Mark Burgess (born 11 May 1960) is an English singer, bassist and songwriter, best known as the frontman of post-punk band the Chameleons. Early life and education Burgess was born in Manchester. Career In 1981, Burgess (ex-the Cliches) formed the Chameleons with guitarists Dave Fielding and Reg Smithies, and drummer John Lever. After three studio albums, the band broke up in 1987, with the relationship between Burgess and Fielding particularly strained. Burgess and Lever then formed the Sun and the Moon with guitarist Andy Clegg, who had played keyboards with the Chameleons and Andy Whitaker. They released an eponymous studio album in 1988 on Geffen Records before breaking up. In 1993, Burgess released his debut solo studio album (under the name Mark Burgess & the Sons of God), Zima Junction, backed by former Wonky Alice guitarist Yves Altana, among others. In 1994, Burgess and Altana released the studio album Paradyning. In 1997, Burgess and Altana formed Invincible, recording the studio album Venus with drummer Geoff Walker in a water tower in North Manchester. The group toured the UK in 1998 with Phil Cuthbert playing bass and keyboards. Following the tour, Cuthbert left the group to pursue a solo career, at which point Burgess took over on bass, and Danny Ashberry was recruited to fill the keyboard-backing vocal role. After several concerts, Walker was replaced by drummer Craig Barrie. Upon the album's release in 1999, Invincible embarked on a UK tour, before the band disintegrated. In 2000, the Chameleons reunited with all four original members, originally for several live performances in England. They eventually added Ghana-born percussionist-vocalist Kwasi Asante, releasing several live albums and one new studio recording, Why Call It Anything (2001), and toured North America, before an acrimonious break-up in early 2003. Burgess and Altana next formed the band Bird, initially with Barrie on drums (supporting New Model Army on their UK tour). In 2006, they enlisted drummer Achim Faerber, playing a selection of Invincible and Chameleons songs interwoven with a selection of new material. In November 2006, Bird played a short set at the Middleton Civic Hall in Manchester as part of a benefit concert for lighting technician and ex-Chameleons live keyboardist Andy Moore, who had been diagnosed with a brain tumour while touring with Jamie Cullum. Moore died one year later, in November 2007. In 2007, Burgess joined with Jack Sobel and John Kolbeck, formerly of the