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 Great Machine
The Church Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You hit so deep into the sheets
Pontoons buckle jungle beats
The day they turned off the great machine
The over world so slow with ice
Contrary to the committees advice
Oh baby, did you look so nice?
The gardens choke with bursting blooms
Weddings frozen melted grooms
Chasing you through endless rooms
The day they turned off the great machine
The shadows run for phantom trains
Slowly blowing out their brains
Society dames down the drains
The day they turned off the great machine
The day they turned off the great machine
The day they turned off the great machine
The day they turned off the great machine
Well I'm waiting for you in the square
Everyone was meeting there
Everyone, yeah, there unaware
The day they turned off the great machine
The day they turned off the great machine
The day they turned off the great machine
The day they turned off the great machine
The day they turned off the great machine
The Church's song Great Machine is a poetic and enigmatic expression of a dystopian future world. The verses describe a society that is unraveling, losing its coherence and meaning, as symbolized by the turning off of a mysterious machine. The opening lines "A thousand beggars cram the streets" evoke a sense of overcrowding, deprivation, and desperation. The second line "You hit so deep into the sheets" suggests a feeling of overwhelming anxiety or sadness, as if the singer is trying to bury themselves in blankets to escape reality.
The following lines present a sequence of surreal images that suggest a breakdown of order and stability: "Pontoons buckle jungle beats", "The over world so slow with ice", "The gardens choke with bursting blooms", and "The shadows run for phantom trains". The refrain "The day they turned off the great machine" reinforces the sense of loss and disorientation. The final verse introduces a hint of hope or possibility, as the singer waits for someone in a square where everyone is unaware of the consequences of the great machine being turned off.
Overall, Great Machine is a haunting and evocative song that imagines a world in collapse, and invites the listener to reflect on what it means to live in a time of uncertainty and upheaval.
Line by Line Meaning
A thousand beggars cram the streets
The streets are crowded with beggars, showing the dire state of society.
You hit so deep into the sheets
You slept so soundly, perhaps trying to escape the reality of the situation.
Pontoons buckle jungle beats
The beat of the music is so strong, it causes the pontoons to waver.
The day they turned off the great machine
The day when the source of power or control was shut down, leading to chaos.
The over world so slow with ice
The world is stagnated, mirroring the frozen, icy surface.
Contrary to the committees advice
Going against the committee's recommendations, indicating a rebellious or non-conformist attitude.
Oh baby, did you look so nice?
Perhaps a nostalgic moment or a happier time, reminiscing about how nice someone looked.
The gardens choke with bursting blooms
Nature is still growing, but the abundance is overwhelming, suffocating in its own excess.
Weddings frozen melted grooms
Weddings are happening, but the joy is fleeting and the grooms are melting away.
Chasing you through endless rooms
Someone is following or pursuing 'you,' causing unease and fear.
The shadows run for phantom trains
Shadows are 'running' for trains that don't exist, indicating delirium or madness.
Slowly blowing out their brains
People are losing their minds, possibly due to the chaos and uncertainty caused by the great machine's shutdown.
Society dames down the drains
The distinguished and high-class women are falling apart, descending into chaos along with everyone else.
Well I'm waiting for you in the square
Someone is waiting for 'you' in the public square, potentially for a planned or impromptu meeting.
Everyone was meeting there
The square is a gathering spot for everyone during this tumultuous time.
Everyone, yeah, there unaware
Despite the gathering, people are still unaware of what's truly happening around them.
The day they turned off the great machine
Repeated again, emphasizing the immense impact of the great machine's shutdown.
The day they turned off the great machine
Repeated again, emphasizing the immense impact of the great machine's shutdown.
The day they turned off the great machine
Repeated again, emphasizing the immense impact of the great machine's shutdown.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS, Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
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