The SUN & The MOON: Rare & Unreleased Recordings

Andy Clegg (Music for Aborigines, The Sun & The Moon, Weaveworld) has announced the release through his Record Label Going Nowhere Records some Rare and Unreleased Recordings from The SUN & The MOON era.

They have been released as cd-r copies from the master recordings

Rough Sketches Vol I

1.The Speed of Life 2.Death of Imagination 3.A Matter of Conscience 4.Peace in our Time 5.House on Fire 6.Price of Grain 7.Limboland 8. A Picture of England 9. This Passionate Breed 10.What Do Angels Look Like 11. I Love You, You Bastard 12.The Chills 13. The Healer

Rough Sketches Vol II

1.What Do Angels Look Like 2.Kaptain kool 3.(The End of) Death of Imagination 4. The Speed of Life 5.Peace in our Time 6. A Matter of Conscience 7.Dolphin 8.House on Fire 9.The Price of Grain 10.Limboland 11.A Picture of England 12. The Chills 13.Interview

If you want to order any of these CDs, just write an email to Andy to the following email address: gnrecords@gmail.com

More info in this Facebook link.

ChameleonsVOX Tour Dates & SOTB Live Performances

This is an update of the ChameleonsVOX live dates for the USA & UK Tour for November and December 2011. More info about tickets on ChameleonsVOX Web Site new dates in November for their US Tour:

USA

Nov 11th - Austin TX - Elyseum
Nov 12th - Dallas TX - Trees
Nov 13th - Albuquerque NM - Burt’s Tikki Bar (To be confirmed)
Nov 14th - Phoenix AR - The Rythm Room
Nov 15th - Los Angeles CA - The Troubadour
Nov 16th - Oakland CA- The New Parish *
Nov 17th - San Francisco CA - Cafe du Nord
Nov 20th - Chicago ILL - Bottom Lounge
Nov 21th - Rochester NY - Water Street Music Hall
Nov 22th - Boston MA - TT The Bears
Nov 23rd - Manhattan - Home Sweet Home *
Nov 25th - Brooklyn NY - Littlefield
Nov 26th - Manhattan NY - Delancey’s
Nov 27th - Hoboken NJ - Maxwell’s
Nov 28th - Washington DC - The Black Cat
Nov 30th - Atlanta GA - The Shelter


UK
Nov 5th - Whitby Goth Weekend
Dec 12th - London - Dingwalls
Dec 22th - Manchester - Ruby Lounge *


* Special Live performance of Chameleons´ debut album: The Script of the Bridge


It won´t be the same as watching the original band playing together, but it will be for sure a unique opportinity to listen to good these old tunes being played live. So, enjoy!

MUSIC FOR ABORIGINES Live

An update of the Music for Aborigines gig t Night & Day Cafe (Manchester-UK) on 10th October 2011:

Colin Smith, member of the band, has published on his Facebook profile some pictures from the show.



Thanks Colin for sharing them

News from YVES ALTANA

Yves Altana, talented multi-instrumentalist, audio engineer and producer, who worked in the past with Mark Burgess in different projects/bands (Mark Burgess&Yves Altana, Invincible, Bird) is setting up a new band based in Manchester. Although this new project hasn´t got a name yet, we hope to be able to listen soon to the new compositions of this great artist.

During last year Yves has been touring with I am Kloot, and he also has been composing the soundtrack for the game Hydrophobia.

He also worked as engineer/producer of Gabrielle´s Wish.


Yves was contacted by Mark Burgess some time ago to join him on his Chameleons covers band ChameleonsVOX, but he kindly declined the offer as he was more interested in challenging new projects.

You can follow Yves on Facebook with the following profiles: Yves Altana, Wonky Alice. Wonky Alice is an early 90´s alternative/indie manchester band in which Yves played guitars.




You can also listen to some songs froms his past projects on the following myspace links:

http://www.myspace.com/alchemized
http://www.myspace.com/wonkyalice

Summer Gigs: ChameleonsVOX & Coconut DF

A reminder for all Chams fans about the upcoming summer gigs.

Mark Burgess will be playing with his band ChameleonsVOX on 12th August @The Ruby Lounge. They will be supported by The Numbers and BUSHART, the band of John Lever. More info here.


On the other side, Dave Fielding will be playing with his new band Coconut DF on 13th August @Star Fest in Rotherham. More info here.

MUSIC FOR ABORIGINES, KIZILOK & Cornelius Crane Concert

An update of the gig MUSIC FOR ABORIGINES played last 29th July in Manchester (UK) @Night&Day Cafe:

This is the set list of the MFA gig. The played some songs of Black Swan Lane & Weaveworld:

1. Tidal Wave (Black Swan Lane)
2. Pathetical Twat
3. An Individual Mind (Black Swan Lane)
4. Hydraulic Bottlejacks
5. Singing September Songs
6. Kink in your Plan (song from early band "The Neighbours", Col Smith & Andy Whit were in 1980 before forming MFA)
7. Sitting on a Biscuit
8. Perfect Day
9. Out and Down (Weaveworld)
10. Open up my Eyes (Weaveworld)
11. Davy Jones (Weaveworld)
12. Faith

(Thanks Col for the set list)


We have also collected some pics of the event and we have included them in the MFA Photo Album, available here and at the side bar of this blog. Mark Burgess and John Lever attended the show, as part of the audience.

Hope you like the pics. Special thanks to Col & Izzy Wizzy for sharing them.










Background: As all of you may know, MUSIC FOR ABORIGINES was founded many, many years ago by Colin Smith, Andy Clegg & Andy Whitaker, and then two Andys created the SUN & MOON band with John Lever and Mark Burgess from the Chameleons.

MFA was supported in the gig by KIZILOK and CORNELIUS CRANE. If you want to know how these bands sound like, just take a look at the following links:

MUSIC FOR ABORIGINES:
www.myspace.com/whitakerandy
http://www.myspace.com/weaveworld
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0A_iXFF_gQ&feature=related

KIZILOK:
http://www.youtube.com/user/kizilok1

THECORNELIUS CRANE:
http://www.myspace.com/captainsofindustry31
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001967923438

All the info on this Facebook Link.

New Photo Albums: THE REEGS&DAVE FIELDING; WEAVEWORLD; MARK BURGESS&FRIENDS

We have created new photo albums dedicated to The Reegs and other bands Dave Fielding has been involved, WeaveWorld and all the different Projects Mark Burgess has been involved (apart from SUN&MOON which has its own dedicated photo album) : MB solo, MB & Sons of God,MB & Yves Altana, Invincible, Bird, The Sound of Adrian Borland & ChameleonsVOX. You can view them right here or at the side bar of the blog:
THE REEGS & DAVE FIELDING

WEAVEWORLD

MARK BURGESS & FRIENDS

Rare Pictures of MUSIC FOR ABORIGINES AND SUN&MOON

Colin Smith, member of MUSIC FOR ABORIGINES, has published on his Facebook profile a collection of MUSIC FOR ABORIGINES AND SUN&MOON eighthies pictures.

The whole set of pictures can be viewed on this Facebook link

Here we post some of them:

MUSIC FOR ABORIGINES Pictures



Members: Colin Smith, Dave Booth, Andy Clegg & Andy Whitaker

We have also added them to the following MUSIC FOR ABORIGINES Photo album, which can be viewed here, or at the side-bar of this blog. Hope you like it.





THE SUN & THE MOON Pictures


Members: Andy Clegg, Andy Whitaker, John Lever & Mark Burgess

Thanks a lot Colin, for sharing this good old memories with all your fans.

We have also added them to our SUN&MOON Photo album which can ve viewed below and on the side bar of this blog

News from KIZILOK

If you want to be updated with all new compositions KIZILOK, the group where Andy Clegg is involved, just take a look at Youtube.

Here is series of wonderful atmospheric guitar Improvs.

Enjoy them

Conversations with...(Part I)


Conversations with...(Part II)


Conversations with...(Part III)


If you like this band, you can also subscribe to their Youtube Channel... and support them in all their events, of course. News about them available in this blog and also in FaceBook

DAVE FIELDING: Original Artwork & Prints

Dave Fielding (founder member of The Chameleons, The Reegs, & Coconut DF) & Rebecca Amis have created website http://www.dragonfliesandbutterflies.co.uk/ where you can find and buy all their artwork and prints.

On this page you will also find the paitining that was used for the single Singing Rule Britannia de The Chameleons:



Enjoy them!

ChameleonsVOX: New 2011 Tour Dates

This is an update of the 2011 tour dates for ChameleonsVOX, the new band of Mark Burgess, reinterpreting classic songs from The Chameleons:

May 19th - Edinburgh - The Queen’s Hall (supporting Mercury Rev)
May 20th - Manchester- Bridgewater Hall (supporting Mercury Rev)
May 21th - London - Roundhouse (supporting Mercury Rev)
May 27th & 29th - Manchester - Strummercamp

June 12th - Zuiddijk (Netherlands) - Pop & Dancepodium De Kade

June 13th - Bremen - The Tower
June 15th - Muenster - Glea 22
June 16th - Cologne - Underground
June 17th - Bochum - TBA
June 18th - Hamburg - Funbuerau

This is the actual ChameleonsVOX line-up:
Mark Burgess - Vox
Justin Lomery - Guitar
Stephen Foxcroft - Guitar
Chris Oliver - Guitar
Ray Bowles - Bass
Dug McLeod - Drums

Other Musics: TOUNDRA

It´s about time we dedicated a post to one of the best but (yet) unknown rock spanish bands. They are called TOUNDRA and they have released two albums of Instrumental Rock.

They have been described as a Post-Rock band, and although we do not like to use labels. TOUNDRA are really skilled in combining a powerful sound with beatiful atmospheres. If you have heard the most powerful songs of Porcupine Tree, you could have an idea of what this band is about.

The truth is that we cannot stop listening to their 2nd album called simply (II). We are in love of these marvelous architects of sound, who are able to build such powerful soundscapes.

If you haven´t listened to their music yet, just take a look at this video of Zanzíbar, one of the finest songs included in their 2nd album:



Youtube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFgeVROsqnU

If you want to listen to more songs from Toundra, just go to the Online Player of Aloud Music, their Record Label:

http://aloudmusic.com/toundrard/

Aloud Music even allows legal free downloads, because they know the first and most important thing is to promote their bands.

Legal download from Aloud Music - "(II)" by Toundra:



Nevertheless, as Aloud Music states on their Web Site, they NEED to SELL CDs, so if you really like TOUNDRA music, please support the band and their record label, by ordering it directly on their Online Store.

Update on COCONUT DF 2011 Gig Dates

Coconut DF, the band of Dave Fielding, has confirmed more live dates for 2011 in the UK. This is the actual schedule:

@ Soundhouse, 7th May 2011
Globe Mill, Ash St.
Bolton, United Kingdom
http://www.thesoundhouse.co.uk/
email: info@thesoundhouse.co.uk

@ 1:22 Bar, 13th May 2011
120 New Street
Castlegate
Huddersfield
West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
http://122live.com/?page_id=179
email: info@122.live.com


@ The Star & Garter, 9th June 2011

18-20 Fairfield Street
Manchester, United Kingdom
http://www.starandgarter.co.uk/

Phone : 0161 273 6726

@The Suninn Pinxton, 10th June 2011
Nottingham, United Kingdom
email:suninnpinxton@hotmail.co.uk

@The Stereo YORK, 24th June 2011

@ Star Festival Rotheham, 13th Aug 2011

Other Musics: THE NATIONAL

It´s about time we dedicated a post to The National, a band from Ohio now based on Brooklyn, which has obtained during last years the acclaim of critics and general public. Their tunes are unpretentious but elegant odes to sadness, melancholy, isolation and obscurity. The low voice of the singer wraps the listener in a dense atmosphere, which is difficult to escape from. Perfect sounds for atumn rainy days.

With their latest album, High Violet, The National has evolved their style towards calmer and quieter shores.



If you look for a definition of their sound, you´ll find in internet epithets like indie-folk, alternative & minimalist. We don´t care about labels; they are what they are, and you may like them or not. The only thing we can say is we see them like magnific architects of sound.

Will you dare cross the gate to their world? Be aware there´s no turning back... you´re warned.

Here is a link to a live performance of Sorrow, one of the saddest but most beautiful songs I´ve ever heard. A gem included in High Violet




Here is a very intimate & beautiful performance of Start a War a tune from Boxer, their album from 2007, which is considered by many people as their best work. This video is available in http://www.blogotheque.net



Enjoy...

Backwards Message in Fan & Fellows Vinyl Edition

Did you know that the vinyl of The Fan & Bellows. A Collection of Classic Early Recording released by Dead Dead Good Records contains a backwards message at the end of Side-B, after Nathan´s Phase song?

The message is, in fact, a small excerpt of the lyrics of Nostalgia sung by Mark Burgess.

The excerpt does not appear in the CD edition.

Here you can listen to the original excerptand then the reversed version:

Original Excerpt:



Reversed version:

Other Musics: STOFFER & MASKINEN

Don´t you believe in casualities? Visiting last summer Copenhagen, I was strolling around Nyhavn and then bumped into a band which was playing live as part of some summer cultural friday events in the danish county town.

From the first chords I heard I got shocked. They are quite a new band called Stoffer & Maskinen, but their sound is as if they were from the 80´s. Strong bass lines and razor edge guitars, and they could be easily labelled as a dream-pop or shoegaze band, but you will also notice some eletronic and even progressive influences, sung with melancholic beauty.



Although they are quite static on the stage, intentionally avoiding the visual contact with the audience (no wonder why someone labelled a music style as shoegaze, although it´s more related to an attitude on stage rather than to a proper music style), Stoffer & Maskinen have without any doubt great magnetism.



They have released their debut self-titled album, which we recommend to all of you without any doubt. All songs are sung in danish, and that gives them a distinction from all those european bands which adopt english as a must for expressing themselves. Perhaps the less interesting song from the album is the opener, a catchy and instant song called Flader mod Flader, which is too comercial for me, but the album is full with gems like the Indeni, a magnific song with a fantastic guitar line. Here is the youtube video from this song:




After that amazing concert I was lucky enough to find by casuality, I rushed into the nearest record store to look for their album and since them, Stoffer & Maskinen has turned into one of my favourites band, and I´m looking forward to listening to new material from these young guys.

I have to mention that their Live sound is much better than theirs in studio, perhaps due to an excess of post-production. Good things are better without condiments,a nd if you are a fan of bands from the 80´s like The Chameleons, The Sound and bands like Editors, Interpol, The Boxer Rebellion are in your list of favourites, you won´t be deceived with this danish group.

Good luck Stoffer & Maskinen! You´ve got a magnific sound, so keep on the good path, and for sure you will be recognized outside Denmark. From our blog, we´ll do our best to try and spread the word, so that your songs are listened from all over the world.

For those interested on this band you can visit their following websites:
http://www.myspace.com/stofferogmaskinen
http://stofferogmaskinen.dk/

... and if you like them we encourage you support them by buying their album

Want Wishville back?

Wishville, the official Chameleons forum was shut down indefinitely.

Wishville was a pretty extended database of Chameleons related threads worked and supported with the collaboration, hard work and contribution of their fans since 2001.

Wishville, like the Chameleons, exists no more, but you can join the facebook group "Bring Back Wishville", where Cham related discussions are still alive

Interview to Mark Burgess in [sic]magazine

The online Magazine [sic]Magazine, administered by Brett Spaceman, has published an interesting and quite long interview with Mark Burgess.

Burgess talks about past, present and past of his musical career, included his recent Chameleons Tribute Band: ChameleonsVOX. He also gives his point of view to the split of The Chameleons and his differences with Dave Fielding.

The interview can be read on [sic]Magazine Web-Site.

Note:The other side of the story can be read on the Bring Back Wishville Facebook Group

Other Musics: NOSOUND

This is a recommendation for all of you, who visit every now and then this lonely island.

In search of new atmospheric & introspective sounds, looking for bands not related to The Chameleons, I came up with this fantastic group called NOSOUND who could be labelled somewhere between Pink Floyd & Sigur Ros. Their long and melancholic compositions are their highlights on their albums.

Spend some minutes of your life to let the music of this song called Constant Contrast, included on their album A Sense of Loss, transport your soul to other world




More information about this group on their Official Website: http://www.nosound.net

ChameleonsVOX in BCN

Last 15th of January Mark Burgess and friends arrived in Barcelona to play some Chameleons classics songs. The venue was Bikini and the name of the band: ChameleonsVOX. Caution! Not to be confused with Chameleons. Some might say "What difference does it make? Meanwhile the sound remains as close as possible to the original it doesn´t matter", but some others will think Chameleons songs are too good to be played by other people than the original members Fielding/Lever/Burgess/Smithies.


The truth is that The Chameleons are (and will be) no more, so the only real possibility of listening live those beloved songs again is without the original band. In fact, it is right now the singer Mark Burgess the only remaining original member. John Lever joined him for some months, but he is not anymore. This is the actual line-up of ChameleonsVOX:

Mark Burgess - Vox
Justin Lomery - Guitar
Stephen Foxcroft - Guitar
Chris Oliver - Guitar
Ray Bowles - Bass
Dug McLeod - Drums



This is not the first time Mark Burgess plays Chameleons songs without the rest of the band (remember Mark Burgess & The Sons of God & Invincible), but we have to recognize this is the first time the guitars sound as close as possible to the original band. If you close your eyes you can almost pretend it´s Dave and Reg... almost, although you will notice three guitars are required to reproduce a similar atmosphere.

The venue was a bit small for the amount of fans who attended the show. Both the venue and band offered a fantastic sound quality. Mark´s voice was into shape, although I prefer it when he sings and plays bass at the same time. The rest of the musicians demostrated the love and respect they have for Chameleons songs. No one attending the show (knowing beforehand it was not the original Chameleons) would be upset. It´s always a pleasure to listen to these magnific tunes, when being recreated with professionalism and respect to the spirit of the original band.



Video of Tears


Video of Second Skin

The band of Mark Burgess focused on songs from Script of The Bridge and Strange Times albums, although a devoted audience was surprised with gems like Singing Rule Britannia or In Shreds. Second Skin, Monkeyland, Seriocity & In Answer were also some of the highlights of the show, which took almost two hours. Only a couple of songs, one of them Soul in Isolation sounded a bit strange and forced. The new millenium album Why Call it Anything? was ignored by the band, surely because it lacks the magic of the three classic albums.



Mark was very happy and warm during all the show, and he mentioned the possibility of coming back in summer.

ChameleonsVOX will have for sure a successful european tour, because die-hard fans are always eager to listen to Chameleons songs. But one question remains in the air: Would it be the same if the name of the band was simply Mark Burgess & Friends? Surely not, because a product always needs good marketing to be sold, even in The Chameleons world. And one thing is for sure: the word "Chameleons" and references to Reg´s original art will always attract more people.




I won´t begin a discussion if it´s fair or not the usage of Chameleons imagery when the original band is not involved, but I have to confess I personally miss new material from Mr Burgess both live and in studio.

I know people always ask on his concerts for Chameleons songs, but I guess it has to be a bit frustrating for the artist to be recognized only for songs created a quarter century ago.

I really hope this look to the past is only temporal, although it is evident on the shows he enjoys a lot playing with his new band. I hope this period will help Mark embrace the future with renovated efforts. We still have for sure a lot of new songs from this fantastic artist to enjoy. Let´s hope people will encourage him to move one step forward, leaving behind once and for all the Chameleons era, which should not be necessary for sold-outs.



It´s about time all chameleons fans recognized Mark Burgess for what he is, not only for what he was.

Don´t Fall Intro: Mistery Solved

Ever wondered which was the origin of the misterious words "In his autumn before the winter comes man´s last mad surge of youth" which appear in the Intro for Don´t Fall, the opener of Chameleon´s debut album Script of the Bridge?

Thanks to Yvo & GriefTourist, two Chameleons fans, the mistery is finally solved.

The words belong to musical comedy film Two Sisters from Boston, directed in 1946 by Henry Koster and starring Kathryn Grayson, June Allyson, Lauritz Melchior, Jimmy Durante and Peter Lawford.

The excerpt where the famous words appear has been uploaded in Youtube by both Chameleons fans, so that we can enjoy the finding:



Thanks Yvo & GriefTourist for this.