Profile of Australian College Rock Band The Church

1980 in Sydney, Australia - originally as Limosine

Few bands active during the '70s, '80s or the alternative rock-driven '90s created a catalogue of guitar-based rock music as textured, unique and dreamy as Australian band The Church. Unfortunately, the group remained rather obscure throughout most of its first decade of existence, enjoying success rarely beyond the confines of its homeland. However, 1988's Starfish took the band to a new level of recognition and stands today as one of the finest post-punk records of the early alternative era. Consistently active for almost all of the two decades-plus since its mainstream breakthrough, The Church continues to push the boundaries of rock music's capabilities.

The eclecticism that would eventually define The Church began to exert itself as early as the mid '70s, when Kilbey, who had cut his teeth as bassist and frontman in The Tactics, paired up with Koppes in glam rock outfit Precious Little. The budding musicians continued to develop within the Australian music scene through the late '70s, eventually forming Limosine with drummer Nick Ward. When Willson-Piper joined the lineup in 1980, The Church was born in earnest, relatively quickly earning notice and a record contract with EMI in Australia. A unique musical journey had just begun.

The newly cemented lineup swiftly assembled songs for a debut album, comprised mainly of Kilbey compositions. In 1981, Of Skins and Heart was released in Australia, and its second single, "The Unguarded Moment," became a modest hit there and seemed to set the stage for a wider breakthrough. Ploog replaced Ward on drums soon after, ushering in a consistent line-up for the remainder of the decade. Unfortunately, this stability did not guarantee rising record sales, as Kilbey and the band decided to experiment with psychedelic and atmospheric soundscapes instead of searching directly for a commercially viable sound. Complex and ambitious, these recordings challenged listeners rather than merely satisfying them.

Partially for these reasons - but also because the band was struggling individually and collectively to repeat its early success on its own terms - The Church sputtered a bit with its next few releases following 1982's The Blurred Crusade. By 1985, activity had slowed down considerably, until the late 1985 sessions that would become 1986's significant Heyday LP. Though the road remained rocky for awhile, the band began to work more collaboratively, and this shift in approach seemed to help generate stronger recordings. While Heyday didn't sell remarkably well, the new material did help secure The Church an all-important major label deal in the U.S.

Armed with a unified approach and better promotion, The Church stepped into 1987 in time for a perfect storm. Living and recording in Los Angeles proved chaotic and challenging for the group's creative process, but ultimately the tense sessions resulted in a masterpiece, 1988's sparkling, enchantingly provocative Starfish. "Under the Milky Way" deservingly became the group's signature hit, but the record was packed with stunning tracks like "Destination," "Lost," "Spark" and "Antenna." Songs with titles of more than one word were also moving and genuinely trailblazing attempts to marry eerie sonic textures with rich melody.

Though Ploog and then Koppes left the band during the early '90s, just as alternative music was truly beginning to reach the masses, Kilbey and Willson-Piper continued to adjust The Church's sound through relatively regular album releases. Drummer Tim Powles eventually joined the group full-time, and Koppes returned to the fold himself in 1998. For the ensuing decade, the restored Church lineup continued to explore the fringes of guitar pop, remaining active and stable up through the celebration of its 30th anniversary in the form of a North American tour in 2010.