Words and photos by Kenzie Trikouros.
In the ever-shifting landscape of post-punk, few bands have preserved their creative fire quite like The Chameleons.
With brooding guitars and raw, unfiltered lyrics, the band built a cult following that’s stood strong through decades of shifting scenes.
I recently had the chance to sit down with vocalist-bassist Mark Burgess, known to many simply as Vox, for a conversation that was as thoughtful and layered as the music itself.
We hopped on the Zoom call, him in Germany and me in Bushwick, New York. Vox had tangerines for a snack, and I had a croissant from the cafe I was at.
Vox really embodies this authentic spirit of musicians who create not for genre or commercial success, but for the pure joy of artistic expression. He loves what he does.
“I always loved records growing up. I was always a fan of music,” he told me.
The Chameleons formed in Manchester in 1981, quickly becoming known for their atmospheric post-punk sound and introspective lyrics.
Returning now with a solid lineup and a renewed passion for the music, The Chameleons are once again creating the atmospheric, emotionally charged sound that defined their legacy, with a new album due this year.
I couldn’t help but mention how much “Where are you?” stood out to me when listening to their entire discography.
Vox said their regular drummer, Todd, was in America, so guitarist Stephen played the drums for the initial recording.
I first heard Chameleons on the radio and used Shazam to find the song- it was “Swamp Thing,” their most popular song.
Both songs tap into that core Chameleons theme of emotional unrest, but where “Swamp Thing” feels like a slow descent, “Where Are You?” is more like a sudden drop into uncertainty.
Vox emphasized he thinks I will like the album version a lot- and I am definitely looking forward to hearing about it.
“Where are you?” will be one of the songs on the upcoming album, Arctic Moon.
Vox says each song is its own, and the album takes a lot of inspiration from 60s and 70s music.
“There’s no formula to it. We take each idea very much from a unique perspective,” He said on writing the album.
For the first time since the death of John Lever and the departure of Dave Fielding from the band, frontman Mark Burgess felt they were a proper band once again, capable of creating something interesting and exciting.
Vox discussed with me one of his favorites on the album, “David Bowie Takes My Hand.”
He said, “It starts quite brooding and spooky and then becomes something totally epic… It’s probably the most deeply personal [song] I’ve done, because I was in a very dark place for a while.”
As our call came to a close, I was struck by Vox’s openness. He spoke freely about the band’s past, his struggles, and the creative spark that continues to drive him.
With Arctic Moon, The Chameleons are not just revisiting their legacy but expanding it.
If “Where Are You?” and “David Bowie Takes My Hand” are any indication, this next chapter promises to be as emotionally raw and resonant as anything The Chameleons have created before.
