The Church is an Australian rock band formed in Canberra in 1980. Initially associated with New Wave and the neo-psychedelic sound of the mid 1980s, their music later became more reminiscent of "prog rock," featuring long instrumental jams and complex guitar interplay.

The Church's debut album, Of Skins and Heart (1981), earned them their first radio hit "The Unguarded Moment". They were signed to major labels in Australia, Europe and the U.S. However, the U.S. label was dissatisfied with their second album and dropped the band without releasing the album. This put a dent in their commercial success, but they made a comeback in 1988, with the album Starfish and the American Top 40 hit "Under the Milky Way." Subsequently commercial success proved elusive, however, and the band weathered several line-up changes in the 1990s. The last decade has seen them settle on their current lineup, which features the original three founding members plus drummer Tim Powles.

A survey among readers of Melbourne newspaper The Age garnered 37,000 votes and the majority chose "Under the Milky Way" as the best Australian song of the last 21 years.

Discography

Albums

* Of Skins and Heart (1981)
* The Church (U.S., 1982)
* The Blurred Crusade (1982)
* Singsongs e.p. (1982)
* Seance (1983)
* Remote Luxury e.p. (1983)
* Persia e.p. (1984)
* Remote Luxury (U.S., 1984)
* Heyday (1986)
* Starfish (1988)
* Gold Afternoon Fix (1990)
* Priest=Aura (1992)
* Sometime Anywhere (1994)
* Magician Among the Spirits (1996)
* Pharmakoi/Distance-Crunching Honchos With Echo Units (1997), released under the bandname The Refo:mation
* Hologram of Baal (1998)
* Magician Among the Spirits Plus Some (Thirsty Ear re-release, 1999)
* A Box of Birds (1999)
* After Everything Now This (2002)
* Parallel Universe (2002)
* Forget Yourself (2003)
* Jammed (2004)
* Beside Yourself (2004)
* El Momento Descuidado (2004)
* Back With Two Beasts (2005)
* Uninvited, Like the Clouds (2006)
* El Momento Siguiente (2007)

Compilations

* Conception (1982/1988)
* Hindsight (1987)
* A Quick Smoke at Spot's (1991)
* Almost Yesterday (1994)
* Under the Milky Way: The Best of the Church (U.S., 1999)
* The Best of the Church (Australia, 1999)
* Singsongs//Remote Luxury//Persia (2001)
* Deep In The Shallows: The Classic Singles Collection (2007)

Radio

Tune in and listen to The Church and similar artists now:
Sorry, you must be logged in to listen.
Login or register now!