The Chills
| Company type | Indie rock group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1980 in Dunedin, New Zealand |
| Founder | Martin Phillipps |
| Headquarters | Dunedin , New Zealand |
Area served | International |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
The Chills are an indie rock group originating from Dunedin, New Zealand, established in 1980 by singer-songwriter and guitarist Martin Phillipps (2 July 1963 – 28 July 2024). During the mid-1990s, they performed under the name Martin Phillipps & the Chills. Their New Zealand top ten albums include Submarine Bells (1990), Soft Bomb (1992), Snow Bound (2018), and Scatterbrain (2021). As pioneers of the Dunedin sound, The Chills achieved a cult following on an international scale. Among their singles that made it into the top 20 are "Pink Frost" and "" (both released in 1984), "I Love My Leather Jacket" (1986), "Heavenly Pop Hit" (1990), and "Male Monster from the Id" (1992).
Formation and initial disbandment (1980–1983)
Following the breakup of the Same, one of New Zealand’s earliest punk outfits, Martin Phillipps, who had been the vocalist and guitarist, founded The Chills in Dunedin in 1980. The Same had been formed in 1978 with Phillipps initially on guitar before he transitioned to lead vocals. The original Chills lineup featured his sister Rachel Phillipps on keyboards, former the Clean frontman Peter Gutteridge on guitar, bassist Jane Dodd, and drummer Alan Haig. Their first live performance was as a supporting act for Bored Games in November 1980; shortly afterward, Gutteridge departed. By June 1981, both Dodd and Rachel Phillipps had exited, leading to a temporary break for the band.
During this hiatus, Phillipps contributed as a touring keyboardist and studio musician for the Clean's debut single "Tally Ho!" (1981). The Chills regrouped in July 1981 with Haig, Phillipps, Fraser Batts on keyboards, and bassist Terry Moore. They made their recording debut with three songs—"Kaleidoscope World," "Frantic Drift," and "Satin Doll"—on the local compilation EP Dunedin Double released in June 1982 by Flying Nun Records. This EP also featured Sneaky Feelings, the Stones, and the Verlaines.
Just before this EP was issued, Haig left to join the Verlaines and was succeeded by Martyn Bull on drums. Rachel Phillipps briefly rejoined after Batts left for a North Island tour with the Clean but did not complete the tour. Operating as a trio, The Chills released singles such as "Rolling Moon" (1982) and "Pink Frost" (1984). Andrew Schmidt of AudioCulture characterized "Rolling Moon" as bright and upbeat with a summery vibe. The band’s activities slowed when Bull was diagnosed with leukemia; they performed sporadically between late 1982 and early 1984. During this time, Peter Allison joined on keyboards. Phillipps also rehearsed with David Kilgour in Time Flies; however, they never performed publicly. By June 1983, Haig returned due to Bull’s declining health; Bull passed away on 18 July 1983. Subsequently, The Chills went on another hiatus while Phillipps continued performing solo gigs until late 1983.
Revival and global recognition (1983–1992)
By December 1983, the group reformed under the name A Wrinkle in Time with Allison, Haig, Phillipps, and Martin Kean on bass. Early in 1984 they reverted to The Chills. They participated in a Flying Nun-sponsored Looney Tour alongside Children's Hour, the Expendables, and the DoubleHappys. Public perception largely framed The Chills as Phillipps’ backing band since he remained the only constant member. Their single "Pink Frost" (June 1984) reached New Zealand’s top 20 charts. This was followed by "Doledrums" (1984), which peaked at number 12, and The Lost EP (1985), a six-track release that climbed to number four in New Zealand and number 31 on the UK Independent Chart. Towards the end of 1985, they performed concerts in London. Their compilation album Kaleidoscope World (March 1986), featuring earlier recordings, attained number three on the UK Independent Albums Chart. By October 1986, the lineup consisted of Phillipps, Caroline Easther on drums, Justin Harwood on bass, and Andrew Todd handling keyboards.
The track "I Love My Leather Jacket" (1986) reached number four in New Zealand and number 25 on the UK Independent Singles Chart. Building on their UK momentum, they relocated to London in February 1987 ahead of a five-week tour across Europe. While based there, they collaborated with Mayo Thompson to produce their debut studio album Brave Words (1987), which entered New Zealand’s top 30 albums chart. Throughout most of 1987 they toured Europe extensively and played four shows in the United States during July before embarking on a full North American tour in 1988. In 1990, they secured an international contract with Warner Brothers' Slash Records for distribution in North America. Their sophomore album Submarine Bells (1990) topped New Zealand charts and included their highest-charting international single "Heavenly Pop Hit," which reached number 17 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay Chart—marking their sole US chart entry. For their third album Soft Bomb (1992), Phillipps assembled a new lineup featuring Mauro Ruby on drums, Lisa Mednick on keyboards, and Steven Schayer providing guitar and backing vocals. This album peaked at number three domestically; its lead single "The Male Monster from the Id" entered New Zealand’s top ten singles chart.
Second phase of revival (1995–2024)
Following the conclusion of the Soft Bomb Tour, Phillipps dissolved the Chills and teamed up with Kilgour to form the 1960s tribute group, the Pop Art Toasters, which issued a self-titled EP in 1994 before disbanding. Subsequently, Phillipps revived the Chills with an entirely new lineup. The band's frequent personnel shifts led to fluctuating commercial fortunes, a phenomenon local press referred to as "the Curse of the Chills." This narrative was captured in a documentary broadcast in 2016.
The so-called curse persisted during sessions for their fourth studio album Sunburnt recorded in England between August and September 1995, when two members were refused UK entry. To complete the album, Phillipps recruited session players Dave Mattacks (Fairport Convention) and Dave Gregory (XTC), while producer Craig Leon contributed keyboard parts. Released in early 1996 under the name Martin Phillipps and the Chills, this album represented a period of transition.
After another disbandment, Phillipps joined Kilgour’s Heavy Eights before reassembling the Chills for live performances starting in 1997. His professional activities were impeded by hepatitis C contracted through previous drug use. In 1999, he unveiled Sketch Book: Volume One, a solo compilation of home demos spanning from 1988 to 1995. The year 2000 saw the release of Secret Box, a three-CD collection featuring live recordings, demos, sessions, and rare tracks.
The eight-track EP Stand By (2004) marked the first new material in nearly a decade, with Phillipps expressing intentions to explore new musical directions on an upcoming album—though no full-length followed for over ten years. The Chills toured Australia in 2010, their first performances outside New Zealand since 1996. In 2013, they released "Molten Gold," a standalone single commemorating Phillipps’ 50th birthday.
October 2015 saw the release of Silver Bullets, their first studio album in nineteen years. This was succeeded by a cover version of David Bowie's "Conversation Piece" in February 2017. Their sixth studio effort, Snow Bound, arrived in September 2018, followed by their seventh album, Scatterbrain, issued in May 2021.
Phillipps passed away on 28 July 2024. At that time, work was underway on a new album titled Springboard: Early Unrecorded Songs, which was posthumously released on 28 February 2025.
The Chills on screen
The band has been prominently featured in documentaries primarily produced for New Zealand television. In March 2019, The Chills: The Triumph & Tragedy of Martin Phillipps premiered, detailing both the band’s journey and Phillipps’ struggle with hepatitis C. Directed by Julia Parnell and Rob Curry, it debuted at SXSW before theatrical showings in New Zealand and Australia, followed by a broadcast on Prime TV.
Current
- Todd Knudson – drums
- Erica Scally – keyboards , violin
- Oli Wilson – keyboards
- Callum Hampton – bass guitar
Former
- Martin Phillipps – lead vocals, guitar
- Jane Dodd – bass guitar
- Peter Gutteridge – guitar
- Alan Haig – drums
- Rachel Phillipps – keyboards
- Fraser Batts – keyboards
- Terry Moore – bass guitar
- Martyn Bull – drums
- Peter Allison – keyboards
- David Kilgour – guitar
- Martin Kean – bass guitar
- Justin Harwood – bass guitar
- Caroline Easther – drums
- James Stephenson – drums
- Steven Schayer – guitar
- James Dickson – keyboards , bass guitar
Studio albums
| Album Title | Album Information | Highest Chart Positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZ | AUS | ||
| Brave Words |
|
24 | — |
| Submarine Bells |
|
1 | 90 |
| Soft Bomb |
|
3 | 99 |
| Sunburnt (credited to Martin Phillipps and the Chills) |
|
25 | — |
| Silver Bullets |
|
12 | — |
| Snow Bound |
|
9 | — |
| Scatterbrain |
|
4 | — |
| Spring Board: The Early Unrecorded Songs |
|
7 | — |
Live albums
| Album Title | Album Details |
|---|---|
| Somewhere Beautiful |
|
Compilation albums
| Album Title | Details | Highest Chart Positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZ | AUS | ||
| Kaleidoscope World |
|
19 | — |
| Heavenly Pop Hits – The Best of The Chills |
|
24 | 122 |
| Secret Box – The Chills' Rarities, 1980–2000 (Limited private issue) |
|
— | — |
| The BBC Sessions |
|
— | — |
Extended plays
| Title | Information | Highest chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZ | |||
| Dunedin Double (featuring the Chills, Sneaky Feelings, the Stones, and the Verlaines) |
|
— | |
| The Lost EP |
|
4 | |
| Stand By (later developed into a full album in 2014) |
|
— | |
| Pyramid/When the Poor Can Reach the Moon |
|
— | |
| "—" indicates a release that either did not chart or was unavailable in that region. | |||
Singles
| Title | Year | Highest chart positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NZ | AU | UK | US Alt | |||
| "Rolling Moon" | 1982 | 26 | — | — | — | Kaleidoscope World |
| "Pink Frost" | 1984 | 17 | — | — | — | |
| "Doledrums" | 12 | — | — | — | ||
| "I'll Only See You Alone Again" | 1986 | — | — | — | — | \Template:Non-album single |
| "I Love My Leather Jacket" | 4 | — | — | — |
Kaleidoscope World | |
| "House with a Hundred Rooms" | '87 | '— | '— | '— | '— |
Brave Words |
| "Wet Blanket" | '88 | '— | '— | '— | '— | |
| "Heavenly Pop Hit" | '90 | '2 | '118 | '97 | '17 |
Submarine Bells |
| "Part Past Part Fiction" | '90 | '— | '— | '— | '— | |
| "The Oncoming Day" | '90 | '— | '— | '— | '— | |
| "Male Monster from the Id" | '92 | '8 | '163 | '— | '— |
Soft Bomb |
| "Double Summer" | '92 | '— | '180 | '— | '— | |
| "Come Home" | '95 | '33 | '— | '— | '— |
Sunburnt |
| "Surrounded" | '96 | '— | '— | '— | '— | |
| "Dreams Are Free" | '96 | '— | '— | '— | '— | |
| "Molten Gold" | '13 | '— | '— | '— | '— | \Template:Non-album single |
| "America Says Hello" | '15 | '— | '— | '— | '— |
Silver Bullets |
| "Warm Waveform" | '15 | '— | '— | '— | '— | |
| "When the Poor Can Reach the Moon"
<'15 <'-- <'-- <'-- <'-- |
Silver Bullets | |||||
| "Rocket Science"/"Lost in Space"
<'16 <'-- <'-- <'-- <'-- |
\Template:Non-album single | |||||
| "Conversation Piece"
<'17 <'-- <'-- <'-- <'-- |
\Template:Non-album single | |||||
| "Complex"
<'18 <'-- <'-- <'-- <'-- |
Snow Bound | |||||
| "Lord of All I Survey"
<'18 <'-- <'-- <'-- <'-- | ||||||
| "Scarred"
<'18 <'-- <'-- <'-- <'-- | ||||||
References
Citations
Bibliography
Further reading
- Davey, T. & Puschmann, H. (1996) Kiwi Rock. Dunedin: Kiwi Rock Publications.
- Dix, J. (1988) Stranded in Paradise: New Zealand Rock'n'Roll 1955–1988. Wellington: Paradise Publications.
- Eggleton, D. (2003) Ready to Fly: The Story of New Zealand Rock Music. Nelson, NZ: Craig Potton Publishing.
- Shepherd, R. (2016) In Love with These Times. Auckland: Harper Collins New Zealand.
External links
- Articles with short description
- The Chills
- APRA Award winners
- Creation Records artists
- New Zealand alternative rock groups
- New Zealand indie rock groups
- Flying Nun Records artists
- New Zealand jangle pop groups
- Dunedin Sound musical groups
- Fire Records (UK) artists
- Slash Records artists
- Musical groups established in 1980
- Musical groups disestablished in 1983
- Musical groups reestablished in 1984
- Musical groups disestablished in 1992
- Musical groups reestablished in 1994
- Musical groups disestablished in 1996
- Musical groups reestablished in 1999
- Musical groups from Dunedin