http://anotherlostshark.com/2011/04/15/still-psyched/

Still Psyched

http://www.voxmagazine.com.au/2011/04/the-church-opera-house-review/

The Church: A Psychedelic Symphony

The Church Sydney Opera House 10th April 2011 by Paul Kelly

First and foremost: they deserve this. After 30 years of developing such a rich, lush catalogue of music, from 1981’s Of Skins and Heart to 2010’s Deadmans Hand EP, the church deserve to be onstage at the magnificent Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. They also deserve the backing of the equally magnificent 67-piece George Ellis Orchestra, many of whom weren’t born until well into the band’s career. And they also deserve to have this concert filmed for an upcoming DVD and (we are promised) a TV special in the not too distant future. And maybe even a live album, if drummer Tim Powles has his way.

So, after settling into our seats shortly after 7.30pm, and perusing the glossy souvenir program given to each audience member, we see George Negus come onstage to reprise his 2010 ARIA role and introduce the church. A short orchestral version of Metropolis follows, then the band arrives to rapturous applause, Steve Kilbey bringing up the rear. The band launches into 2003’s Sealine, which quickly sets the pace and tone of the entire show: lush with strings and woodwind instruments swirling through each song, easily delivering the sonic enhancements that this show promised. The band is tight, yet spaced out across the stage. They have played these songs before. Supported by an extra double bass, keyboards and “The Churchettes”, two backup singers from the band’s entourage, the band are able to concentrate on their own roles and sound even better than they do on record. Lost follows, then Almost With you, Anchorage and Pangaea from their 2009 album Untitled #23 (which yields five songs tonight, dispelling any suggestions of pure nostalgia in the setlist). Marty Wilson-Piper and Tim then move to the timpanis at the rear of the stage for a totally revamped version of The Unguarded Moment, breathing some welcome freshness into this radio staple. Then comes the first of four tracks from 1985’s Heyday offered tonight: Myrrh, a sonic masterpiece and instant high point of this concert. Peter Koppes then delivers Never Before from 2005’s Uninvited, Like the Clouds, which builds into another orchestral/rockin’ wonder. Grind closes the first half of the show, further demonstrating the interplay between band and orchestra. They have been working on this project for four long years and it certainly showed.

After a 20 minute intermission – what else would you expect from a show at the Opera House – the bells were again rung and the audience quickly took their seats. The orchestra came back out, wearing brightly coloured clothes (they were in black for the first half), and gave us the instrumental Happy Hunting Ground in its entirety. This was very close to the original 1985 version, but somehow sounded special tonight. Must have been the surroundings, but it seemed just ‘right’. Then came a surprising cover of Mr Guy Fawkes, from 1969’s Dave Miller Set, a jingly-jangly piece of lost Aussie pop, perfectly chosen. Hopefully this song will find release soon. Then came Ripple, Reptile, Two Places at Once (a personal favourite and another high point) and The Disillusionist, a creepy number from 1992’s Priest = Aura that showcased Steve Kibey’s manic showmanship tonight. Marty took the controls for Spark, hugely supported by the audience, then came On Angel Street followed by Under the Milky Way – my spouse’s favourite Church song. Space Saviour closed the second set, but the audience were then treated to two encores: Already Yesterday, Invisible, Operetta and finally Tantalized, interspersed with the many thank-yous that such a production involved.

This was a very special show. The orchestral arrangements suited the songs wonderfully. The lighting was delightful for the Concert Hall, the audience were very appreciative, the band were totally with it. And over the past 30 years, I have seen moments when they haven’t been. They deserved this show and I’m glad to have witnessed it.

Paul Kelly.

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150153731136156

Traveling over to Sydney to see this once in a lifetime show was filled with many ‘first-of-moments’. It’s the first time I’ve been to Sydney as an adult, first time I’d ever been to the Sydney Opera House, first time I’ve been involved with the design of tour t-shirts for the *church*, first time I got to meet the ever-lovely Sue Campbell and a lot of other *church* fans from all over, first time I’ve ever seen the *church *play a gig outside of distant Perth, first time that the *church* have played with a full orchestra (not including the ARIA’s), first time I’ve been interviewed for a documentary and first time I’ve ever been to any concert that was filmed.

 

Leaving all the obvious puns aside, if I had to sum up the show in one word, it would be “overwhelming” BUT overwhelming in the best possible way imaginable. My senses are still reeling four days after the event. There was simply so much to take in all at once. I was sitting four rows back from the front in between Steve and Marty (yes, not a bad place to be sitting) so I could see almost everything but my ears were not capable of processing all that they heard at once. There was a lot to distinguish – a LOT happening on stage, my head turning from side-to-side to switch from Peter to Marty in order to catch as much guitar interplay as possible – would trade secrets be revealed on stage by these guitar-slingers? Yes, I spied a couple of techniques I’d previously missed. Having an e-bow roadie comes in handy (MWP) when switching from pick to e-bow as these devices are notoriously tricky to /instantly /get the string(s) vibrating (Myrrh).

 

I wished that the *church* could have played 2 nights so that I could have seen it a second time, perhaps from a different vantage point so as to take in more of what was happening on stage in a widescreen  perspective. At times, I thought the guitars were too low in the mix, and other times I could not hear the orchestra as clear as I wanted to over the band. The vocals to me were just right, though the back-up singers (the churchettes – Tiare & Shelley) could’ve been a little louder to my ear. I look forward to the DVD/CD as it’ll give me the opportunity to relive the experience again and again, being able to pick up on the nuances I missed on the night.

 

The whole time during the performance, I was sitting there with a permanent grin on my face, in deep awe or totally captivated by what was going on. Yeah, it was that good – other fans have mentioned tears welling up, a little lump in the back of the throat, goose bumps, shivers and so on – all these feelings at different times… After the show, Marty asked me what I thought and I replied “the awesome bits were awesome” MWP repeated those words back at me in his smooth accent “the awesome bits were awesome”, and then sniggered. Pretty lame response from me for such a huge undertaking and brilliant performance by the band and all involved, I know. I think I may have just been a little lost for words or tongue-tied, well what I meant to say is all of the above and below… Marty I hope you’re reading?

 

*Before the show.*

I arrived a little early to make sure I had time to meet some other fans at the Opera Bar before the show. I also had a look at what was on offer from the merch’ stand. It was the usual fare plus the addition of two new shirts made especially for this show. This is definitely the highest attended *church* concert I’ve ever been to and the smartest dressed audience ever to grace a *church* gig. There was close to about 1800 people hovering around the foyer/bar area. I was taken aback by the sheer number of people and realised trying to find friends inside the venue will be trickier than first anticipated. Meet ups would have to wait until intermission and after the show.

 

/Now – the show with commentary on each song in performance order./

 

*The set list:*

*Metropolis*

(orchestra only playing and the band walked on stage towards the end of the song just in time for Steve to grab the mic and croon “there’ll never be another quite like you” very sweet, it set the tone nicely).

*Sealine*

(this was a surprise full-band opener, I had hoped for Aura off P+A as the opener as I thought the orchestra playing the intro would be an other-worldly experience, alas Aura would not make the set-list).

*Lost*

(My first highlight. When I first bought Starfish upon release, Lost was one of my least favourite tracks from the album. When Starfish was remastered and re-released a few years back now, it became one of my favourite songs on the entire album – the accompaniment of orchestra on this track was lush, full and beautiful. The domp domp dooooom de domp domp dooooom double bass / bass part was melancholy to die for).

*Almost With You*

(Simply stunning).

*Anchorage*

(Highlight 2. An early all-hands-on-deck stellar song with Wes Gregorace on bass, back-up singers doing their thing on the chorus – we were treated to a show stopper early during proceedings).

*Pangaea*

(Never been a fan of this song, but it flowed along as deliciously).

*Unguarded Moment*

(Highlight 3. I really dig this slowed down soft version, loved it the first time I heard it on El Momento Descuidado too and tonight it worked like a charmer. Steve’s deep soft vocals accompanied by acoustic guitars and orchestra were a crowd pleaser).

*Myrrh*

(Highlight 4. To use an acronym here. OMG. This was pure church, guitar interplay, tight drums, clever orchestral arrangements adding to the wall of sound – bliss).

*Never Before*

(Highlight 5. This is my favourite PK *church *song so hearing it at this show with double bass et all was a treat – great stuff PK, great stuff indeed).

*Grind*

acoustic to electric with piano interlude, orchestra leave stage after piano part.

(Highlight 6. This song has always been a crowd pleaser so it’s inclusion at the end of the first set was a no-brainer. A clever closer, going from acoustic to electric, giving the orchestra their stage exit right. Wow – f*cking wow).

 

(intermission)

*Happy Hunting Ground*

(orchestra only).

(Highlight 7. I was thrilled when the orchestra started playing this song. I knew straight away by the percussion that it was HHG. This was beautiful, my humble words can’t describe how lovely this was to hear being played by a full orchestra).

*Mr Guy Fawkes*

(The Dave Millar Set – cover).

(I was told the *church* were playing a cover song at this show the night before. A cover they’d never played before so this came as a surprise and I’m sad to report that this was the first time I’d heard this gem – my music education continues through the *church* band).

*Ripple*

(Highlight 8. I was SO thrilled when Steve introduced this song. I absolutely love hearing this live and the orchestra on the chorus was stunning – this one will get many repeat plays once I receive the DVD).

*Reptile*

(this was blistering awesome – a live favourite and one of their most radio friendly songs. I remember first hearing this on 96fm in Perth before it’s single release many moons ago).

*Two Places at Once*

(Two Basses at Once)

(This for me was the standout song of the night. It was performed absolutely flawlessly. The vocal interplay and harmonies were spot on, shivers went down my spine. MWP’s voice commands attention, and when he sings, you’re drawn in, incapable of hearing anything else other than his voice. Steve introduced the song and then said it should perhaps be called Two Basses at Once, pointing to Johnny Zwartz on the double bass behind. I’ll mention at this point, that the double bass added a depth to the entire performance that was beyond deep and intense, hearing the next song’s bass line performed on double bass would introduce a new level of pitch and menace not before heard on The Disillusionist. I’ll also add here while on the subject of double bass, that I think Johnny spent a lot of time during the night’s performance worrying that SK may step back into his playing while SK’s theatrical performance was occurring).

*The Disillusionist*

(Highlight 9. I was surprised they put this one on the set list. It was a welcome surprise for me but I got the impression the casual fan was a bit put out by the brutality of the performance. As mentioned above, the double bass gave the song a grounded depth unheard of before. The change of key in the song was most intense – or as I put to MWP later, this awesome part was awesome to the ear of this intent listener. I look forward to hearing this on the DVD. It’ll certainly be interesting to see the reaction of the audience as captured on the crane camera).

*Spark*

(MWP stole the light and held it in check for the duration of this number. The tightness of the entire performance was gob-smackingly-tight. The song break that goes from full band/orchestra to MWP’s single guitar chugging through the rhythm chords impressed, once again, the hard core fans and new believers alike – reminding all of the super talent that is MWP, great stuff, great stuff indeed).

*On Angel Street*

(Highlight 10. What can be said of this slow gem that hasn’t already been said when performed live? I was pleased with this song’s inclusion. SK transported us all to another place with his crooning beckoning vocal delivery. For a moment we weren’t strangers at all – we all had front row seats to a break-up song to break all hearts).

*Under the Milky Way*

(The most popular Australian song of the last 3 million years according to SK. We all knew it was coming, it was only a matter of time. It’s been a live staple for decades sans a few years they dropped it from their set list in typical *church* fashion. A crowd pleaser as always *big smiles everywhere*).

*Space Saviour*

(Highlight 11. This song was written to be played live. It rocks, it rolls, it’s the *church* ADD psychedelic symphony and you have magic – standing ovation 1).

 

/Encore/

*Already Yesterday*

(acoustic)

(Highlight 12. this was so charming – loved it – orchestra compliments beautifully)

*Invisible*

(medley)

(Highlight 13. This was another standout song for me. I’ve always loved this song from the very first time I heard it on AENT. Flawless performance and a great insight into the lyrical mind of SK. I have to mention how impressed I was with TP’s drumming in particular towards the end on this song. TP was mixing it up with various percussive changes after the medley section, playing fast high-hat/cymbal variations that worked so amazing well with the rest of the rhythm section creating the sensation of being taken away by train as referenced in the first verse of the song – skillful sticks indeed. I’ll add here how solid a performer TP was throughout the night’s – he’s the backbone of the band, he can belt the skins and hold back-up vocals simultaneously without missing a beat. He seems to have 3 – 4 items in his hands at any one time. TP – the multi-tasking drummer AND has anyone else noticed that one of TP’s sons is a James Franco look-a-like? – standing ovation 2 for the performance of Invisible and not how good looking TP’s son is)

——-

*Operetta*

(Operetta was performed with gusto, lush soundscapes and all the ingredients that make it classic *church*– it’s just not one of my favourite *church* songs. I would have preferred to have heard Hotel

Womb here instead).

*Tantalized*

(I knew this song would close proceedings – its an obvious show stopper and what an awesome performance we all experienced on the night. The jam nature of this song was incorporated quite tightly with the orchestra, MWP giving Mr Ellis the nod when the timing was right for the change – if you’ve heard this live and which *church *fan hasn’t, you know exactly which part of the song I’m talking about – standing ovation 3. For a few minutes there, I thought the band would come back on the stage as the orchestra stayed in their seats, then slowly by the handful, the orchestra rose and left the stage – the Psychedelic Symphony had drawn to a close)

 

*Sidenotes:*

There’s many anecdotes I can add here but will refrain as I think a lot of you will enjoy the experience of the live DVD and sharing too much may spoil the viewing experience. After all, we like a surprise now and then, don’t we?

 

Steve was jovial and had some splendid jokes on hand.Peter was restrained and played like the seasoned pro he is.

Marty was Marty who never ceases to impress.

Tim was the backbone and main instigator of the concert so well done TP you managed to pull it off marvelously.

Tiare & Shelley were the churchettes bringing a feminine vocal touch that complimented the performance.

Craig Wilson is more than a utility player, he’s the 5th member of the band.

George Ellis, the Greek god of orchestra conductors (according to SK), the glue that held it all together.

The guest musicians/soloists – you were all simply amazing.

The orchestra – you were all amazing and played a big part in one of the most significant concerts of the *church’s* 30+ year career.

Thank you one and all!

 

*After word:*

For me there was a massive build-up heading towards this one-off show, my expectations were very high and at end of the of the night and after coming back to Perth from Sydney and letting the events of last weekend sink in, I now realise that the Psychedelic Symphony FAR exceeded my already very high expectations. I was glad to have made the trek over 🙂

 

Cheers,

 

Damian.

 

http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/reviews/events/28166/The-Church-and-the-George-Ellis-Orchestra-Sydney-Opera-House-1042011

“With recent tours featuring acoustic shows, retrospectives and entire sets spent performing three (yes, three) albums in full each night, it’s not so surprising to see the church celebrate their three-decade mark with a conceptual show. And while rock bands collaborating with orchestras are neither new nor always a success, it was a bold enough move for their anniversary show to cause plenty of anticipation and excitement.

After an unexpected and sorta intentionally, sorta unintentionally funny opening from anchorman/journalist George Negus, the band emerge in front of the 67-strong George Ellis Orchestra. Somewhat curiously for such a significant show, they kick off with a couple of lesser-known numbers ( Sealine and Lost ) before a swirling, orchestra-heavy rendition of early hit The Unguarded Moment – a song that the band almost always transform, tonight being no exception.

Curiously for an anniversary show, there was plenty of lesser-known material amongst the hits – recent songs Pangaea and Operetta were well-aided by their orchestral backing, while one of the evening’s highlights came from an unlikely cover of The Dave Miller Set’s early Australian psych classic Mr Guy Fawkes. That song in particular was an incredible moment, with a spirited performance from the band perfectly augmented by Ellis’ orchestra.

That was one of the moments where it fell into place perfectly, amongst a generally great performance. It didn’t always completely click, and the group were certainly playing it safe with over seventy musicians having to keep up with them (the group was also augmented by backing singers and additional musicians), something that took away from the visceral power of their usual live show. But what it lacked in raw power it made up for in beauty, and seeing songs like Under The Milky Way, Reptile and Tantalized with Ellis’ tasteful arrangements was a great experience. And in that sense it was certainly success, a bold move that paid off as another great, unique moment in a tremendous thirty-year career. ” – by esquared

http://www.tonedeaf.com.au/reviews/gigs/68695/the-church-7.htm

“As popular as they may be at the moment and so dear to the hearts of music fans in Australia, it was none the less an audacious move for The Church to celebrate their 30^th anniversary as a band with a one off performance with a symphony orchestra at the country’s best known music venue, entitled unsurprisingly, A Psychedelic Symphony. Taking the safe path has never been the band’s shtick, however, so it was little surprise that the 2,000+ capacity gig sold out quickly, with fans flying in from far flung parts of the world to make it. But could they pull it off? It’s one thing to go from subtle reworkings of your songs to the potential bombast of a 67 piece orchestra backing you up. However, despite the sense of risk inevitable with any ambitious and left of centre rock band performance, front man Steve Kilbey, guitarists Peter Koppes and Marty Willson-Piper and drummer Tim Powles – joined by a stellar cast of accompanists in addition to the orchestra – pulled it off with aplomb.

As the cameras begin rolling for the live DVD and TV special the evening’s performance will become; appropriately, the band are introduced by TV news identity George Negus, who fulfilled a similar role in inducting the church in to the ARIA Hall of Fame last year. The band takes the stage as the orchestra’s overture of ‘Metropolis’ reaches a crescendo. ‘Lost’ off Starfish is purely guitar driven and the orchestra seems like a third wheel, before a few tears are shed in the audience during ‘Almost With You’ and the orchestra suddenly fits cohesively in the mix, a subtle and uplifting embellishment but never overbearing. The performance treats fans to a number of lesser played numbers, with ‘Anchorage’ an early highlight. ‘The Unguarded Moment’ takes after the live version performed on recent tours and is given the adagio treatment, the delicacy of the orchestral backing taking it in to the realm of a film score.

Led by conductor and arranger George Ellis, the orchestra remains entwined with the band on ‘Myrrh’, giving the space rock guitars on the Heyday version a heightened sense of ethereality, while ‘Grind’ is elegiac, the orchestra making their way off stage during the song and as the orchestral backing dissolves, the band explode in to a full rock tilt for the remainder of it.

An interval proves that no matter the elegant and iconic surroundings, there’s always a scramble for the bar, but as the audience re-enters for the second act they are greeted by an orchestra devoid of the previous all black ensembles – rather they are resplendent in outfits ranging from gypsy to pirate to circus clown – a psychedelic symphony indeed. As the backing projections begin, the band can be seen watching them from the wings like inquisitive schoolboys as the overture of ‘Happy Hunting Ground’ reaches its apex. A cover of The Dave Miller Set’s 1960s psychedelic classic ‘Mr. Guy Fawkes’ is welcome, if not unexpected; Kilbey having name checked them at the ARIA Hall of Fame Ceremony. ‘Ripple’s continues the psychedelic swirl engulfing the auditorium and the brass section adds to a particularly effervescent crescendo.

‘Reptile’ is a given a killer rendition, the lick almost written in anticipation of melding it with an orchestra one day. A live revelation is Willson-Piper and Kilbey trading vocals on ‘Two Places At Once’, with Willson-Piper on 12 string and Koppes on keys, again the subtlety of the orchestral arrangements coming to the fore. ‘Spark’ with Willson-Piper on vocals trades reverb and delay for the 67 piece guitar pedal tonight known as the orchestra providing effects, while Kilbey hams it up for the cameras filming for a mournful ‘On Angel Street’. ‘Under The Milky Way; is introduced as ‘the most popular Australian song of the last three million years’, whileUntitled #23’s ‘Space Saviour’ brings the set to a close and The Church are effortlessly given the venue’s highest accolade whether it be for classical or rock music – a standing ovation.

An encore of ‘Already Yesterday’ is followed by ‘Invisible’, which briefly segues in to the Velvet Underground’s ‘Heroin’, while in the final encore promoter Joe Segretto is thanked by Powles, and Kilbey’s tongue is firmly planted in cheek when he thanks ‘God for giving us so much fucking talent’. It’d be ‘un-Australian’ to allow that comment to pass, but many in the audience would have a sneaking suspicion that they agree with the sentiments entirely.  If final proof of the band’s worth is necessary, an epic finale of ‘Tantalized’ has the crowd in awe, and as the band receive their third standing ovation of the evening, it’s clear that 30 years on they’re still at the peak of their abilities and with whispers of taking the show overseas to various major cities, the world stage still awaits them.”

Jim Murray
Photo by Sue Campbell

http://www.couriermail.com.au/entertainment/music/still-popular-after-30-years-the-distinctive-music-of-the-church-will-be-heard-at-the-sydney-opera-house-on-sunday/story-e6freqgx-1226035125571

STILL POPULAR AFTER 30 YEARS, THE DISTINCTIVE MUSIC OF THE CHURCH WILL BE HEARD AT THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE ON SUNDAY – by Noel Mengel April 07, 2011

“That’s the hardest thing to get,” says Steve Kilbey, the band’s singer and bass player.

“There are a zillion guys out there playing guitar, but only 100 might have that original take. And luckily we stumbled on it. I had been in bands before, writing the songs and singing, and that didn’t sound original at all.

“Suddenly, The Church came along and we sounded like The Church.”

Which is why, 30 years on, people are still listening . . . to their concert this Sunday at the Sydney Opera House, where they are playing with an orchestra for a DVD recording, or to their excellent 2009 album Untitled #23. Or to the reissues of the band’s ’80s albums. The latest of these is Starfish, the 1988 album that was biggest for them overseas and contained the classicUnder the Milky Way. It was only by a stroke of fate that the song even made the album.

“The producers didn’t even think the band should waste their time rehearsing it,” Kilbey says. Instead, he went to a studio up the hall and recorded it.

“There was a guy there with an instrument called the synclavier. We recorded the song there and it had artificial drums, recorded to a sequencer and a click track. Because no one wanted to spend the time recording it, it came out sounding the way it did and it was a big hit.”

Kilbey is a big believer in the random element and instinct.

“Yes, we worked with American producers on Starfish and it kind of worked. But we tried it again with (next album) Gold Afternoon Fix and it didn’t work. A lot of the best things I’ve ever done have been me trying to be like something else but not having the chops, to use a muso word, to pull that off and out of that failure to, say, write an Aerosmith song, I’ve written something else. There are a lot of failures that turn into successes.”

Church fans are lapping up the reissues, which feature detailed liner notes from guitarist Marty Willson-Piper.

One of the insightful comments from him: “A band has to be able to not listen to what people say.”

Kilbey concurs: “Critics lavish praise on stuff that’s rubbish or destroy something that’s valid; everyone’s in your ear telling you how great or woeful you are. That’s been one of The Church’s greatest virtues and one of our failings. We never listen to anybody and plough on regardless.”

HEAR Starfish (EMI) out now.

READ Find the full Steve Kilbey interview on The Courier-Mail iPad.

Click on the link below to view photographs taken at A Psychedelic Symphony last Sunday night.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=282859&id=656260221

http://today.ninemsn.com.au/videoindex.aspx?videoid=6b4046bb-1ee3-44b4-bf5d-dee1a90f1bc5

Entertainment presenter Richard Wilkins talks with the church during rehearsals last week, prior to the Sydney Opera House concert. Watch the video of this broadcast by clicking on the link above.

“Using their god-given talents”

http://www.tonedeaf.com.au/news/featured/67534/the-church-a-psychedelic-symphony

“Despite what many would like to believe, being in a band is hard work. You don’t get to knock off at the same time every weekday; the commute varies every day, whether it be to the studio or a far flung part of the world to play a gig; and more often than not the pay is far less than that of a first year apprentice brickie. Even with a modicum of success, most bands only last a few years. The Beatles lasted barely 10 years, Nirvana less. Even those that persevere, such as The Rolling Stones and AC/DC , have endured numerous line up changes and a dwindling of quality in their creative output.

Not so the church. Arguably one of the greatest Australian bands of all time, this weekend sees them celebrating their 30th anniversary as a band with a one off performance at the Sydney Opera House billed ‘A Psychedelic Symphony’. Joined by a 60 piece orchestra under the baton of celebrated conductor and composer George Ellis, the band will be playing an epic orchestral set which mines their unequalled back catalogue. Jim Murray caught up with front man Steve Kilbey ahead of the show.

The church’s history arguably stretches back to Canberra in the mid 1970s when Kilbey and guitarist Peter Koppes crossed paths playing in bands, but the church itself came in to being in 1980 when both musicians had moved to Sydney. Much has been written about the band’s third ever gig, when a young Liverpudlian named Marty Willson-Piper, possessing to-die-for high cheekbones, came to see them and then joined them after the show; but less is known about the band’s first ever gig.

As Kilbey recalls, “The first church gig was at the Metropole Tavern opening for a band called Moving Parts who one day became Jump Inc. who had that sex’n’ fame hit. We weren’t quite sure what we were supposed to be but someone had said “Cream” and so I imagined myself as Jack Bruce. There were probably 50 people there who didn’t really mind us much either way. I thought we were quite promising.” Promising the band were, for a music exec named Chris Gilbey signed the band on the strength of a few self –recorded demos and released their debut album, Of Skins & Heart in 1981. This spawned the enduring Aussie classic ‘The Unguarded Moment’ and set the band on a path that was to prove that fame is fickle and fortune is relative.

Remembering his first appearance on the ABC’s music TV show Countdown performing ‘The Unguarded Moment’ in mascara which saw the band’s star rise exponentially, Kilbey puts the moment he realised he had become a rock star in to numbers. “I realised after the first Countdown at the next gig because we went from twenty people a night to about six hundred every time we played.”

The number of punters at gigs would rise and fall over the next thirty years, which would see all members of the band bar Kilbey depart at some point, although Koppes and Willson-Piper were to both return. Considering the group had more than the usual level of internal band friction, 30 years is a phenomenal length of time for a band to exist and certainly longer than most marriages. Indeed, being sentenced to be in a band with several other unrelated men for 30 years is longer than many murderers receive. Kilbey doesn’t see the band’s longevity as akin to a jail sentence, however. “Sentenced together for crimes against music ha ha” he muses. “…Actually we just seemed to have the right conditions for longevity, just like some people live to 100.”

Occasional internal strife aside, the church have also had an uneasy relationship with the music business over the years, continually following their artistic vision rather than that of record companies and managers. However, this approach has paid off in spades in terms of the level of respect they are now granted within the pantheon of Australian rock n’ roll. Indeed it could be argued that the music industry in Australia now venerates them. Could this turning of the tables elicit a moment of schadenfreude for Kilbey? “Fuck that’s a big word for a rock interview” Kilbey says in mock indignation . “I had to look it up to get the exact meaning you know…well it’s nice to be venerated. But I guess veneration requires one to let go of petty misgivings and so no, the long years have knocked the schadenfreude out of me.”

Schadenfreude or not, the church now find themselves being name checked and aped by a whole new generation of Australian bands, not to mention cult American bands such as the Brian Jonestown Massacre, members of which frequently collaborate with the church. Kilbey agrees it’s a good feeling. “I love to be name checked – yes that is gratifying!” Indeed, Mike Joyce of no less than the legendary The Smiths has revealed that he only agreed to join the band after going to see the church play a gig in Manchester. He recently told an interviewer “Johnny Marr hounded me to be in The Smiths. One night soon after, we (Johnny Marr & Mike Joyce) went to watch the church and I decided I would”.

Name checking aside, the band are now playing to some of the biggest audiences of their career and there was just the little event in which the band were inducted in to the Australian Record Industry Association Hall of Fame last year. Should anyone have had a doubt about the band, Steve Kilbey’s acceptance speech has fast moved in to Australian music folklore. Kilbey spent a good 15 minutes alternately praising and lambasting the Australian music scene and also reflecting on his career, for which he earned a well deserved standing ovation.

So was his infamous acceptance speech rehearsed? Apparently not. “It was spontaneous yes, though my mind is of such a nature that it is continually putting bits and pieces together for a rainy day. Some of those ideas had been chucked around in my mind starting from the beginning of the evening until when we got up. I had recently been in a play and the character I played tended to ramble on and I think I was a bit inspired by him to keep going on and on. But most of it fell out of the sky that night as I was going, a bit like when you hit a run of good luck in a card game…it could have gone horribly wrong. I understand that I got real lucky and it made them laugh….phew!”

During this infamous speech, music promoter Michael Chugg, who once managed the band, stood up and exclaimed ‘Why couldn’t you have been like this 25 years ago?’ Kilbey’s notoriously reticent manner has noticeably mellowed in recent years, which sees him reaching out to fans on the internet and engaging with people more than ever. However, Kilbey says that the reputation for being aloof and enigmatic is a just a perception that is far from the truth. “The boring troof, is I’m not aloof and anyone who loves my music I’m interested in hearing from them I guess.”

The fans are out in force at the moment, however, as the band have just completed their ‘Future, Past, Perfect’ North American Tour which sold out and saw fans flying across the country to make shows. It has also been described by the church as their ‘best ever tour’. Give or take one Top 20 hit, (1988’s ‘Under The Milky Way’) what does Kilbey think it is that has made Americans such fervent fans of the band compared to say, Germans or the Brits? “I think having that hit in the U.S. exposed us and all our other records to enough people that would realise we were more than that one song,” he explains. “We were building up an entire body of work but not having a hit in Europe it never really properly happened.”

The church have also been prolific as individual musicians in addition to their efforts in creating some of the finest records in the Australian music canon. The list of individual member’s solo efforts and collaborations with other artists could run to thousands of words, and they’re a necessary outlet for the band as musicians. As Kilbey explains, “The outlets are important for people to get things off their chests AND to improve and bring the new improvements back into the church.”

Kilbey has himself been prolific of late outside of his work with the church, collaborating with artists as diverse as Glenn Bennie from the legendary Underground Lovers, Martin Kennedy and Ricky Maymi of the Brian Jonestown Massacre. As he explains, these efforts keep pushing him to excel. “Other artists provide stuff that inspires me in different ways than my own stuff because I know how my own was done. It also inspires me to do better to hold up my side of the collaboration.”

Kilbey, and to some degree his bandmates, were once synonymous with the use of exotic stimulants to explore their muse and drive their creativity, but as these days they’re all clean living parents; fans must wonder how Kilbey approaches his craft now that he’s fuelled by green tea and yoga? Kilbey’s mischievous response is “Not as clean as you might think. My songs are hurled forth regardless of anything else. Whatever is going is the input: yoga, pot of green tea or sheer memory or loneliness or anything at all.”

Capping off a remarkable existence as a band performing their songs with a symphony orchestra at the Sydney Opera house is a career defining moment, but it begs the question: did Kilbey expect that this would be the outcome 30 years after the band’s humble debut at the Metropole Tavern in the same city? He concedes that this show was not part of his band’s original vision. “There never was a grand plan. The Opera House idea is fairly recent, it was never a particular ambition.” Nonetheless, the band is still producing some of their best work to date and playing to some of the biggest crowds of their career.

So what can we expect from the band next? Kilbey isn’t entirely sure of what’s in the pipeline for the church but he’s hopeful that they’ll be able to do a 40th anniversary tour. “What’s next I don’t know? Another album I guess. Do our Past, Perfect, Future tour here and maybe selected European cities. I do hope there is a fortieth tour. I’ve grown fond of the old beast you know. I’ve spent more of my life in it than out of it.” It’s a life that the fervent army of church fans are grateful for, however, knowing that this band, as Kilbey sings on their song ‘Block’; “…will make you all so beautiful”. – Jim Murray