The Chameleons were a dream pop/post-punk band that formed in 1980. They consisted of singer and bassist Mark Burgess, guitarist Reg Smithies, guitarist Dave Fielding, drummer John Lever as well as keyboardists Alistair Lewthwaite and Andy Clegg.

Their body of work is still critically acclaimed within the music press and influenced bands as diverse as Protokoll, The Comsat Angels, Puressence, Interpol, and The Editors.

Through Mark Burgess' vocals and dark and ironic lyrics, their songs often dealt with personal themes of childlike innocence and a reverence for nostalgia. Musically, perhaps most notable in their work was the band's innovative and distinctive use of dual guitar melodies, courtesy of Reg Smithies and Dave Fielding, as opposed to the traditional rhythm-and-lead guitarist format prevalent in rock music even to this day. These arrangements were often characterized by the use of delay and choral effects.

The band initially released three studio albums in the 1980s. In 1981, after the band recorded a series of demos and released their first single "In Shreds", the late legendary Radio 1 DJ John Peel featured The Chameleons in a Peel Session on his radio program.

Many of these recordings were re-released years later, following the band's breakup. Several live albums and compilations were also released. Following the Peel Sessions, The Chameleons released their first full-length studio LP, the critically-acclaimed Script of the Bridge, on the Statik label in 1983.

The album features a blend of rhythmic electric guitar textures, all of which provide a moody and intense backdrop for Mark Burgess' haunting vocals. After their third release, Strange Times, in 1987 they abruptly disbanded following the sudden death of band manager Tony Fletcher.