Martin Phillipps, the singer-guitarist and founding father of the New Zealand jangle-pop band the Chills, has died. The band’s official social media accounts shared the information as we speak, stating, “It’s with damaged hearts the household and good friend of Martin Phillipps want to advise Martin has died unexpectedly. The household ask for privateness presently.” Phillipps was 61.
A reason for loss of life was not shared within the assertion, however within the 2019 documentary The Chills: The Triumph & Tragedy of Martin Phillipps, it was revealed that the late musician underwent liver failure after a life-threatening expertise with hepatitis C within the Nineties. Phillipps battled liver illness for a number of years afterwards, confirms RNZ.
The Chills had been revered for his or her sharp and otherworldly tackle jangle pop and indie rock that usually sounded easy in apply. As the first songwriter, singer, and guitarist, Phillipps was behind a lot of the band’s success, together with three Prime 10 albums on their native New Zealand charts. The band earned worldwide breakout fame with “Heavenly Pop Hit,” the Chills’ greatest tune thus far and the lead single from 1990’s Submarine Bells, which climbed radio charts within the U.S., U.Okay., and Australia along with New Zealand.
Phillipps fashioned the Chills in 1980 in Dunedin, New Zealand when he was simply 17 years previous. From the soar, the Chills underwent common breakups and lineup modifications all through their total existence, except Phillipps, who remained the principle songwriter and lone constant member. Among the many notable former members of the band are the Clear’s Peter Gutteridge and David Kilgour, the Verlaines’ Jane Dodd, Luna’s Justin Harwood, and Phillipps personal sister Rachel Phillipps.
A staple of Flying Nun Information, the Chills helped outline the label’s sound—in addition to their very own—with a memorable run of data which have gone on to grow to be cult favorites, starting with 1982’s Dunedin Double EP, 1985’s The Misplaced EP, 1986’s compilation album Kaleidoscope World, and their 1987 debut LP Courageous Phrases. The power of singles like “Pink Frost” and “I Love My Leather-based Jacket” drew main label consideration and finally landed the Chills a cope with Warner Bros. imprint Slash Information. After rolling out Submarine Bells and Tender Bomb, the Chills disbanded in 1992 and Phillipps joined Kilgour in his Sixties covers band the Pop Artwork Toasters.
Upon their revival two years later, the Chills rejoined Flying Nun to launch their 1996 album Sunburnt, solely to separate up as soon as extra. Phillipps saved busy with different bands and facet initiatives, together with his solo album of demos Sketch E-book: Quantity One, earlier than he picked the moniker again up and assembled a recent lineup. The Chills went on to report the Stand By EP in 2004 and three extra albums over a decade later: 2015’s Silver Bullets, 2018’s Snow Certain, and 2021’s Scatterbrain.
