Blue Plate Special: The Church
Formed in Sydney in 1980, The Church quickly distinguished themselves from the Australian rock landscape with a moody, atmospheric sound rooted in jangly guitars, surreal lyrics, and a blend of new wave and neo-psychedelia. Fronted by singer-bassist Steve Kilbey, with Peter Koppes and Marty Willson-Piper on guitars and Nick Ward (soon replaced by Richard Ploog) on drums, the band’s early releases such as Of Skins and Heart and The Blurred Crusade introduced a lush, echo-laden style that drew comparisons to 1960s psychedelia while remaining distinctly modern. Their first breakout hit, “The Unguarded Moment,” landed in 1981, and although struggles with record labels—particularly in the U.S.—hampered early momentum, the band built a loyal international following.
Their most commercially successful period came with the 1988 release of Starfish, featuring the global hit “Under the Milky Way,” a song that has since become one of Australia’s most iconic tracks. Throughout the late ’80s and early ’90s, albums like Gold Afternoon Fix and Priest=Aura saw the band experimenting with more ambient and expansive sounds, despite internal tensions and lineup changes. While major chart success waned, their artistic output remained consistent, with Kilbey’s cryptic lyricism and the group’s textured guitar work earning them critical acclaim and a cult-like global fanbase. The band continued to evolve through projects like The Refo:mation, a series of acoustic reinterpretations, and orchestral performances such as A Psychedelic Symphony at the Sydney Opera House.
Through decades of reinvention, shifting lineups, and personal trials, The Church have remained a vital creative force. With the departures of Willson-Piper and later Koppes, new members like Ian Haug, Jeffrey Cain, and Ashley Naylor have helped carry the band’s legacy forward. Their 21st-century output—highlighted by albums such as Untitled #23, Man Woman Life Death Infinity, The Hypnogogue, and 2024’s Eros Zeta and the Perfumed Guitars—demonstrates a band still pushing sonic boundaries while honoring the ethereal beauty that has defined their sound for over four decades. Inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2010, The Church remain one of Australia’s most enduring and influential alternative rock exports.
Some of my favorites from their catalog:
Reptile – from the album Starfish (1988)
Ripple – from the album Priest = Aura (1992)
Metropolis – from the album Gold Afternoon Fix (1990)
Under the Milky Way – from the album Starfish (1988)
Delirious – from the album Further Deeper (2014)
Numbers – from the album After Everything Now This (2002)
I Think I Knew – from the album The Hypnogogue (2023)
The Unguarded Moment – from the album Of Skins and Hearts (1981)
Realm of Minor Angels – from the album Eros Zeta and the Perfumed Guitars (2024)
Almost With You – from the album The Blurred Crusade (1982)
Loveblind – from the album Sometime Anywhere (1994)
One Day – from the album Seance (1983)
Lustre – from the album Priest = Aura (1992)
Tantalized – from the album Heyday (1985)
