Bird

They didn't achieve the success of U2 (or even the Psychedelic Furs and Echo & the Bunnymen), but there was a time in the '80s when the Chameleons UK were mentioned in the same breath as all those groups. Meanwhile, long before the Smiths, Stone Roses, and Oasis, the Chameleons (and the intricate, atmospheric guitar-pop they created) put Manchester on the map.

Frontman Mark Burgess briefly reformed the Chameleons in the new millennium, but he's also pursued several side projects. One of them is Bird, a trio that combines his rumbling basslines and still-distinctive tenor with the drumming of Achim Faerber and the guitar/synth work of Yves Altana. The blend of muscle and mystery occasionally suggests the Chameleons, while Bird has been known to offer up some of Burgess' past glories in concert. Given the current controversies in the Chameleons camp, this might be your best shot at hearing what remains of a legendary, should-have-been band.