They could've been contenders..... an occasional series

The history of popular music is littered with tales of recording artists who should've made it big, albums that ended up languishing away in bargain bins instead of selling thousands, songs that should, even now be staples of day time radio instead of being known to a select few. Despite accusations of being a bit of a musical snob over the years I actually would like nothing more than for the music I enjoy to be enjoyed by millions... unlikely in most cases though...

Anyway..... back on subject

The Chameleons were one such band, they were formed in the early 1980's and were based in and around Manchester, they were lead by a singing bassist called Mark, there were two guitarists called Dave and Reg and a bloke on drums called John. They were initially signed to a rather large major record label before being unceremoniously dropped, they made 3 studio albums during their initial time together "Script Of The Bridge" "What Does Anything Mean Basically" and "Strange Times" all of which contained powerful post-punk tinged pop songs such as "Don't Fall", "Up The Down Escalator", "Looking Inwardly","Mad Jack", "Tears" and "In Answer". 

I was a bit too young to get into the band during this time, I discovered them much later on (early 1991) when an album was released of the bands John Peel sessions which I bought from my local Our Price and pretty much wore out playing it relentlessly on my Sony Walkman. I was pretty soon hooked and, in those days before Amazon, i-Tunes etc, trawled record fairs tracking down the 3 aforementioned studio albums and various bootlegs of gigs.

The Chameleons never sold anywhere near the volume of records they deserved to and split up in 1987 mourned by a select few, the band did eventually reform in 2000 for a series of warmly received gigs and even a belated fourth album "Why Call It Anything" before once again disbanding.

There have been various reissues of the bands material and rather a lot of compilation albums of demos, live sessions etc, anyone interested I'd point you towards those original 3 albums, the Peel Sessions compilation and "The Fan and The Bellows" a compilation of 1981-1982 demos.

They were a cracking band and one who have gone on to influence the likes of Interpol, The Horrors, Editors etc 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7AnaKs3HJ4

The World Of Blogging

Several other friends have blogs, I read enough of them and it seemed a useful vehicle for my middle aged ramblings about the genius of Mark E Smith and The Fall, the demise of the high street music retailer, how The Telescopes second untitled album from 1992 was a misunderstood masterpiece and other such fare.

It's fair to say that I'm obsessed with music, I have been for most of the 38 1/2 years I've been on this planet, I have vivid memories of listening to my Dad's Beatles/Rolling Stones/Kinks singles in the early 70's,  I can remember the regular visits to that music retail giant known as Woolworths every 2-3 months in the early 80's to buy the new Madness single, going to see the likes of The Wonder Stuff, The Cure, The Stone Roses, House Of Love etc as an A-Level student in the late 80's, realising in the mid 90's (whilst at Uni) that by pretending I could actually DJ mean't I could sign up to mailing lists and receive tons of free music (although for every promotional copy of The Chemical Brothers "Setting Son" I had to endure a pile of still unplayed Menswe@r singles) picking up a bass guitar around that time and bluffing my way through a series of underachieving bands (sometimes even getting paid for gigs), meeting the great John Peel in 1997 and being warned that should my love affair with music last beyond my 30th birthday I'd probably be hooked for life.

Those visits to London to spend hours trawling through record shops in search of the first Monks album (seminal mid 60's proto-punk classic if anyone wonders), the monthly visit to Oxford Town Hall for the record fair and the drunken afternoon which followed in the pub afterwards discussing my recent purchases with like minded souls. I once lived on nothing but value rice and soy sauce for 3 weeks because I'd blown the last part of my wages on the reissued Nuggets Box Set on CD.

I'd like to say my obsession with music has calmed down a bit and it probably has, now staring 40 in the face I have other things to consider, wife, daughter, mortgage, day job and yet still I got wildly excited a few months ago when the Teardrop Explodes seminal debut album Kilimanjaro was reissued with a bonus disc of the lo-fi singles they recorded for Zoo Records.... yeah I know....:-).

So much great music has been made over the years but plenty still being made as we speak, 2010 has been a fine year with the likes of Liars, Deerhunter, The National, Edwyn Collins, Best Coast, Warpaint, Tame Impala, Drums, MGMT, LCD Soundsystem and Jim Jones Revue being added to the collection. I've even managed to convince my Wife that next year's summer holiday should take place at Butlins in Minehead, the fact this co-incides with the Animal Collective's curated ATP Festival? Pure co-incidence.

So... my offering to the world of blogging....... There really are worse obsessions