Peel Sessions - Here Today - Chameleons

[ODH]

Here Today

The Chameleons

One night in the latter part of 1981*, I was up late on a school night recording tracks off of the Peel show.  On this particular night John was broadcasting the first Chameleons session and it blew me away.  This song in particular changed the way I look at music and has been a favorite of mine ever since.

Chameleons were a band blighted by record company & contractual problems and were never able to achieve their potential.  Which is a shame because you play their stuff alongside bands from 2-3 decades later (Interpol, Editors) and it stands up.  They did three Peel sessions and in my opinion they have more vitality and focus than their studio work.  They released them on a Peel session CD, which I thoroughly recommend.

I'd never actually attempted to play this song though, and when I came to last week I found I couldn't work it out.  I could only get it to work by tuning down the A string to G, which would make it in drop-G, if there is such a thing.  (If I'd had my capo I would have put it on the third fret, but it was upstairs and I coulnd't be arsed to go get it.  I don't think it would have worked as well though).

[Rather enigmatic] notes on the song on the Chameleons web page "This is one of the first songs we ever wrote together.  Coming as they did quickly in the wake of the John Lennon murder (he had been shot dead a couple of months earlier) I'd always believed that they had stemmed from that. But it is now my belief that they are in fact snatches of my own future."


*According to the BBC site, the session was recorded on 8th June 81 and broadcast on 17th June, which would have put it right in the middle of my O levels.  Naughty.

[kenny mac]

Wow nice one mate,cool sounds there and I love the vocal.

[Greeny]

A lush but edgy guitar-scape - love it. Definitely evokes the post-punk period it comes from (when I would devour late night radio too). Beautifully done, with a swagger and meticulous attention to detail.

Damn cool!

[bruno]

This certainly covers the 80's sound, this takes me back to Uni and seeing bands at the time. Excellent cover - although I don't really remember the Chameleons, I may have seen them - who knows :-) I really like the mix on this, it has a full sound without being cluttered. I really enjoyed this track, great stuff.
B

[Oldrottenhead]

braw tell your maw, great version too. yup they should have been so much bigger. this fest is great bringing back so many memories for me.

[Pete C]

Don't remember the band or the song but this is a stormer! Very similar in structure to a Cure song and truly reflective of the zeitgeist of the early 80's. (Pretentious? Moi ?)  Love the sounds going on in the background too. Top hole Sir !

[Mike_S]

Yep, never heard of the band or the song but loved this. This gives me a real Hawkwind feel (i always tend to the rock as opposed to indie side). Great stuff!!

[Tangled Wires]

I absolutely love this, really cool 80's sounds, and never heard of this song or band before, but on the strength of this may well check them out.

The swirling and swelling sound of them guitars sounds fantastic, and I have to say vocally this is right up there with your best.

This mix is spot on, and yet again it is the immaculate attention to detail, which is one of the reasons each and every track you post on here stands out.

Excellent!

[ODH]

Thanks for those kind words, TW and everyone.

This song is special to me and I am pleased with the track. I even put new strings on for the (4) guitar tracks.

I'm trying to get the guitar in more now, I've done a lot of tracks entierly in my phone lately and I want to keep it real. Or keep it Peel in this case.

[Blooby]

Very cool combinations of tones. Very cool tune as well although a might disturbing in the lyric department. Disturbing is good in this case.

Blooby