Martin Phillips obit

Martin Phillipps, The Chills Icon, Dies at 61

The band took to social media to announce the unexpected passing of the musician on Sunday night 

He was not on the list.

The Chills frontman Martin Phillipps has died unexpectedly at the age of 61.

The band took to social media to announce the news on Sunday night.

“It is with broken hearts the family and friends of Martin Phillipps wish to advise Martin has died unexpectedly. The family ask for privacy at this time. Funeral arrangements will be advised in due course,” the statement read.

Phillipps was the primary driving force behind The Chills, who formed in 1980 and went on to become one of the most acclaimed Aotearoa bands of all time.

Mainly known for jangle-pop but equally adept at crossing into other genres, The Chills built up a global following thanks to sublime hits like “Pink Frost”, “Heavenly Pop Hit”, and “I Love My Leather Jacket”.

Phillipps and The Chills kept releasing albums into the 2020s. The band’s most recent album, Scatterbrain, was a top five hit on the New Zealand Albums Chart in 2021, emphatically bringing the band – fuelled by Phillipps’ endless creative desire – into another decade of their illustrious career.

“Musically, it’s in a similar class to all his work… melodic, melancholic with just a twist of hope, while lyrically reflecting what he’s endured and what he sees around him,” Stuff wrote in a highly positive review of Scatterbrain at the time.

Phillipps kept touring with The Chills throughout the years, including embarking on a run of Australian shows last year. The Dunedin outfit also celebrated four decades of timeless indie songs at shows around the UK and Europe in 2023.

The year prior, Phillipps and The Chills celebrated the 30th anniversary of their classic 1992 album Soft Bomb, which was another top five success in their home country.

Tributes have already started flowing for Phillipps.

“Oh my goodness, I’m so terribly sorry, what a wonderful and sweet person and incredible artist. So much love and sympathy to his family and friends,” wrote Nada Surf vocalist Matthew Caws.