A ringing 12-string guitar introduction. A dreamlike lyric that seems to hold the cosmos in its hands. It’s still the most recognisable, covered and widely beloved song in the catalogue of a band that’s released a remarkable 26 albums, and it is 30 years old this year. The song is ‘Under The Milky Way’, from The Church’s most successful album, Starfish.
In 2019, the Australian paisley underground pioneers are still enjoying the unique celebrations, which started with a sold-out appearance at the Meltdown Festival in London on the personal invitation of curator, The Cure’s Robert Smith.
For these shows, Starfish will be performed in its entirety, along with a selection of other gems from the band’s career, which now spans an incredible 38 years. Starfish remains best known for its iconic singles ‘Under The Milky Way’. The track has soundtracked movies (the surreal house party sequence in Donnie Darko introduced The Church to a whole new generation of indie kids), was once voted the best Aussie song of the past 20 years, and has been covered by buskers, flashmobbers and children’s choirs. The Killers, Grant-Lee Phillips, Sia, Josh Pyke and the late, revered Indigenous singer Jimmy Little have all also made it their own.
But this is not just a nostalgia trip. The Church have been revitalised since 2014 with the addition of guitarist Ian Haug, formerly of another iconic Australian band, Powderfinger. “Ian is a big part of the band now,” Fellow guitarist Peter Koppes says. “He’s a consummate, intuitive musician with fantastic tones.” Koppes goes on to sum up the band. “Music is like inner space and we’re astronauts,” he says. It’s a spellbinding thing, it’s hypnotising. That’s why people like it. It takes them into another world and we’re here to open those doors.”
Sat 8th/Sun 9th June - ‘Of Seance and Starfish’ - The Church Weekend, Bush Hall, London
Mon 10th June - Manchester Club Academy
Tues 11th June - La Belle Angele, Edinburgh
