Seminal Australian favourites, The Church are currently in America, touring with fellow influential alt rockers Afghan Whigs. Australian fans will have to wait until late November to see The Church on their ‘Already Yesterday’ tour, celebrating the band’s first 4 albums. Throughout the year, Universal Music will re-release ‘Of Skins & Heart’, ‘The Blurred Crusade’, ‘Séance’, and ‘Heyday’ on vinyl and decided it would be a great idea to focus on those 4 albums on a tour full of Church hits.
Famously known for wanting to play his newer material rather than his old stuff, thankfully Church frontman Steve Kilbey has become wiser and more philosophical about the prospect of playing legendary songs such as The Unguarded Moment’, ‘Almost With You’ & ‘Electric Lash’. In our latest chat, he has vowed to enjoy playing the back catalogue, as well as slotting in the band’s latest material from albums such as The Hypnogogue and Eros Zeta and the Perfumed Guitars.
Australian Musician editor Greg Phillips caught up with Steve Kilbey, who was in Austin, Texas finishing off yet another new Church album. In this video interview they discuss the new album, the first four Church albums and the impending ‘Already Yesterday’ tour.
MORE ABOUT THE CHURCH and the ‘ALREADY YESTERDAY’ TOUR
Music lovers have been under the The Church’s spell since they released their debut album in 1981. The Church will treat fans with a selection of songs from the band’s first four albums – ‘Of Skins & Heart’, ‘The Blurred Crusade’, ‘Séance’, and ‘Heyday’. Collectively, these albums spawned some of the bands biggest hits including ‘The Unguarded Moment’, ‘Almost With You’ & ‘When You Were Mine’ which have become staples on radio playlists globally. The shows will also celebrate an incredible discography across the bands vast and critically acclaimed releases – taking fans on a musical journey from the very beginning right through to the present day. For the first time in decades and to commemorate the tour, Universal Music will be reissuing these first four albums on vinyl throughout the year.
The Church are one of the most successful and enduring bands of the post-punk era and continue to remain a treasured creative force. They were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2010 reaffirming their status as one of the world’s greatest live acts.
Of Skins & Heart – the debut album was released in April 1981. Produced by Chris Gilbey and Bob Clearmountain – it boasts the singles ‘She Never Said’, ‘Tear It All Away’ and of course – ‘The Unguarded Moment’; a Top 30 single in both Australia + New Zealand. The track was described by Rolling Stone journalist David Fricke as a ‘jangling gem’. The single propelled the album to similarly peak in the Australian Top 30 in 1981. The album is now proudly pressed on 180-gram white vinyl to coincide with the 2024 tour.
The Blurred Crusade – the second album was released in March 1982, less than a year after their debut. Again, produced by Bob Clearmountain and boasting the singles ‘Almost With You’ and ‘When You Were Mine’ – the album has gone on to be held in particularly high esteem with fans. In 2010, the recording was included in the ‘100 Greatest Australian Albums publication’. As described by Melody Maker at the time: ‘Taking unusually uncool risks and carrying them off with poise and panache, The Church sound unbelievably confident, Kilbey’s fragile celebrations of the tricks and trials of the hedonistic human psyche hung in free prairies of wide-open space for the listener’s imagination to explore’. The album is now proudly pressed on 180-gram blue vinyl to coincide with the 2024 tour.
Séance – the third album was released in June 1983. Produced by the band and John Bee – it featured the singles ‘Electric Lash’ and ‘It’s No Reason’. Described by Sounds Magazine at the time as ‘quite simply timeless’ – Seance is distinctive in the catalogue of The Church for the increased prominence of keyboards relative to previous recordings and its trademark drum sound. The album is now proudly pressed on 180-gram pink vinyl to coincide with the 2024 tour.
Heyday – the fourth album was released in November 1985. Produced by Peter Walsh, singles from the album included ‘Columbus’, ‘Tantalized’ and ‘Disenchanted’. The album shows a continued evolution in the band – displaying an increased prominence of full group compositions in the tracklisting. David Fricke of Rolling Stone remarked at the time: ‘As its title implies, Heyday is prime Church. Go forth and dig it.’ The album is now proudly pressed on 180-gram red vinyl to coincide with the 2024 tour.
Coloured vinyl editions of Of Skins & Heart (out now), The Blurred Crusade (out July), Séance (out August) & Heyday (out September) available through 2024, from The Sound Of Vinyl.
THE ‘ALREADY YESTERDAY’ TOUR 2024
Saturday 23rd November
Enmore Theatre, Sydney NSW
Thursday 28th November
Palais Theatre, Melbourne VIC
Friday 29th November
Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane QLD
Saturday 30th November
Odeon Theatre, Hobart TAS
Thursday 5th December
Astor Theatre, Perth WA
Saturday 7th December
Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide SA
Tickets are available at: facetofacetouring.com.au
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