The Chills
Months after the passing of New Zealand musician Martin Phillipps, the late frontman of the Chills is to be remembered with a newly-announced posthumous album.
The record, titled Spring Board: The Early Unrecorded Songs, will be released under the Chills moniker on Feb. 28, 2025 through Fire Records, and is in fact the product of many years of hard work from Phillipps himself.
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Alongside his work as a member of the Chills, Phillipps had spent the final years of his life trawling through his archives, rediscovering many “easy songs and musings” which were revisited and revised ahead of being collected on Spring Board. Described as a “dedicated reimagining of his earlier unreleased songs that became his artistic farewell”, the record has received the blessing of his band, family and friends.
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“The album seemed like an easy option,” Phillipps was quoted as saying. “All of the songs needed varying degrees of rewriting; a 60-year old man couldn’t just stick to the lyrics of those formative years. And some of the songs were just vague recollections, incomplete, only blossoming during recording.”
Alongside his Chills bandmates – including Oli Wilson, Erica Scally, Callum Hampton and Todd Knudson – the record also features appearances from appearances from Fur Patrol’s Julia Deans, Shona Laing, and Neil Finn of Crowded House and Split Enz fame.
Phillipps passed away unexpectedly in July at his home in Dunedin, on New Zealand’s south island. He had played what was called “an integral part” of the university town’s scene in the 1980s, and of Roger Shepherd‘s Flying Nun Records family, whose roster would include the Clean, the D4, Headless Chickens and Tall Dwarfs, Chris Knox, Straitjacket Fits and the Verlaines.
Following a lengthy hiatus, Philipps reactivated the Chills in 2013, with a number of new albums following, supported by a run of domestic and international tours. Their most recent LP, 2021’s Scatterbrain, would reach No. 4 on the New Zealand Albums Chart – their highest placing in close to 30 years.
Martin Phillips, frontman of the Chills, one of the outstanding acts signed to the Flying Nun Records roster, died on the weekend at the age of 61.
The singer, songwriter and guitarist passed at his home in Dunedin, on New Zealand’s south island, confirms a statement issued by Flying Nun Records.
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Phillips was “an integral part” of the university town’s scene in the 1980s, and of Roger Shepherd‘s Flying Nun Records family, whose roster would include the Clean, the D4, Headless Chickens and Tall Dwarfs, Chris Knox, Straitjacket Fits and the Verlaines.
The late artist was a “single-minded talent who took all components of a musical career seriously,” reads the statement, which lists off his top-shelf songwriting, performance and studio talents.
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A separate message posted on the band’s official page confirms that Phillipps “has died unexpectedly.”
The cause of death was not disclosed.
The musician was “demanding of perfection in others and himself,” the Flying Nun tribute continues, penning such songs as “Rolling Moon,” “Pink Frost,” “I Love My Leather Jacket” and “Heavenly Pop Hit” which enjoyed commercially success and “helped define the best of New Zealand music” during that era. “Heavenly Pop Hit” and its parent album Submarine Bells, almost launched the band to international success.
After a hiatus, Phillips relaunched the Chills in the mid-2010s, and the group would go on to release a string of new albums, supporting the works with domestic and international tours.
Their most recent LP, 2021’s Scatterbrain, cracked the top 10 on the New Zealand Albums Chart.
As news of Phillips’ passing spread online, the music community paid tribute. “Oh my goodness, I’m so terribly sorry, what a wonderful and sweet person and incredible artist. So much love and sympathy to his family and friends,” wrote Nada Surf singer Matthew Caws.
so sorry to hear of the passing of the wildly and beautifully talented Martin Phillipps. an absolute diamond. deepest sympathies to his family and friends. thank you for the heavenly pop ❤️https://t.co/zYX9LrhALz— matthew caws (@nadasurf) July 28, 2024
“Martin Phillipps RIP,” wrote Lindy Morrison, drummer with beloved Australian indie group the Go-Betweens.
Martin Phillipps RIP.— Lindy Morrison (@Lindymorrison8) July 28, 2024
The Phillipps family requests privacy at this time, and funeral arrangements will be advised in due course.
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