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.
The Feast
The Church Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Misfortune, jealousy, and sloth
Acting fine, drink the wine
Spill it on the tablecloth
What a surprise for you to come home to
Look through the eyes that you've grown used to
It's impossible, yes I know
It's too tempting too, I admit
Then when the feast was over
The guests withdrew to the fire
Talking proud, laughing out loud
To pretend, deceive and admire
Rats danced on the Persian rug
The cats fell down drunk in the chair
They reverted again to women and men
If only you had been there
"The Feast," a song by Australian rock band The Church, is a haunting and enigmatic track with lyrics that evoke a sense of wartime desperation and apocalyptic dread. The song begins with an ominous scene at a dinner table where many guests are present, including misfortune, jealousy, and sloth. These guests act fine, drinking wine and spilling it on the tablecloth, while the singer contemplates the situation through the eyes he has grown used to. He acknowledges that what is happening is impossible and unforgivable, but he also has nothing to lose.
The second verse takes a surreal turn as the feast concludes, and the guests withdraw to the fire to talk, pretend, deceive and admire. Rats dance on the Persian rug, and the cats fall down drunk in the chair. The guests revert to being women and men, as if to suggest that they were never really the sinister forces that they seemed to be. The singer wonders about what could have been if only someone else had been there to experience this strange, otherworldly scene.
The meaning of "The Feast" is open to interpretation, but it seems to be a commentary on the destructive forces at play in the world, especially during times of conflict and crisis. The guests at the table can be seen as representing different facets of humanity that are perpetuating the chaos, while the surreal imagery of rats and cats suggests that perhaps things are not as dire as they seem. The haunting melody and lyrics of the song create a sense of uncertainty and foreboding, capturing the mood of a world on the brink of collapse.
Line by Line Meaning
There were many guests at the table
There were many negative emotions and vices present in my life
Misfortune, jealousy, and sloth
I was dealing with bad luck, envy, and laziness
Acting fine, drink the wine
I pretended everything was okay as I drowned my sorrows in alcohol
Spill it on the tablecloth
My poor behavior was causing a mess and staining my reputation
What a surprise for you to come home to
My loved ones were unaware of the extent of my problems
Look through the eyes that you've grown used to
You may overlook my issues because they have become familiar to you
It's impossible, yes I know
I understand that it seems like too big of a change to make
It's too tempting too, I admit
My vices provide temporary relief and pleasure that are hard to resist
It's unforgivable, but I have nothing to lose
I know my behavior is wrong, but I feel like I have nothing to live for
Then when the feast was over
When my life got out of control
The guests withdrew to the fire
My problems escalated and took over my life
Talking proud, laughing out loud
I maintained a facade of confidence and joy despite all the negativity
To pretend, deceive and admire
I was pretending and putting on a show to deceive and impress others
Rats danced on the Persian rug
My life was filled with filth and chaos
The cats fell down drunk in the chair
I was losing control of myself and my surroundings
They reverted again to women and men
Everyone went back to their true selves after the facade was over
If only you had been there
If only you had seen the reality of my life and could help me fix it
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KARIN GUNILLA JANSSON, MARTIN HOWARD WILLSON-PIPER, PETER KOPPES, RICHARD JOHN PLOOG, STEVEN JOHN KILBEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
BittersweetSymphony
on You're Still Beautiful
Sometimes I wonder if he is writing about himself