Biography
The psychedelic pop outfit Chamaeleon Church stands chiefly in memory as the initial platform that launched Chevy Chase ahead of his Saturday Night Live years. The ensemble came together in Boston during 1967 when singer and guitarist Ted Myers, formerly of the Lost, crossed paths with multi-instrumentalist Tony Schueren via shared contacts in the Bosstown Sound act the Ultimate Spinach. After enlisting Kyle Garrahan, another Lost veteran, on bass, the group took its name—intentionally or otherwise misspelled—from the Myers/Schueren song “Camillia Is Changing.” Myers completed the roster by bringing in Chase, whom he had encountered during recording sessions in New York. At that point Myers held a songwriting deal with New York City producer Alan Lorber, who consented to helm the band’s first album. Released by MGM in 1968, the LP later drew sharp criticism from the members themselves, who maintained that Lorber’s soft-psych approach had diluted their intended sound.
A short tour that featured a slot on the ABC special What Gap? preceded the group’s quick breakup. Myers and Schueren promptly rejoined forces inside the Ultimate Spinach, while Schueren also teamed with Chase on comedy sketches for The Groove Tube. Myers subsequently took a post at Rhino Records, and Schueren joined the National Lampoon staff, where he contributed regularly to the Radio Hour as well as to the Grammy-nominated collections The Missing White House Tapes and Goodbye Pop. Chase, for his part, became an original cast member of NBC’s landmark sketch series Saturday Night Live and its first major star; after departing following a single season he moved into films such as Caddyshack, National Lampoon’s Vacation, and Fletch, only to see his trajectory collapse amid a string of widely panned comedies and a brief, ill-fated late-night talk show of his own.
A short tour that featured a slot on the ABC special What Gap? preceded the group’s quick breakup. Myers and Schueren promptly rejoined forces inside the Ultimate Spinach, while Schueren also teamed with Chase on comedy sketches for The Groove Tube. Myers subsequently took a post at Rhino Records, and Schueren joined the National Lampoon staff, where he contributed regularly to the Radio Hour as well as to the Grammy-nominated collections The Missing White House Tapes and Goodbye Pop. Chase, for his part, became an original cast member of NBC’s landmark sketch series Saturday Night Live and its first major star; after departing following a single season he moved into films such as Caddyshack, National Lampoon’s Vacation, and Fletch, only to see his trajectory collapse amid a string of widely panned comedies and a brief, ill-fated late-night talk show of his own.
Albums
