Denver, CO based hard rockers CHAMEL3ON recently released their new single "Color Me Strange" (from their forthcoming debut album "The Mandela Effect") and to celebrate we asked lead singer Lorenzo Vidali to tell us about the track. Here is the story:
I used to have dreams that I was running as fast as I could and the ground would only hold me just long enough for my footsteps before falling out from below. I feel like the meaning of those dreams and this song are connected.
I remember the first inkling of "Color Me Strange" came to me as rudiments of a chorus. It was vague at first. It had this bouncy beat, ever-shifting chord inversions, and a soaring vocal melody contrasted by a busy guitar riff. Once I sat down and worked out that guitar riff, the song began to emerge. I'd hit the studio feeling inspired but would get stuck for hours at a time. After those first few days the basic instrumental structure began to come together.
After bouncing the draft track with guitars and some rudimentary drum loops, I would play it over and over in my car. Though the words were slow to come, I had a feel for what the vocals should sound like - the pacing and urgency. It was exciting.
We began working on it as a group and continued to make changes over the next few weeks. It wasn't until after that I began writing the first lyrics. Still though, we made tweaks to the instrumentals right up until recording.
Oddly enough, the name "Color Me Strange" came to me before I had written any lyrics. It stuck. It ended up being the first line of the song. So many times that's been my jumping off point for lyrics - just a concept or a phrase and then I'll free-associate from there. Oftentimes I won't even know what I'm trying to say until I've written one pass from start to finish. During the editing process I start to alter words, phrases, lines, and that's when I begin to discover the meaning of the song. It's quite bizarre, but magical, too.
Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen and watch for yourself below and learn more about the album here
Robert Plant, Yes and Willie Nelson Among Stars Coming to Ozarks Amphitheater
Live: Heart and Cheap Trick Rock Tampa
On the Blue: New Horizons Cruise Days 4 & 5: Starship Lands on the Pearl, Alan Parsons Takes It Home
Kandace Springs - Run Your Race
Duff McKagan To Release 'Tenderness Live in Los Angeles'
Hear Richie Kotzen's New Song 'Cheap Shots'
Sleeping With Sirens Announce One Off Nashville Headline Show
Ben Folds Adds Fall Dates To His 2024 Paper Airplane Request Tour
Coldplay to Premiere 'Music of the Spheres: Live at River Plate' on Veeps For Free
Society of the Silver Cross Share 'By The Millions' Lyric Video
The Funeral Portrait To Join Five Finger Death Punch, Marilyn Manson On Summer Tour