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.
Russian Autumn Heart
The Church Lyrics
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Jewels and lathes that build a world
Titanic Howard Hughes, an aimless king
Always spoiling the best things you done
So red squares and wavy leaves
Delicate glass kisses, delicate lips
Russian autumn heart
Testing, digressing, falling to the earth
A trillion pennies for a handful of dust
A sight only witnessed by a mountain of ice
So red squares and wavy leaves
Sibling link meets Manchurian mink
Russian autumn heart
Combustion, suggestions, roaring engines
Jewels and lathes that rule the world
Titanic Howard Hughes, an aimless king
Always spoiling the best things you done
So red squares and wavy leaves
Delicate glass kisses, delicate lips
Russian autumn heart
The Church's song Russian Autumn Heart is a lyrical masterpiece that is full of allegories and metaphors that are meant to evoke some profound emotions in the listener. The song is a mix of imagery and ideas that are meant to reflect on the grandeur of the world, the joys and sorrows of human existence, and the profound mysteries of the universe. The song title itself, "Russian Autumn Heart," is a symbol of the bittersweet feelings of regret and longing that are often associated with the passing of time.
The song's opening lines - "Combustion, suggestions, roaring engines / Jewels and lathes that build a world" - evoke images of industry, progress, and civilization. The verses that follow contrast these images with ideas of loss and despair: "Titanic Howard Hughes, an aimless king / Always spoiling the best things you've done." The song goes on to describe the beauty of nature ("red squares and wavy leaves"), as well as the fleeting nature of all things, whether they be human achievements ("a sight only witnessed by a mountain of ice") or the passage of a season ("Russian autumn heart").
The song is a testament to the power of poetry as a means of expressing the complexity and depth of human emotions. The use of metaphor and imagery is meant to remind us of the beauty and mystery of the world, as well as the inevitability of change and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
Combustion, suggestions, roaring engines
The chaos and energy of society fuelled by ideas and technology.
Jewels and lathes that build a world
The materialistic constructs that shape our reality.
Titanic Howard Hughes, an aimless king
The destructive nature of those in power who lack purpose and direction.
Always spoiling the best things you done
The tendency of humans to ruin that which they have built.
So red squares and wavy leaves
The beauty and intricacy of the natural world coexisting with urban environments.
Delicate glass kisses, delicate lips
Fleeting moments of tenderness and fragility.
Russian autumn heart
The emotional and cultural spirit of Russia during autumn.
Testing, digressing, falling to the earth
The process of learning and growing, often through mistakes and setbacks.
Red-hot spaceships with soil so rich
The possibility of exploring and discovering new worlds, both literal and metaphorical.
A trillion pennies for a handful of dust
The value and worthlessness we place on material possessions.
A sight only witnessed by a mountain of ice
The rare and awe-inspiring experiences that are inaccessible or unattainable to most people.
Sibling link meets Manchurian mink
Unlikely connections and alliances formed by chance or circumstance.
Russian autumn heart
The emotional and cultural spirit of Russia during autumn.
Combustion, suggestions, roaring engines
The chaos and energy of society fuelled by ideas and technology.
Jewels and lathes that rule the world
The power structures created by those in control of wealth and industry.
Titanic Howard Hughes, an aimless king
The destructive nature of those in power who lack purpose and direction.
Always spoiling the best things you done
The tendency of humans to ruin that which they have built.
So red squares and wavy leaves
The natural and artificial worlds intertwined and influencing each other.
Delicate glass kisses, delicate lips
The brevity and fragility of moments of tenderness.
Russian autumn heart
The emotional and cultural spirit of Russia during autumn.
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BittersweetSymphony
on You're Still Beautiful
Sometimes I wonder if he is writing about himself