The Church is an alternative rock band which formed in Sydney, Australia in… Read Full Bio ↴The Church is an alternative rock band which formed in Sydney, Australia in 1980. Initially linked in with neo-psychedelia acts of the period, their music later became largely defined by the interplay of guitarists Marty Willson-Piper and Peter Koppes coupled with the abstract lyrics of bassist/singer Steve Kilbey. Their debut album, Of Skins and Heart (1981), earned them their first radio hit "The Unguarded Moment". They were originally signed to EMI's Parlophone label, but record company dissatisfaction led to them being dropped overseas, which limited their exposure early on.

After signing to Arista in 1988, they saw their largest international success with the album Starfish and the American Top 40 hit "Under The Milky Way" which resurfaced on the soundtrack of the cult movie "Donnie Darko". Whilst the band remain feted by their peers, subsequent commercial success proved elusive: 1990s follow-up album "Gold Afternoon Fix" failed to capitalise on their success, and the band weathered several line-up changes after its release, first losing long-term drummer Richard Ploog, then Peter Koppes following 1992s "Priest = Aura". That album baffled and confused many fans upon its release as to what band The Church was considered to be, but is now considered a seminal album and one of the most revered by Church connoisseurs. The vacant drum-stool on Priest=Aura being occupied by Jay Dee Daugherty of Arista labelmate Patti Smiths group, and it was produced by Gavin MacKillop of Moose.

Reduced to a two-piece, Kilbey & Willson-Piper re-grouped with the assistance of drummer/producer Tim Powles to record 1994's "Sometime Anywhere", concluding their obligations to the Arista and Mushroom labels. The commercial decline, combined with the Church being ignored again by a music press more focused on the Nineties' music trends, could have brought about the demise of the band, had it not coincided with the breakthrough of the internet, thus enabling direct communication from the band to its passionate cult fanbase.

This brought about a new beginning for The Church, with Peter Koppes rejoining the band for recording 1996s "Magician Among The Spirits". The band (with Koppes back into the fold, and Powles now as the permanent drummer ), hit a re-newed creative surge and with regained selfconfidence, released "Hologram Of Baal" 2 years later, and toured Australia, the USA and Europe.

The first decade of the 21st century found the band releasing severeal highly critically acclaimed albums, like 2002's aptly named "After Everything Now this" and 2003's "Forget Yourself", the latter breaking new ground with bandmembers swapping instruments in the recording process. Live performances stray from high profile events like the 03 concerts at Sydney Opera House and the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, to low-profile gigs for smaller audiences, often confusing old 80s fans, surprised to find the band still playing, wrongly assuming the band just being one in the never-ending string of reunion acts.

2009's album "Untitled#23" marked yet another highlight.. its essence represented in just 10 songs, and with a strong less-is-more approach, the albums core identity being on par with Starfish, it also finds Steve Kilbey breaking new ground as a vocalist.

2010 saw their 30th anniversary, with extensive touring in the US and Australia. Their unique position and importance in the australian music scene was recognized with an ARIA award.

Their album, "Further Deeper", was released in 2014, and "man woman life death infinity" in 2017.

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The Church Lyrics

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And we frittered the time that we had on our hands
And we measured the time that elapsed
And we stumbled around like madmen unbound
And I said, "Look out boys, these are traps"

And I was just a stranger then
Yes, I was just a stranger then
And I was just a stranger then

And we followed a path till we slipped up and laughed
And I lived half a life in that state
And we got our release in everything but peace
And peace of a record second rate

And I was just a stranger then
And I was just a stranger then
Yes, I was just a stranger then
Like a stranger, always strangest at home

Well, I like what you do
But you will never break through
You can try if you want
But you'll fail

And I was just a stranger then
Yes, I was just a stranger then

And I was just a stranger then
Like a stranger, always strangest at home

Overall Meaning

The Church's song 0408 is a reflection on the passing of time, regrets and missed opportunities. The first two lines of the song suggest that the characters have wasted the time they once had and also tracked the minutes that they let slip away. The third line paints a picture of madness and confusion as they stumble around without direction. The singer of the song warns the others to look out for traps, implying that they are caught up in a dangerous cycle.

The chorus repeats the line "I was just a stranger then" three times, suggesting that the characters have changed and grown since the time period they are reflecting on. They followed a path until they slipped up and laughed, indicating that they had fun and enjoyed some parts of their past, but also suggesting that they made mistakes. They found release from their problems but not in a meaningful or lasting way, as peace is described as "of a record second rate." The final line, "Like a stranger, always strangest at home" suggests that the characters have trouble fitting in, even in familiar surroundings.

Overall, the song encourages reflection on the past and a deeper consideration of one's choices and direction in life. While acknowledge that some moments may have been enjoyable and therapeutic, the song ultimately suggests that they were fleeting and not worth the time that was spent on them.

Line by Line Meaning

And we frittered the time that we had on our hands
We wasted the time we had available to us with little concern

And we measured the time that elapsed
We tracked the time that passed as it floated away

And we stumbled around like madmen unbound
We moved clumsily and recklessly without restraint like lunatics

And I said, "Look out boys, these are traps"
I warned the others to be careful of the dangers lurking around us

And I was just a stranger then
At that time, I felt out of place and disconnected from my surroundings

Yes, I was just a stranger then
Once again, I emphasize that I did not feel at home or at ease

And we followed a path till we slipped up and laughed
We continued on a specific route till we made mistakes and then found humor in our errors

And I lived half a life in that state
At that time, I existed only partially or unfulfilled

And we got our release in everything but peace
We found our escape from problems in everything except tranquility

And peace of a record second rate
The peace we did receive was far from satisfactory or inferior in quality

Like a stranger, always strangest at home
I felt alienated, different, and uncomfortable in my own familiar, domestic environment

Well, I like what you do
I appreciate your efforts and activity

But you will never break through
However, you will never achieve success or overcome obstacles

You can try if you want
There is nothing stopping you from attempting to achieve your goals

But you'll fail
Unfortunately, your endeavors will not be fruitful and you will face defeat

Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: STEVEN JOHN KILBEY, PETER KOPPES, TIM GUY GERARD POWLES, MARTIN HOWARD WILLSON-PIPER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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