Scheduled for release on 12th September on Metropolis Records, ‘Arctic Moon’ is the first full-length album by Chameleons since the release of ‘Why Call It Anything?’ in 2001. 

Long cited as a hugely influential act, having inspired the likes of (The) Verve, Oasis, Interpol, The Killers, Editors and White Lies, Chameleons are renowned for their transformative catalogue and intense, emotionally charged live performances, creating a legacy that extends far beyond their four studio albums to date. Their widely acclaimed debut, ‘Script of the Bridge’ (1983) has been cited by many as a masterpiece way ahead of its time, and was followed by ‘What Does Anything Mean? Basically!’ (1984), ‘Strange Times’ (1986) and ‘Why Call It Anything?’ (2001).

Their unique sound quickly won them an audience with its mix of melancholic yet energetic and powerful tunes, hypnotic, ethereal riffs and a potent, timeless lyrical style. They are considered one of the most influential guitar bands of the ‘80s and ‘90s, contributing substantially to the post-punk, shoegaze and indie scenes.

2024 saw the release of two EPs that kicked off a new chapter for the band. ‘Where Are You?’ consisted of three new songs, while ‘Tomorrow Remember Yesterday’ featured five re-recorded archive tracks. ‘Arctic Moon’ sees them propelling forward musically while retaining the essence that originally made them iconic.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: A stunning new outing from one of Manchester's most beloved bands, their first since 2001 sees the indie pioneers laying down a perfect mix of their trademark guitary jangle and a more modern production aesthetic. It's a beautifully engineered and quintessentially Chameleonic endeavour. Ace.

TRACK LISTING

1. Where Are You?
2. Lady Strange
3. Feels Like The End Of The World
4. Free Me
5. Magnolia
6. David Bowie Takes My Hand
7. Saviours Are A Dangerous Thing

Following their acclaimed debut ‘The Summoned’ on Acid Jazz in 2023, Mama Terra return with a new album - ‘Chameleons: Live Interpretations of Herbie Hancock’.

The album recasts Hancock’s iconic works in a new, live setting, as a basis for both homage and exploration, with ‘Headhunters’ being a prime influence for leader Marco Cafolla.

The album grew out of Jazz FM’s ‘Classic Albums’ series, and was recorded live at the Glasgow International Jazz Festival in June 2024. The performance demonstrates the prowess of Mama Terra as a live outfit.

Led by Marco Cafolla (Keyboards), musicians include Konrad Wiszniewski (Tenor Sax), Rachel Lightbody (Vocals), Ross David Saunders (Upright Bass + Mix Engineer) & Doug Hough (Drums).

Known for their fresh and invigorated take on spiritual jazz, with soul and R&B influences, Mama Terra showcased at the 2024 SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, alongside a host of festival and jazz club appearances. ‘Chameleons’ shows a band in ascendency. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Chameleon
2. Watermelon Man
3. Cantaloupe Island
4. Butterfly
5. Sly
6. Vein Melter

Almost 35 years on, The Chameleons return once again, to one of Manchester’s most iconic venues, playing the original set they played that evening...

The atmospheric post-vocalist/bassist Mark Burgess began with the Cliches, guitarists Reg Smithies and Dave Fielding arrived from the Years, and drummer John Lever (who quickly replaced founding member Brian Schofield) originated with the Politicians. After establishing themselves with a series of high-profile BBC sessions, the Chameleons signed to Epic and debuted with the EP Nostalgia, a tense, moody set produced by Steve Lillywhite which featured the single 'In Shreds.'.... The quartet was soon released from its contract with Epic, but then signed to Statik and returned in 1983 with the band's first full-length effort, Script of the Bridge. What Does Anything Mean? Basically followed in 1985, and with it came a new reliance on stylish production; following its release, the Chameleons signed to Geffen and emerged the following year with Strange Times. The dark, complex record proved to be the Chameleons' finale, however, when they split following the sudden death of manager Tony Fletcher; while Burgess and Lever continued on in the Sun & the Moon, Smithies and Fielding later reunited in the Reegs. In 1993, Burgess surfaced with his proper solo album Zima Junction. He and his band the Sons of God toured America the following year.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: There's no mistaking The Chameleons, and they're in fine fettle here, smashing through a perfectly performed set of classics and sounding every bit the band we remember at Manchester's iconic Ritz.

TRACK LISTING

LP & 7" Tracklist:
Silence Sea & Sky
Pleasure & Pain
Here Today
Intrigue In Tangiers
Singing Rule Britannia
Return Of The Roughnecks
Perfume Garden
Less Than Human
Nostalgia
Second Skin
One Flesh
Home Is Where The Heart Is
PS Goodbye
In Shreds
A Person Isn’t Safe

7”
Looking Inwardly
Don’t Fall

CD Tracklist:
Silence Sea & Sky
Pleasure & Pain
Here Today
Intrigue In Tangiers
Singing Rule Britannia
Return Of The
Roughnecks
Perfume Garden
Less Than Human
Nostalgia
Second Skin
One Flesh
Home Is Where The Heart Is
PS Goodbye
In Shreds
A Person Isn’t Safe
Looking Inwardly
Don’t Fall

Recorded in 1984 for a special performance for a satellite TV broadcast, this iconic gig at The Camden Palace features Middleton’s finest on top of their game and includes songs taken from ‘Script of the Bridge’ & ‘What Does Anything Mean? Basically’...

Released on vinyl for the first time, this album also includes 4 bonus tracks from the Arsenal concert, which was recorded for an independent Catalonian local tv channel, in 1985...

The cover art has been exclusively designed by Chams guitarist Red Smithies, who designed all official Chameleons studio releases.

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
1 Don't Fall 4:14
2 Intrigue In Tangiers 3:22
3 Monkeyland 4:29
4 Second Skin 5:40

Side 2
5 Singing Rule Britannia (While The Walls Close In) 3:40
6 Pleasure And Pain 4:04
7 Return Of The Roughnecks 3:28
8 A Person Isn't Safe 4:47

Side 3
9 In Shreds 3:59
10 Splitting In Two 6:28 (ATV Cover Version)
11 Here Today 3:55
12 Thursday's Child 3:16
13 Paper Tiger 4:01

Side 4 - Bonus Tracks From The Arsenal Gig, Recorded For An Independent Catalonian TV Show Called "temps Estranys" (strange Times..!).
14. Return Of The Roughnecks
15. Less Than Human
16 Splitting In Two
17.Here Today

• Live extravaganza from post-punk “sonic cathedrals” (©The Independent), The Chameleons featuring live sets recorded in the ‘80s across two CDs and one DVD

• Featuring two live shows at The Hacienda and Camden Palace that have never been previously released on CD and an earlier set at the Gallery Club

• Plus a DVD featuring all three shows and an episode of Catalan TV programme Arsenal devoted to the band

Formed in Greater Manchester in 1981, The Chameleons pioneered post punk, combining Reg Smithies’ and Dave Fielding’s layered, shimmering guitars, drummer John Lever’s tribal rhythms and Mark Burgess’ driving bass and impassioned vocals with lyrics often reflecting the anxiety and alienation of the Thatcher era.

“All tribal percussion and jagged guitar shards straining to frame vast vistas with one hand while clutching their alienated urban roots with the other.” NME

The Chameleons are an acknowledged influence on future generations of indie and alternative rock bands including Stone Roses, Oasis, The Charlatans, Smashing Pumpkins, The Flaming Lips, The Killers, The Horrors, The National and Interpol.

‘Elevated Living’ includes their two celebrated hometown Manchester shows, ‘Live At The Gallery Club’ (1982) and ‘Live At The Hacienda’ (1983) and their superb show filmed for the ITV, ‘Live At The Camden Palace’ (1984) on both CD and DVD. The latter two shows are presented on CD for the first time.

The DVD also includes an episode of Catalan TV programme Arsenal devoted entirely to the band. Broadcast in January 1986, it mixes four tracks taken from a live show at the Discoteca 666 in Barcelona from 1985 (also on CD) plus studio performances and interviews with singer/bassist Mark Burgess and drummer John Lever.

The Gallery show includes rarities ‘Nathan’s Phase’ and ‘Things I Wished I’d Said’, while The Hacienda includes early versions of ‘A Person Isn’t Safe Anywhere These Days’ under the working title of ‘Men Of Steel’ and ‘Thursday’s Child’ as ‘Years Ago’.

TRACK LISTING

DISC 1:
LIVE AT THE GALLERY CLUB,
MANCHESTER, 18.12.82
1 PAPER TIGERS
2 NATHAN’S PHASE
3 DON’T FALL
4 PLEASURE & PAIN
5 HERE TODAY
6 IN SHREDS
7 UP THE DOWN ESCALATOR
8 SECOND SKIN
9 MONKEYLAND
10 AS HIGH AS YOU CAN GO
11 THINGS I WISH I’D SAID
12 VIEW FROM A HILL
LIVE AT THE HACIENDA,
MANCHESTER, 28.1.83
13 PAPER TIGERS
14 PLEASURE & PAIN
15 MEN OF STEEL
16 YEARS AGO
17 IN SHREDS
18 DON’T FALL
19 SECOND SKIN

DISC 2:
LIVE AT THE CAMDEN PALACE,
LONDON 9.11.84
1 DON’T FALL
2 INTRIGUE IN TANGIERS
3 MONKEYLAND
4 SECOND SKIN
5 SINGING RULE BRITANNIA
(WHILE THE WALLS CLOSE IN)
6 PLEASURE & PAIN
7 RETURN OF THE
ROUGHNECKS
8 A PERSON ISN’T SAFE
ANYWHERE THESE DAYS
9 IN SHREDS
10 SPLITTING IN TWO
11 HERE TODAY
12 THURSDAY’S CHILD
13 PAPER TIGERS
ARSENAL: LIVE AT DISCOTECA
666, BARCELONA 7.6.85
14 HERE TODAY
15 RETURN OF THE ROUGHNECKS
16 LESS THAN HUMAN
17 SPLITTING IN TWO

DISC 3:
DVD: LIVE AT THE GALLERY CLUB, MANCHESTER, 18.12.82 TRACKLISTING AS DISC ONE
LIVE AT THE HACIENDA, MANCHESTER, 28.1.83 TRACKLISTING AS DISC ONE
LIVE AT THE CAMDEN PALACE, LONDON, 9.11.84 TRACKLISTING AS DISC TWO

ARSENAL: (SPANISH TV) 1985
1 DON’T FALL
2 SINGING RULE BRITANNIA
(WHILE THE WALLS CLOSE IN)
3 HERE TODAY
4 RETURN OF THE ROUGHNECKS
5 MONKEYLAND
6 LESS THAN HUMAN
7 PLEASURE & PAIN
8 SECOND SKIN
9 HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS
10 IN SHREDS
11 SPLITTING IN TWO
NTSC DVD Visual Content.
FSK - 0

‘Strange Times’ was the Chameleons’ third album, originally released in 1986 on the Geffen label and praised by the critics who reviewed it. Melody Maker called it “a marvellous departure” from their previous work and “a wonderful record,” describing it as “the band’s most inventive and winning album yet and as a fine a record as any guitar band has made this year - it should delight just about anyone.”

Singer and bassist Mark Burgess later said “‘Strange Times’ is my favourite. Personally, I believe it was the best lyrical work I’d done with the band and some of the best vocal performances, and I think the Chameleons really began to mature and move forward with this album.”

Noel Gallagher was quoted recently as saying “I’d forgotten how much this album meant to me. It came out in ‘86. I was 19!! I’ve been listening to it every day since and I have to say it’s blown my mind… again! It must have influenced my early years as a song writer because I can hear ME in it everywhere!!”

The Chameleons have long been named as influences on bands such as The Flaming Lips, The Killers and Smashing Pumpkins.

This recording from Preston Guildhall was taken from their current tour, which continues across the UK and Europe throughout 2019, ending at Manchester Ritz in December, supported by The Icicle Works.

The ‘Where In The World’ EP consists of four original Chameleons songs, rerecorded in 2017. As a feature of their current live set the songs were universally well-received by the fanbase and are presented here by popular request. ‘Dali’s Picture’ a discarded song written in 1981, ‘Ever After’ an unfinished demo from the ‘Strange Times’ session that produced the bands third album and ‘Denims & Curls’ and ‘Free For All’, which were demos for a fourth album that never materialized due to the band’s disintegration. Despite the years in between, all four songs feel fresh, vibrant and contemporary.

The Chameleons (known as The Chameleons UK in North America) were an English post punk band formed in Middleton, Greater Manchester in 1981. The band originally consisted of singer and bassist Mark Burgess, guitarist Reg Smithies, guitarist Dave Fielding and drummer John Lever (replacing original drummer Brian Schofield). They released six studio albums and one EP before disbanding in 2003. They have gained even bigger audiences of late, touring as ChameleonsVox and playing out their classic albums.

TRACK LISTING

‘Strange Times… Live’
(CD / 2LP)
Mad Jack
Caution
Tears
Soul In Isolation
Swamp Thing
Time/
The End Of Time
Seriocity
In Answer
Childhood
I’ll Remember

‘Where In The World’
(2LP Only)
Denims & Curls
Dali’s Picture
Free For All
Ever After