Who Was Martin Phillipps? Influential Founder Of New Zealand Rock Band The Chills Passes Away At 61

Martin Phillipps, founder and lead singer of the iconic New Zealand rock band The Chills, died at the age of 61. His death was announced on Sunday via the band's social media channel.

By Sakina Kaukawala

Published on Jul 29, 2024 | 07:28 PM IST | 51.5K

Image Courtesy: Getty Images

Trigger Warning: This article contains references to an individual's death.

Martin Phillipps, the 61-year-old founder and lead singer of the beloved New Zealand rock band The Chills, has passed away. The band announced the news on Sunday via social media. The announcement read, "It is with broken hearts the family and friends of Martin Phillipps wish to advise Martin has died unexpectedly. The family asks for privacy at this time. Funeral arrangements will be advised in due course."

Martin Phillipps' early beginnings and rise to fame

Martin Phillipps founded The Chills in 1980, alongside his sister Rachel Phillipps on keyboards. Jane Dodd on bass, Peter Gutteridge on guitar, and Alan Haig on drums were all part of the original lineup.

The band quickly gained a following in New Zealand for their distinct sound, which combined melodic rock with a distinct New Zealand flair. Their early success resulted in a cult following in Europe and the US.

The Chills' notable hits include Pink Frost, Heavenly Pop Hit, I Love My Leather Jacket and Kaleidoscope World. These songs grabbed the attention of international audiences and brought out the band's distinct sound. Their 1990 album, Submarine Bells, was particularly successful, with British music weekly Melody Maker calling it a magical experience.

The Chills faced several challenges

Despite their early success, The Chills encountered several challenges. The band's momentum stalled in the late 1990s when their US label folded. In a 2019 interview with RNZ, Phillipps reflected on this period, saying, "No one foresaw the impact of the digital revolution, of massive changes in music, with Nirvana, with hip-hop, and all sorts of things, that we could so quickly become redundant and old-fashioned."

During this difficult period, Phillipps dealt with personal issues such as drug addiction, alcoholism, and hepatitis C. He opened up about these difficulties: "It was after that, retreating to Dunedin, tail between my legs, everyone saying, 'Oh you gave it a good go, time to get a real job,' all sorts of things conspired, but there was some sort of breakdown, mental breakdown involved there."

Martin Phillipps' later years and legacy

Phillipps continued to create music. In 2015, The Chills released Silver Bullets, their first studio album in 19 years. This was followed by Snowbound in 2018 and Scatterbrain, their final studio album, in 2021. Phillipps' determination and passion for music were evident throughout his career.

The Chills: The Triumph and Tragedy of Martin Phillipps is a documentary that was released in 2019. The film provided a detailed look at Phillipps' life, including his health issues. He openly discussed living with hepatitis C, saying that he is on the list for some of the new trial drugs, but in the meantime, he is up to stage four of the disease.

In the docu-film, the musician revealed that the fifth stage is cancer. So he already has cirrhosis of the liver, which means he doesn't know how long he has. The documentary was both a celebration of his achievements and a sobering look at his challenges.

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