Martin John James Phillipps (2 July 1963 – 28 July 2024) was a New Zealand singer-songwriter and musician. He was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for The Chills. As part of the Dunedin sound, Phillipps and the Chills helped lay the groundwork for modern indie rock, and the band's innovative approach to alternative rock and lo-fi formed his legacy.[1] After he died suddenly in 2024, Split Enz and Crowded House frontman Neil Finn said Phillips was a "true original, fascinated by and devoted to the magic and mystery of music".[2]
Martin Phillipps | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Phillipps in 2019 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Martin Phillipps |
| Born | 2 July 1963 Wellington, New Zealand |
| Died | 28 July 2024 (aged 61) Tainui, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1980-2024 |
| Labels | |
| Formerly of | The Chills, The Same |
Early life
editPhillipps was born in Wellington in 1963, to parents the Reverend Donald Phillipps and Barbara (née Laurenson). Before the end of the decade the family had moved to Dunedin for the elder Phillipps' career as the chaplain of the University of Otago.[1] He attended George Street Normal School in Dunedin North, and formed his first band, The Same, at Logan Park High School at the age of 15.[3] Initially on guitar, he became its lead singer shortly after.[4][5] His early musical influences included Nick Drake, Randy Newman, The Beach Boys, and other aspects of psychedelic music.[6]
Career
editThis section is missing information about Most of career, including years at slash records. (October 2024) |
With his first band The Same, Phillipps began to play regular gigs as a teenager, beginning with the school ball at Logan Park. He then began supporting Chris Knox's band Toy Love, but mostly played covers before forming The Chills in 1980, aged 17, with high school friend Jane Dodd (also of The Verlaines).[3] The Chills' initial line-up included his sister Rachel Phillipps on keyboards, former The Clean frontman Peter Gutteridge on guitar, Dodd on bass guitar, and Alan Haig on drums.[5]
The band made their live performance debut in support of Bored Games at Dunedin's Coronation Hall on 15 November 1980; Gutteridge departed shortly thereafter.[5] By June 1981, Dodd and Rachel Phillipps had also left, leaving the Chills on a brief hiatus.[4] The band poached Terry Moore from Bored Games as their new bass guitarist, and then were joined by Fraser Batts, who played keyboard.[4] In June 1982, they provided three tracks, "Kaleidoscope World", "Frantic Drift" and "Satin Doll", for a local various artists double-12" record, extended play, Dunedin Double via the Christchurch label Flying Nun Records, which marked their recording debut.[5][7]
Health issues and death
editPhillipps's health and career was affected for much of his later life by hepatitis-C, which he caught as a result of drug use. He made successful efforts to quit drugs, and in the late 2010s he was cured of hepatitis. His health was permanently impaired, however. A feature-length documentary about Martin's health struggles and his music, The Chills: The Triumph and Tragedy of Martin Phillipps was directed by Julia Parnell and Rob Curry and released in 2019.[8]
Phillipps was found dead at his home in Tainui, South Dunedin, on 28 July 2024. His funeral at Dunedin Town Hall was attended by hundreds of friends, fans, and family members, with the service led by former New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson.[9] His body was cremated after the service.
References
edit- ^ a b Cartwright, Garth (30 July 2024). "Martin Phillipps obituary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
- ^ "Stuff". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Martin Phillipps Remembered: Brave Words, 1 - Article | AudioCulture". www.audioculture.co.nz. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
- ^ a b c Nimmervoll, Ed. "Martin Phillipps' Chills". HowlSpace: Music from Australia & NZ. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 5 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ a b c d Schmidt, Andrew (28 April 2013). "The Chills - Person". AudioCulture. Archived from the original on 18 January 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ "VARIOUS - THE DUNEDIN DOUBLE, 1982 | MAN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN". Flying Nun. 27 January 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
- ^ Thompson 2000, p. 259
- ^ The Chills: The Triumph and Tragedy of Martin Phillipps at IMDb
- ^ Littlewood, Matthew (10 August 2024). "Farewell for Phillipps". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 17 August 2024.