Forming in 1980, The Church is one of Australia's most enduring and consistently brilliant bands.

Forming in Canberra, lead singer Steve Kilbey and Peter Koppes played together in several bands before settling into The Church- with additional founding members Nick Ward and Marty Willson-Piper. They released their debut album"Of Skins and Heart" in 1981 which featured their first local hit "The Unguarded Moment."

Despite being signed to an international record deal, their US label did not release their follow up album "The Burred Crusade", despite the band's now signature tune and top 40 hit "Almost With You".

The local success of "The Blurred Crusade" led to a sold out national tour and expectations of international success.

But it was not to be. From '82-'86 the band's success waned and while they continued to write, record and tour, it was not until 1986's "Heyday" album and more particularly their 1988 "Starfish" effort that featured the song "Under the Mily Way" that the band saw commercial success to match critical acclaim.

Their Gold Afternoon Fix album, whilst emerging from an unhappy time, did produce the single  and minor hit "Metropolis". Depite garnering reasonable commercial success, today the band regards the sessions asn result as a low water mark of the band in the 90's.

Further periods of commercial failure and band lineup changes kept things interesting for fan and pundit alike, however by the 2000's, the band had stabilised again and creative differences were resolved and a new audience was exposed to, and began to appreciate The Church.

Steve Kilbey image courtesy Mandy Hall Media