The Chameleons UK - Strange Times demos (1986)

Not too many hours from this hour (about 44 as of this writing) my little mind was irretrievably blown away by a Mark Burgess performance at the Bell House in Brooklyn, NY, which closed-out Big Takeover Magazine's 30th Anniversary Festival  Accompanied by four young(er) guns, Burgess and his crew tightly and efficiently blazed their way through roughly fifteen Chameleons classics with an intensity that equalled, or in my opinion even trumped that of his original band of yore in their '80 heyday.  When I initially saw his name on the lineup a couple months ago, I assumed he would be performing all by his lonesome, bearing only a twelve-string acoustic guitar at most.  Boy, was I in for quite a mind fuck that night.  It will no doubt go down as one of the finest and most captivating performances witnessed in my life.  If you're signed up on the bit torrent site, Dimeadozen, you can hear if for your own ears in fact. 

Since I'm still so buzzed from that riveting gig, I've decided a Chameleons post is warranted, specifically the demos for their third and final platter with their original Thatcher-era lineup, Strange Times.  More lucid, grandiose and measured than it's predecessor albums, Script of the Bridge and What Does Anything Mean Basically?, Times was nonetheless as visceral as '80s rock came - commerical, "alternative," or otherwise.  You're treated to twelve tracks here (with "Time" being divided up into two parts), including the iconic "Swamp Thing," and my favorite, "Ever After."  Speaking of Chameleons demos, the 2009 deluxe reissue of What Does Anything Mean includes a bonus cd of nine demos specific to that album. Find it on Amazon.

The storm comes...or is it just another shower?

01. Seriocity
02. In Answer
03. Time (pt. 1)
04. Time (pt. 2)
05. John, I'm Only Dancing
06. Tomorrow Never Knows
07. Inside Out
08. Paradiso
09. Tears
10. Caution
11. Ever After
12. Mad Jack
13. Swamp Thing

Hear