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.
Chromium
The Church Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Golden eagles
Frightened faces
Basket cases
Jags and riches
Queens and witches
Electric mantras
And tight-fitting dreams
Never been so high
Never been so low
Never been so high
Gilded flowers
Long-lost hours
Morning programs
With fake suntans
Neo-maniac in the cul-de-sac
Otherwise it's this ennui
Chromium platin'
All this waiting brings me down
Suffocatin'
All those colors bring me around
Broken records
Faded labels
Songs to sing to
When you were young
A tattooed pierced arm
Fresh and perfumed
Switch your prison
Fly away
And jewels on your fingers
Tears in your dresses
Fabulous mansions
And damp little rooms
This one intrigued me
This one will grow
Purity sleeping
Reality looms
The Church's song "Chromium" seems to be exploring the idea of fame and excess, and the highs and lows that come with it. The opening lines reference different types of people - "silver needles, golden eagles, frightened faces, basket cases, jags and riches, queens and witches" - indicating that these individuals may have achieved some level of success or status, but are still struggling in some way. The lyrics also touch on the fleeting nature of fame and the desire to escape it, with lines like "otherwise it's this ennui" and "fly away."
The chorus - "Chromium platin', all this waiting brings me down / Suffocatin', all those colors bring me around" - suggests that despite the struggles and challenges that come with fame, there is still some allure to it. The use of the term "chromium platin'" may also be a commentary on the artificiality and superficiality of fame and excess. The second verse continues with this theme, referencing "gilded flowers" and "fake suntans," and portraying a sense of disillusionment with the shallowness of it all. The line "otherwise it's this ennui" is repeated once again, reinforcing the idea that there is a sense of boredom or dissatisfaction lurking beneath the surface.
The final verse shifts slightly, referencing "broken records" and "faded labels," and suggesting a nostalgia for a time before fame and excess. The line "songs to sing to when you were young" evokes a sense of innocence and simpler times. Overall, "Chromium" seems to be a commentary on the alluring yet ultimately unsatisfying nature of fame and excess, and the desire to escape it and return to something more pure and genuine.
Line by Line Meaning
Silver needles
Sharp objects that are needle-like and have a silver coloring
Golden eagles
Birds of prey with golden feathers that are known for their strength and agility
Frightened faces
Expressions of fear that people wear on their faces
Basket cases
People who are helpless and unable to function properly
Jags and riches
Expensive cars and wealth
Queens and witches
Royalty and sorceresses
Electric mantras
Chants or sayings that have a strong and powerful effect
And tight-fitting dreams
Aspirations that are difficult to achieve
Never been so high
A state of being elated and euphoric
Never been so low
A state of being depressed and unhappy
Gilded flowers
Flower decorations that are coated in gold
Long-lost hours
Time that has slipped away and cannot be regained
Morning programs
Television shows that air early in the day
With fake suntans
Skin that is artificially tanned
Neo-maniac in the cul-de-sac
A person with an obsession in a dead-end street
Otherwise it's this ennui
Otherwise, it is a feeling of boredom and disinterest
Chromium platin'
Metallic elements that have a silvery or grayish-blue hue
All this waiting brings me down
The anticipation is causing me to feel depressed
Suffocatin'
Feeling like I cannot breathe
All those colors bring me around
The various hues and shades are making me feel better
Broken records
Vinyl records that are damaged and unplayable
Faded labels
Brand names or logos that have lost their color over time
Songs to sing to
Music that people can sing along to
When you were young
During a time when you were a child or adolescent
A tattooed pierced arm
An arm that has artwork permanently etched and a piece of jewelry inserted through the skin
Fresh and perfumed
Having a pleasant and fragrant scent
Switch your prison
Escape your confinement
Fly away
Depart and leave everything behind
And jewels on your fingers
Precious stones adorning the fingers
Tears in your dresses
Tears or rips on clothing
Fabulous mansions
Large and impressive houses
And damp little rooms
Small and moist quarters
This one intrigued me
This concept or idea caught my attention and interest
This one will grow
This concept or idea will flourish and expand
Purity sleeping
Having a dormant purity within oneself
Reality looms
The state of being realistic is getting closer and closer
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: STEVEN JOHN KILBEY, PETER KOPPES, TIM GUY GERARD POWLES, MARTIN HOWARD WILLSON-PIPER, TIM POWLES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
BittersweetSymphony
on You're Still Beautiful
Sometimes I wonder if he is writing about himself