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.
Distant X Unseen
The Church Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's got the blessings in disguise
And just like the rain and the snow
She takes them with her everywhere she goes
She's got two tiny stars in her eyes
And she's got miracles in her head
She's got pleasure on demand
Soothes the earth at the end of the day
She's got two tiny stars in her eyes
The Church's song Distant X Unseen is a beautiful piece of music with a deep meaning that speaks of the inherent beauty that exists within everyone. The opening lines of the song describe a woman who has "two tiny stars in her eyes" and "blessings in disguise." These two phrases suggest that she has a unique ability to perceive and appreciate the world around her in a way that is unavailable to others. She is able to see the beauty and wonder in the smallest things, and this is what makes her special.
The song goes on to describe this woman as having "miracles in her head" and "pleasure on demand." She is a source of positivity and light, and her spirit is infectious. The lyrics paint a picture of a person who is full of life and vitality, and whose very presence is uplifting and inspiring.
Line by Line Meaning
She's got two tiny stars in her eyes
Her eyes convey a sense of wonder and magic, resembling two stars shining brightly.
She's got the blessings in disguise
She has the ability to see the good in every situation, even those that seem negative or challenging at first.
And just like the rain and the snow
Similar to the way precipitation falls from the sky, she carries her blessings with her wherever she goes.
She takes them with her everywhere she goes
She is constantly aware of the positive aspects of her life and carries them with her wherever she travels.
And she's got miracles in her head
Her thoughts are filled with a sense of wonder and amazement, leading her to believe that almost anything is possible.
She's got pleasure on demand
She experiences joy and pleasure easily and frequently, as if she can conjure it up on a whim.
Just like the soft summer rain
Her presence is soothing and refreshing, much like a subtle summer rain.
Soothes the earth at the end of the day
She has a calming effect on those around her, bringing a sense of peace and tranquility at the end of a long day.
She's got two tiny stars in her eyes
Once again, her eyes resemble stars, conveying her sense of wonder and magic.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STEVEN JOHN KILBEY, PETER KOPPES, TIM GUY GERARD POWLES, MARTIN HOWARD WILLSON-PIPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
BittersweetSymphony
on You're Still Beautiful
Sometimes I wonder if he is writing about himself