The Chameleons’ drummer John Lever has died, following a short illness.

Lever had been a member of the cult post-punk band since they formed in 1981. He played on their first three albums, until they split in 1987, and was present for the band’s 2000-03 reunion.

In a statement on Facebook, the Middleton group’s singer Mark Burgess wrote: “I’m deeply sad to report that this afternoon I got the news that John Lever died this morning following a short period of illness.”

He added: “We want to offer our sincere and deepest sympathy to John’s mother, his sister and his two children at this terrible time. Obviously I’m shocked at the news and consequently I’ll be offline for a while.”

The Chameleons were known for their devoted fanbase and for their first three records, which progressed from the echo-laden post-punk of debut Script of the Bridge to the more ambitious production stylings of What Does Anything Mean? Basically and Strange Times.

Beyond the Chameleons, Lever spent time playing with Sun and the Moon and the Red-Sided Garter Snakes. He also joined Burgess to play the band’s back catalogue in ChameleonsVox.