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The Chills

Sometimes credited as Martin Phillips and the Chills.

Biography

An all-time great of New Zealand music and the cornerstone group of the famed Dunedin Sound, The Chills have been an institution since their formation in 1980. At their heart has always been Martin Phillips – a terrific song-writer and the creative force that took New Zealand independent pop music to places it had never been before.

Phillips grew up during the glam era – idolising David Bowie. When the punk explosion reached Dunedin in the late 1970s, the then-15 year old formed punk group The Same with classmates Jeff Batt, Craig Easton and Paul Baird, though that early line-up would eventually give way to a prototype line-up of Phillips’ more famous group:

The Chills contributions to the Dunedin Double EP (a high-water mark for early Flying Nun Records material split with The Verlaines, Sneaky Feelings and The Stones), along with the Rolling Moon and Pink Frost singles absolutely brim with youthful enthusiasm and spiky attitude, with heart-on-your-sleeve lyricism and punk fervour.

Thankfully the majority of the groups early songs were compiled in the mid 1980s on the Kaledeiscope World album, which was later reissued with bonus tracks once released as a CD. Probably the best single’s document in the Chills vast catalog, it must be considered a vital purpose, unless you can get your hands on the very rare original New Zealand-only Flying Nun Records vinyl copies releases.

The Chills brilliant young drummer Martyn Bull became ill with leukemia in 1982, passing away in early 1983. Phillips almost brought the band to an end, but after a hiatus of sorts he decided to carry on. As was quickly becoming a trend for the group – a new line-up was eventually established.

By this time they had developed a rather large fan base in the UK thanks to some minor chart success with The Lost EP, a short tour of England towards the end of 1985, and then the release of their signature hit ‘I Love My Leather Jacket‘ – written for “absent friend” Martyn Bull. After a 5-week tour of Europe the group relocated to London in February 1987.

The Chills line-up of Phillips alongside bassist Justin Harwood, drummer Caroline Easther and keyboardist Andrew Todd settled in to record the full-length debut Brave Words with Mayo Thompson (of Red Krayola fame) from their new base of London, they played Glastonbury in June and some high profile shows Stateside to boot. Though the group appeared to be on top of their game – things weren’t so grand for Phillips’ bandmates. Squatting in whatever accomodation they had available to them in London and living on the breadline took it’s toll on the hard-working group. Easther was the first to crack – replaced by the young punk James Stephenson; who they acquired during a short celebratory tour back in New Zealand.

With Brave Words success and the groups visibility in Europe, Phillips was scouted by European independent Slash Records (a subsidiary of major label Warner Brothers). Despite the pressure of being signed to an imposing 6-album contract, The Chills song-writing peaked with Submarine Bells. This was hoped to be their watershed moment, but although the terrific lead single ‘Heavenly Pop Hit‘ was absolute smash in their home country, it only creeped into the UK singles chart at number 97.

Things were compounded when after the groups triumphant home-coming tour. Andrew Todd left after feeling his contribution to the groups composition (as the only classically trained musician in the group) was under-appreciated, whilst Justin Harwood similarly felt like a hired hand. Terry Moore returned as the groups new bassist and contributed to the bands production work – however things weren’t quite sitting right within the group.

The label pressed the group for a more commercial sound with Submarine Bells 1992 follow up Soft Bomb; bringing in session musicians and producer Gavin MacKillop (known for his work with Shriekback and Hunters and Collectors) – meanwhile Phillips mental state started to deteriorate, feeling the effects of an increasing drug and alcohol problem. During the sessions the young Stephenson was cast aside with Mauro Ruby recording the drum parts on the completed album.

Though Soft Bomb and lead single ‘Male Monster from the Id‘ were student radio favourites – playing live the group was not hitting the highs of their earlier days – and eventually the ticket sales started to drop. Towards the end of their US tour (and prior to a planned European tour), Slash Records pulled support. The group quickly imploded.

The next few years were a tough time for the group. Phillips retreated to the comforting confounds of his Dunedin hometown and was welcomed back with open arms by Flying Nun Records, however the 1996 album Sunburnt was a muted affair. Essentially a one-man band (credited as Martin Phillips and The Chills for the first time), the recording sessions took place in the States under the guidance of Craig Leon, with noted guitarist Dave Gregory (of XTC) and Dave Mattacks (of Fairport Convention) realising Phillips sombre new songs after his kiwi bandmates were refused via entry to the States.

Around the turn of the century Phillips formed a new band, with new members Todd Knudson (drums), Rodney Haworth (bass) and James Dickson (keyboards) going on to become Phillips’ long-serving accompanists. This line-up continued to tour and produce new songs, even unleashing lost material from his plentiful songbook (through several rarity compilations, and the intriguing Sketchbook album) in a solo capacity [see Phillips solo entry].

In 2004 the ‘Stand By’ EP was released – 8 songs the now established Chills touring group had been performing alongside their classic repertoire. This remained the last original material the group would release for almost a decade.

Finally in 2013 UK indie label Fire Records released the single ‘Melted Gold’ – which initially appeared as a streaming song on the popular Pitchfork website. Later that year the label put together a triple-LP live compilation (‘Somewhere Beautiful’) and the groups BBC Sessions before their 5th album ‘Silver Bullets’ finally arrived in October 2015.

Reviews were good and it appeared Phillips was making a conscious effort to come clean, after years battling drug and alcohol addiction. However the ominous spectre of Hepatitis C infection hung over him. With filming starting in 2017, the documentary ‘The Chills: The Triumph and Tragedy of Martin Phillips’ captures Phillips at his most vulnerable. Phillips spent the next 2 years going through treatment for Hep C, whilst eliminating alcohol and trying to get his liver back to a functioning state.

The documentary concludes with Phillips and the band at a particular highpoint, with Phillips clean and at his most productive – his young band members spurred on by this new development. Fire Records would release 6th album ‘Snow Bound’ in 2018 and ‘Scatterbrain’ in 2021 – both to very positive reviews.

Martyn Bull passed away in 1983, Peter Gutteridge passed away in 2014 and Martin Phillips passed away unexpectedly in July 2024.

Members

Discography

  • Dunedin Double 4xEP (1982 w/ Sneaky Feelings / The Stones / The Verlaines, Flying Nun Records, DUN1/2)
  • ‘Rolling Moon’/’Bite’/’Flame Thrower’ 7″ Single (1982, FFlying Nun Records, COLD001)
  • ‘Pink Frost’/’Purple Girl’ 7″ Single (1984, Flying Nun Records, COLD002)
  • ‘Doledrums’/’The Hidden Bay’ 7″ Single (1984, Flying Nun Records, COLD003)
  • The ‘Lost’ 12″ EP (1985, Flying Nun Records, COLD004)
  • Kaleidescope World Mini-LP (1985/6, Flying Nun Records, COLD005 / FNE13)
  • ‘Green Eyed Owl’/’I’ll Only See You Again’ 7″ Single (1986 Bonus With FNE13, Flying Nun Records, FN47 1/2)
  • ‘The Great Escape’/’I Love My Leather Jacket’ 7/12″ Single (1986, Flying Nun Records, COLD006/7 / FNUK)
  • ‘House With A Hundred Rooms’/’Party In My Heart’/’Living In The Jungle’ 12″ Single (1986, Flying Nun Records, FNUK11)
  • Kaleidescope World (compilation 1986, Flying Nun Records, FNE13)
  • Brave Words (1987, Flying Nun Records, FN090 / FNE12 / FNUK12)
  • ‘Wet Blanket’/’I Think I Thought Of Nothing Else To Think About’ 7″ Single (1988, Flying Nun Records, FN097)
  • Submarine Bells (1990 Flying Nun Records / Slash / Liberation, 30342)
  • ‘Heavenly Pop Hit’/’Part Past, Part Fiction’/’Water Wolves’ 7″ Single (1990, Flying Nun Records / Slash/Liberation
  • Soft Bomb (1992, Slash / Liberation, L30782)
  • ‘Male Monster From The Id’/’Double Summer’ Single (1992, Flying Nun Records)
  • Heavenly Pop Hits (compilation 1994, Flying Nun Records, FN306)
  • ‘Come Home’ single (1995, Flying Nun Records)
  • ‘Surrounded’ single (1995, Flying Nun Records)
  • Sunburnt (1996, Flying Nun Records, FN303)
  • Secret Box – The Chills’ Rarities, 1980-2000 (compilation 2000, Definitive Music, DM001)
  • Stand By EP (2004 Flying Nun Records MPM001)
  • ‘Melted Gold’ / ‘Pink Frost 13’ single (2013, Fire Records, BLAZE45213)
  • Somewhere Beautiful (live 2013, Fire Records, FIRE298)
  • The BBC Sessions (live 2015, Fire Records, FIRE395)
  • Silver Bullets (2015, Fire Records, FIRE382)
  • ‘Pyramid’ / ‘When The Poor Can Reach The Moon’ single (2016, Fire Records, FIRE436EP)
  • ‘Rocket Science’ / ‘Lost In Space’ single (2017, Fire Records, FIRE483S)
  • Snowbound (2018, Fire Records, FIRE530)
  • Scatterbrain (2021, Fire Records, FIRE581)

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