that minute and a bit outro of On The Beach where the drums smashing through at the end of each bar, wave after wave onto the shore

Terrible news. I also thought of "Soul in Isolation" first, now it's time to reckon with "In Shreds," "Nathan's Phase"... jeez.

Giving a listen to the Live in Toronto album from the Strange Times tour now. They played San Diego that tour, and had I been just a bit more aware or on top of things, I suppose I could have gone or tried to go, but I was still very much a top 40 kid, wouldn't've known. Though I did see the reunion tour of course, I really can't complain.

FUCK

Man, what sad news. A lot of the Chameleons sound comes down to how powerful his drum parts were

My Quietus memorial is live:

http://thequietus.com/articles/21990-rip-the-chameleons-john-lever

Well said, Ned