A Personal Evolution - Vox of the Chameleons

Better To... Podcast with D. M. Needom

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Vox of the Chameleons stops by to discuss his long career, his evolution, their new record, the world, and more.

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Having released their first studio recordings in over 20 years in 2024 (Where Are You? of new material and Tomorrow Remember Yesterday which consisted of re-recorded archival tracks), Chameleons have been gearing up the release of their upcoming album Arctic Moon later 2025 which will be their first studio full-length since 2001’s Why Call It Anything. He explains, "It's quite different from anything Chameleons has done before, and I know this will probably polarize the legacy audience, but we're quite excited about how it's developing. I think the songwriting is much more mature in a lot of ways, which is to be expected, I suppose, given our age, but I, for one, really believe we're taking the band forward, and I'm quite excited about it."
Not planning on playing too much from the new album (“we don’t really want the songs spoiling on such platforms as YouTube until the record is actually out”), the new album will undoubtedly be embraced by old and new fans alike. “Our approach to making the music hasn’t changed,” Vox hints, “although having found a regular producer in Christophe Bride at Oxygene has helped our development tremendously. His studio in Manchester, UK, is a great environment to work in. We feel our sound is fresher and more contemporary, which seems to resonate very strongly with our younger audience that are turning out to see us in such great numbers.”
Long cited as a hugely influential act, having inspired the likes of Verve, Oasis, White Lies, The Slow Readers Club, Interpol, The Killers and Editors, among countless others and known for their transformative musical catalog and intense and emotionally charged live performances, Chameleons have created a legacy that extends beyond their four studio albums. Following their debut single "In Shreds" in 1982, the band released three seminal albums: the widely acclaimed Script of the Bridge (1983), cited by many sources as a masterpiece way ahead of its time, and its follow-up, What Does Anything Mean? Basically!' (1984), Strange Times (1986), and Why Call It Anything? (2001).
Their unique sound quickly captivated the public through their mix of melancholic yet energetic and powerful tunes, hypnotic, ethereal riffs, and the potent, timeless lyrical style. Chameleons are considered one of the most influential guitar bands of the 80s and 90s, contributing substantially to the post-punk, shoegaze, and indie scenes. They are often regarded as one of the most underrated bands ever to emerge from Manchester, England.
Chameleons are Reg Smithies (guitar), Vox (bass, vocals, lyrics), Stephen Rice (guitar), Danny Ashberry (keyboards), and Todd Demma (drums).

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