The Chameleons - In Shreds (Live at the Camden Palace, UK, 1985)

Formed in Middleton near Manchester, England in 1981 The Chameleons never quite achieved the success of many of their contemporaries but are arguably just as important. Today the band still has a huge international fan base and it’s not surprising. The distinct often melancholy sound is at once abrasive and melodic; their live performances both mesmerising and highly emotional; their stage presence larger than life. In many ways the Chameleons epitomise the northern post punk movement of the eighties, capturing the mood of those bleak times when many industries were in terminal decline and anywhere north of Watford was considered a wasteland. The Chameleons channelled dissolution in to music like nobody else, but somehow managed to create a sound that was uplifting, almost hymn-like. Live at Camden was shot in 1985 and became a best selling video on its release in the mid eighties. It features a superb performance and includes many of the bands most popular numbers.