starfish

The Church turned a corner and reached their high water mark with the stunningly spacious swirl of this beautifully brooding breakthrough.  After the disappointing sales of their previous album 'Heyday' EMI decided to drop the group from its roster. They signed with Arista Records (and Mushroom in Australia) and went to the US to record their new album.  'Starfish' was produced by the Church with Greg Ladanyi and Waddy Wachtel at Ladanyi’s Complex Studio in Los Angeles, which was suggested by Arista executive Clive Davis.  The sessions featured Steve Kilbey on bass guitar and lead vocals; Peter Koppes on guitars and vocals; Marty Willson-Piper on guitars and vocals; and Richard Ploog on drums and percussion; with Greg Kuehn on keyboards; Russ Kunkel on drums and percussion; David Lindley on mandolin; "Awesome Welles" on Synclavier; and Waddy Wachtel on backing vocals.  

Kilby remembers:   "After many months of looking for the ideal recording studio where we thought we could all be happy and ideologically sound, 1987 began to slip through our fingers ... The Church came to L.A. and really reacted against the place because none of us liked it. I hated where I was living. I hated driving this horrible little red car around on the wrong side of the road. I hate that there's no one walking on the streets and I missed my home. All the billboards, conversations I'd overhear, TV shows, everything that was happening to us was going into the music ... We had the option of working elsewhere, but it was heavily suggested we record there. If we hadn't wanted to, we wouldn't have, but I wanted the chance to absorb all of Ladanyi's and Waddy Wachtel’s recording knowledge, but was also prepared to resist any changes they might want to bring in. We started recording Starfish in July after rehearsing the songs for a month, and took three months to record it. Most of the ten tracks were laid down with relatively little overdubbing, even with the vocals ... It was Australian hippies versus West Coast guys who know the way they like to do things. We were a bit more undisciplined than they would have liked ... I think 'Starfish' is a progression, and people know me well enough to realize that I wouldn't say that if I didn't believe it. As far as I’m concerned, the album stands on its own feet."

'Starfish' swelled to number forty-five in Sweden, forty-one in the US, and number eleven in Australia and New Zealand.  The album gets its title from the nickname Kilby had for his musical partner Donnette Thayer of Game Theory.





http://thechurchband.net/










"Destination" (Kilbey/Willson-Piper/Koppes/Ploog)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nidAGwtYGuA


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHFWXK3dVSA



"Under the Milky Way" (Kilbey/Jansson)
was co-written by Kilbey and his girlfriend Karin Jansson of Pink Champagne.  It was inspired by the Melkweg (Dutch for "Milky Way") club in Amsterdam.  The song became the band's only international hit, going to ninety in the UK, sixty in Canada, twenty-five in New Zealand, twenty-four in the US, and number twenty-two in Australia. The synthesized bagpipe solo was composed with an EBow on a Fender Jazzmaster, and recorded on a Synclavier.  The song won the Australian ARIA award for 'Single of the Year' in 1989. 
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1ys4m_the-church-under-the-milky-way_music

The Church - Under the milky way



Sometimes when this place gets kind of empty,
Sound of their breath fades with the light.
I think about the loveless fascination,
Under the milky way tonight.
Lower the curtain down in memphis,
Lower the curtain down all right.
I got no time for private consultation,
Under the milky way tonight.
Wish I knew what you were looking for.
Might have known what you would find.
And it's something quite peculiar,
Something that's shimmering and white.
Leads you here despite your destination,
Under the milky way tonight
Wish I knew what you were looking for.
Might have known what you would find.
Wish I knew what you were looking for.
Might have known what you would find.
Under the milky way tonight.
And it's something quite peculiar,
Something that's shimmering and white.
Leads you here despite your destination,
Under the milky way tonight
Wish I knew what you were looking for.
Might have known what you would find.
Wish I knew what you were looking for.
Might have known what you would find.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7cJVStGT2Y



"Blood Money" (Kilbey/Willson-Piper/Koppes/Ploog)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYuE_S_GtKY



"Lost" (Kilbey/Willson-Piper/Koppes/Ploog)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBUaIl4YjfY



"North, South, East And West" (Kilbey/Willson-Piper/Koppes/Ploog)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq9FW6aqtA4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9l0_T3zVtg



"Spark" (Willson-Piper)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie25ZRVho6w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLCVfq84pkk



"Antenna" (Kilbey/Willson-Piper/Koppes/Ploog)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqHVJBSXeZ0



"Reptile" (Kilbey/Willson-Piper/Koppes/Ploog)
slithered its way to number ninety-nine in Australia.  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST0GZxcf36s



"A New Season" (Koppes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oB9DRB9oEYI



"Hotel Womb" (Kilbey)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yacfEDs2eyA











'Starfish'
full album:
http://www.last.fm/music/The+Church/Starfish

Side one
1. "Destination" (Kilbey, Koppes, Ploog, Willson-Piper) 5:51
2. "Under the Milky Way" (Kilbey, Karin Jansson) 4:57
3. "Blood Money" (Kilbey, Koppes, Ploog, Willson-Piper) 4:23
4. "Lost" (Kilbey, Koppes, Ploog, Willson-Piper) 4:47
5. "North, South, East And West" (Kilbey, Koppes, Ploog, Willson-Piper) 4:59
Side two
6. "Spark" (Willson-Piper) 3:45
7. "Antenna" (Kilbey, Koppes, Ploog, Willson-Piper) 3:51
8. "Reptile" (Kilbey, Koppes, Ploog, Willson-Piper) 4:56
9. "A New Season" (Koppes) 2:58
10. "Hotel Womb" (Kilbey) 5:40


bonus tracks:

"Anna Miranda" (Kilbey/Jansson/The Church)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtd0LMVhoos

"Musk" (Kilbey/The Church)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jl7mJasLPJo

"Perfect Child" (Kilbey/The Church)
http://yougaku.s310.xrea.com/music/The_Church-Perfect_Child.html

"Frozen And Distant" (Kilbey/The Church)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhhJIEBveHs

"Texas Moon" (Kilbey/The Church)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUeWvuPjXOI

of skins and heart

The Church released the jingle jangle edgy pop of their debut album and caught us in an unguarded moment. It was co-produced by Chris Gilbey and Bob Clearmountain and all of the songs were written (or co-written) by bassist and lead singer Steve Kilby. Guitarist Peter Koppes used an Echolette tape delay and Marty Willson-Piper played a twelve string Rickenbacker guitar which evoked a ringing sixties sound. Founding drummer Nick Ward is also credited with "the thing".  'Of Skins And Heart' peaked at number seven on the New Zealand chart.






http://thechurchband.net/

The lost classic 'The Unguarded Moment' became their first hit and is tied with 'Metropolis' for their highest charting single. It reached number nineteen in New Zealand. Steve Kilby co-wrote the song with Mikela Uniacke.

"So hard finding inspiration

I knew you'd find me crying"

'She Never Said' was their first single; but it never charted. It was not included in the original American release.

"I clutched at someone in the dark again

It's so hard to remember her name"

'For A Moment We're Strangers'

"In the empty place the soul stripped bare

Of skins and heart and i come apart

In your icy hands"

Recorded on a four-track reel-to-reel tape deck in Kilby's bedroom studio, 'Chrome Injury' was the demo that got them a record contract with EMI/Parlaphone.

"Don't forget me, don't regret me

Don't replace and don't upset me

But don't forget to come and get me some day

If only I could feel

If I only wasn't steel"

'Too Fast For You' was the title track of an EP released that same year. It was included on the American release along with 'Sisters' and 'Tear It All Away'. These were the first tracks recorded with new drummer Richard Ploog.

"Don't believe it when they say it's over

It's not over"

'Bel-Air'

"She makes a wish she takes a risk

She opens up her door

Through human eyes she's a dolphin in disguise

It's the last night of the war"

'Is This Where You Live'

"The more I look the less I smile

Never mind let's stay awhile

The fans blow secrets on the night

Out of mind but not out of sight"

'Of Skins And Heart'
full album:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL26B65ABCF03A0CD8




"For a Moment We're Strangers" (Kilbey) – 3:57
"Chrome Injury" (Kilbey) – 4:01
"The Unguarded Moment" (Kilbey, Michele Parker) – 4:12
"Memories in Future Tense" (Kilbey) – 4:46
"Bel-Air" (Kilbey) – 3:57
"Is This Where You Live" (Kilbey) – 7:40
"She Never Said" (Kilbey) – 3:16
"Fighter Pilot...Korean War" (Kilbey) – 4:29
"Don't Open the Door to Strangers" (Kilbey, Willson-Piper) – 3:32