The Chills' Martin Phillipps Dead at 61

Martin Phillipps, founder and frontman of New Zealand indie titans the Chills, has died. He was 61.

The musician passed away yesterday (July 28) at his home in Dunedin, the band's label, Flying Nun Records, shared in a statement posted to Instagram. The Chills confirmed the news on their own account, writing that Phillipps had died "unexpectedly" and asking for the family's privacy to be maintained at this time. No cause of death has been reported.

Flying Nun remembered the artist as a "single-minded talent who took all components of a musical career seriously," adding that he and the Chills had been an integral part of the Dunedin scene, which "helped define the best of New Zealand music in the 1980s," and the label's roster at large.

Phillipps founded the Chills in 1980, following the dissolution of his previous act the Same — one of the earliest punk rock bands in New Zealand. The Chills made their recording debut on 1982's Flying Nun compilation, Dunedin Double, marking the beginning of their contribution as one of the first proponents of the Dunedin sound, an '80s movement that helped found the indie rock genre and inspired overseas acts like R.E.M., Pavement and Yo La Tengo.

While the Chills underwent many lineup changes, Phillipps was its gravitational centre. Following early success with the singles "Rolling Moon," "Pink Frost" and "I Love My Leather Jacket" from their 1985 compilation Kaleidoscope World, they finally released their debut full-length in 1987. The 1990 follow-up, Submarine Bells, included the song "Heavenly Pop Hit," which almost managed to break the band internationally.

Phillipps reinvigorated the Chills in the 2010s, releasing the albums Silver Bullets (2015), Snow Bound (2018), Scatterbrain (2021) and, most recently, this spring's Record Store Day exclusive The Lost EP. 

A funeral service for Phillipps will be held on August 9, with livestream details to follow.