The Chameleons ‘Live At The Camden Palace’ Double LP Out Now

Just over four decades since launching their illustrious legacy and several years since original members Mark Burgess and Reg Smithies reformed the band, UK post-punk icons The Chameleons have enjoyed a brilliant 2024, involving the release of the ‘Where Are You?’ EP and ‘Tomorrow Remember Yesterday’ EP via Metropolis Records, as well as their massively successful ‘Strange Times’ tour.

In continued celebration of their larger than life presence, UK label Moochin’ About Records has brought together two superb performances by The Chameleons in the album ‘Live at The Camden Palace’.  With cover artwork designed by Reg Smithies, who designs all official Chameleons studio releases, this Limited Edition release features orange and blue splattered vinyl, along with a Bonus CD, two previously unreleased photos and a poster. At present, 200 copies of this album are available.

Regarded as one of the most underrated Manchester bands of the 1980s, The Chameleons epitomized the UK post-punk movement and captured the zeitgeist of those bleak times of northern industrial decline, channelling dissolution into music that wondrously sounded upifting and atmospheric.

Now deemed iconic, The Chameleons’ November 1984 concert at London’s The Camden Palace gets the deluxe vinyl treatment, having previously only available as an audio-visual release – as a VHS videotape in 1985 and then digitally on DVD in 2012.  Recorded as a special show for satellite TV broadcast, this iconic gig sees the band at the top of their game. Signifying the end of touring for ‘The Script Of The Bridge’ album, this performance happened just a few months before the band went into the studio to record ‘What Does Anything Mean? Basically’.

With exceptional audio quality, this album also includes four bonus tracks from The Chameleons’ 1985 Arsenal concert in Barcelona, which were originally broadcast on an independent Catalonian local TV channel. Appearing on Side 4 of this vinyl release, these rarities were recorded at the Arsenal gig for a show called ‘Temps Estranys’ (translation: Strange Times), who devoted an entire show to the band. Recorded at Discoteca 666 in Barcelona in June 1985, this show finally aired in January 1986.

A key player on the Manchester scene, The Chameleons formed in nearby Middleton in 1981, fated to become one of the most important UK bands of that era. Debuting with the 1982 single ‘In Shreds’, the band subsequently released several seminal albums, including – ‘Script of the Bridge’ (1983), ‘What Does Anything Mean? Basically!’ (1984), ‘Strange Times’ (1986), and ‘Why Call It Anything?’ (2001).

The Chameleons have influenced several generations of indie and alternative rock bands, including The Stone Roses, The Charlatans, Smashing Pumpkins, The Flaming Lips, The Klllers, The Horrors, The National and Interpol. Oasis’ Noel Gallagher has even cited the band as an influence, noting “I’d forgotten how much ‘Strange Times’ 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 songwriter because I can hear ME in it everywhere!!”

The Chameleons ‘Live at The Camden Palace’ is out now exclusively on vinyl, and is available from Moochin’ About Records directly via Bandcamp, as well as select UK-based physical music retailers.