Invincible

by Michael Sutton Critical acclaim and a devoted cult following weren't enough to keep Manchester, England's Chameleons from splintering in the late '80s, and vocalist Mark Burgess found himself drifting from one project to another, including Sun & the Moon and Mark Burgess & the Sons of God. Invincible was Burgess' attempt to shed the Chameleons' moody, ethereal guitar rock for a louder, grittier sound and pay homage to his rock & roll heroes such as David Bowie and T. Rex. Formed with Yves Altana (guitar, keyboards) and Geoff Walker (acoustic drums), Invincible released their debut CD, Venus, on their own Gethsemene Records in 1999. Sold mainly through the Internet, Venus was lauded by Chameleons fans, but it did not acquire interest outside of Burgess' fan base. Nevertheless, the track "Dangerous" topped the MP3 charts. The songs were mostly about sex and unrequited love, and Altana's guitar work fulfilled Burgess' desire for straightforward rock & roll. In 2000, rumors of Burgess re-forming the Chameleons began to spread via the Internet. When Burgess did reunite with his old group that year, he departed Invincible, preferring to be with a band with an established name and a better chance at commercial success. Altana pursued a solo career.