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.
Chrome Injury
The Church Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take your place behind the wheel
Watch the metal scene just peel away
Don't forget me, don't regret me
Don't replace and don't upset me
But don't forget to come and get me someday
I was somewhere far away
German girls in an expose
Sitting on an empty train
Staring at the winter rain
Going through the scene again and again
Poor tormented automan
Giant pincers for a hand
Sinking slowly in the sand
Chrome injury on his cheek
Three days strong, four days weak
Listen as he tries to speak
If only I could feel
Falling down standing still
Always there's more time to kill
Flamingos startled in a shrill display
Don't forget me, don't regret me
Don't replace and don't upset me
But don't forget to come and get me some day
If I only wasn't steel
The song "Chrome Injury" by The Church talks about the theme of transformation and alienation. The opening line, "Cut your life into the steel," is a metaphorical representation of transforming oneself. The persona here wants to be a part of the metal scene, and so they are willing to cut their life into steel to take their place behind the wheel. The second verse refers to the persona being in a distant land with German girls, but the winter rain and the emptiness of the train remind them of their past. The persona is stuck in between two worlds; the old and the new. They are trying to adapt to the new world, but the memories of the past keep pulling them back.
The third verse talks about "Poor tormented automan." The meaning of "automan" here is pretty unclear, but it could be suggesting the persona himself, feeling tormented and alienated. The persona has a "chrome injury on his cheek," which implies a physical pain reflecting his emotional transformation. He is sinking slowly in the sand, while his giant pincers for a hand indicate helplessness. The poor tormented automan is trying to speak, but the words are unclear, signifying a lack of connection among people in this new world. The refrain tries to remind the persona not to forget their old self and their past but not to be stuck in between both worlds.
In conclusion, the song "Chrome Injury" explores the themes of transformation and alienation, using metaphors and allusions to represent the persona's struggles with adapting to the new world.
Line by Line Meaning
Cut your life into the steel
Modify your existence to become part of the cold, metallic world
Take your place behind the wheel
Assume control and power over your environment
Watch the metal scene just peel away
Observe the transformation of reality into a metallic wonderland
Don't forget me, don't regret me
Remember me, do not feel bad for me
Don't replace and don't upset me
Don't substitute me and don't cause me distress
But don't forget to come and get me someday
But promise to rescue me from this world eventually
I was somewhere far away
I was in a distant place, both physically and mentally
But I knew I couldn't stay
But I was aware that I couldn't remain there forever
German girls in an expose
Naked German girls in a revealing situation
Sitting on an empty train
Stationary on a train devoid of passengers
Staring at the winter rain
Gazing at the precipitation of a frigid season
Going through the scene again and again
Reliving the situation repetitively
Poor tormented automan
Unfortunate, afflicted mechanical being
Giant pincers for a hand
Massive claws serve as his hand
Sinking slowly in the sand
Gradually descending into the grains of the earth
Chrome injury on his cheek
A blemish of chrome decorates his face
Three days strong, four days weak
A cyclical pattern of endurance and vulnerability
Listen as he tries to speak
Hear him attempt to communicate
If only I could feel
If only I possessed the ability to experience emotions
Falling down standing still
Descending while simultaneously immobile
Always there's more time to kill
There is always more time to waste
Flamingos startled in a shrill display
Brightly-colored birds frightened and displaying distress vocally
Don't forget me, don't regret me
Remember me, do not feel bad for me
Don't replace and don't upset me
Don't substitute me and don't cause me distress
But don't forget to come and get me some day
But promise to rescue me from this world eventually
If I only wasn't steel
If only I didn't exist as a metallic object
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: KILBEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
BittersweetSymphony
on You're Still Beautiful
Sometimes I wonder if he is writing about himself