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 (see
1981 in music). They consisted of singer and bassist
Mark Burgess, guitarist Reg Smithies, guitarist Dave Fielding, drummer John Lever as well as keyboardists Alistair Lewthwaite and Andy Clegg. Their body of work is still critically acclaimed within the music press and influenced bands as diverse as
The Smiths,
Protokoll,
The Comsat Angels,
Puressence,
Interpol,
Editors. Through Mark Burgess' penetrating vocals and dark and ironic lyrics, their songs often dealt with personal themes of childlike innocence and a reverence for nostalgia. Musically, perhaps most notable in their work was the band's innovative and distinctive use of dual guitar melodies, courtesy of Reg Smithies and Dave Fielding, as opposed to the traditional rhythm-and-lead guitarist format prevalent in rock music even to this day. These arrangements were often characterized by the use of delay and choral effects. The Chameleons' unique sound is quite often compared to
U2's The Edge.
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