Formed in 1981 just outside of Manchester, England, The Chameleons were arguably one of alternative music's most influential bands of that decade. Headed by vocalist/bassist Mark Burgess, bands as diverse as The Cure, Kitchens of Distinction, For Against, Comsat Angels, Catherine Wheel and Echo & The Bunnymen have either been influenced by or compared to The Chameleons, while current-day faves Interpol owe a great debt to the band for their sound.

The Chameleons began developing an underground following with their debut, 1983's Script of the Bridge, released on Statik Records. By the time Strange Times was released on Geffen in 1986, The Chameleons were on the cusp of breaking through to a commercial market that The Cure would cultivate a year later with Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me. But it was never to be, because despite critical acclaim, Strange Times proved to be their last album. The band broke up in 1987.

Over the course of 15 years, Burgess and company watched as The Chameleons developed a following bigger than what they had enjoyed back in the '80s. It was constant requests from those fans that drove the band to organize a successful reunion tour of Europe and the United States last year.