Before finding fame as Clark Griswald, a 24 year-old Chevy Chase was living his rock n’ roll dream as the keyboardist/drummer for Boston psychedelic band Chamaeleon Church.  Their sole album appeared on the MGM label in 1968 and was marketed as part of the Bosstown Sound that included other lysergic warriors from the area Ultimate Spinach, Orpheus, Beacon Street Union, Phulph, Eden’s Children, and Puff. 

Although the marketing plan back-fired, as the press deemed the whole scene as nothing more than record label hype, the albums made by the Bosstown groups contain many gems including this harmony-laden winner Camillia is Changing.  Produced by the ultra-prolific Alan Lorber, who also master-minded the whole Bosstown gimmick, the song has the usual 1968 flourishes and some killer harmonies, which I am sure Chase’s perfect pitch lent to extensively.

Before playing with the Church, Chase jammed with school friends Walter Becker and Donald Fagan in The Leather Canaries, who of course would find fame sans Chevy as Steely Dan.  Although his music career didn’t quite pan out, Chase simultaneously worked with an underground comedian gang called Channel One that would lead to his eventual TV and comedy career.
 

Right on, welcome Elvin !

Nice slice of rock history, Elvin, thanks.  My late friend Tony Scheuren was also in Chamaeleon Church, as was Ted Myers, who worked at Rhino Records for years.  Chevy did indeed act at Channel One (known to many of you as the film Groove Tube).  By 1973 he was in National Lampoon’s Lemmings, a stage musical that satirized Woodstock, also starring two unknowns named John Belushi and Christopher Guest.  Tony was in a later cast of that as well.

This is actually pretty good. I love this kind of soft-psych stuff from around ‘68-69.

fits right in to the electric prunes,  i love it

Hello, Lemmings, a stage musical that satirized Woodstock, also starring two unknowns named John Belushi and Christopher Guest.  Tony was in a later cast of that as well.