The Chameleons

Born in Manchester in 1981, The Chameleons are part of the post‑punk wave, marked by expansive guitar sounds and sharp lyrics. Centered on Mark Burgess (vocals, bass), Reg Smithies and Dave Fielding (guitars) and John Lever (drums), the band released Script of the Bridge (1983), What Does Anything Mean? Basically (1985) and Strange Times (1986) after being discovered by John Peel, and then split up in 1987. They returned in 2000, went through further changes, and eventually reformed in 2021 under the leadership of Burgess and Smithies.

In 2024, The Chameleons released Where Are You, a prelude to Arctic Moon, their first full studio album in more than twenty years. The current lineup brings together Mark Burgess, Reg Smithies, Stephen Rice, Danny Ashberry and Todd Demma, and includes seven new tracks such as "Where Are You" and "Saviours Are A Dangerous Thing." Over the years they have shared bills with U2, Killing Joke, Bauhaus, Simple Minds, Talk Talk and The Cure, building a strong reputation as a live band. On 11 November 2026, at the Le Bikini venue in Ramonville‑Saint‑Agne, The Chameleons mixed new compositions with early material, maintaining the emotional and melodic intensity that has run through their career.