Of Skins and Heart
| Of Skins and Heart | ||||
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| Studio album by The Church | ||||
| Released | 13th April 1981 (Australia) 22nd January 1982 (International) |
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| Recorded | 1980, Studios 301, Sydney | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock, psychedelic rock, post-punk, new wave | |||
| Length | 39:50 39:20 39:34 |
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| Label |
EMI Parlophone (Australia) Carrere (Europe) Capitol (US/Canada) Arista (US/Canada reissue) |
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| Producer | Chris Gilbey, Bob Clearmountain | |||
| The Church chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Of Skins and Heart | ||||
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| The Church | ||||
1982 European / North American release (Carrere / Capitol)
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| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   |
Of Skins and Heart is the debut album by the Australian psychedelic rock band The Church, released in April 1981 by EMI Parlophone. It peaked at No. 22 in the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart.
It is their only album to feature Nick Ward on drums and has a harder, more new wave influenced sound than their later material, although Kilbey's semi-surreal lyrics are already present. It was produced by Chris Gilbey and Bob Clearmountain. Seven songs were entirely written by lead singer and bass guitarist Steve Kilbey and two were co-written with others. The first single, "She Never Said", did not chart on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart. The second single, "The Unguarded Moment", was co-written with Mikela Uniacke (aka Michelle Parker), who was married to Steve Kilbey at the time. This song launched the band to success and has been their biggest hit to date. It brought early attention and significant radio play to the band, it peaked at No. 22 in Australia and No. 19 in New Zealand. The track "Is This Where You Live" became a live staple over the following years. By the time of the album's release, Ward had been replaced on drums by Richard Ploog.
The album was re-sequenced and released internationally as The Church in 1982.
In Sydney, in March 1980, singer, bass guitarist and songwriter Steve Kilbey bumped into guitarist Peter Koppes, an old bandmate from his Canberra days. Koppes was playing with another Canberran, drummer Nick Ward, in a Sydney band called Limazine. The three decided to form a new band, called it The Church (originally The Church of Man) and began performing. A month later, Marty Willson-Piper, originally from Liverpool, United Kingdom, came to one of their gigs and was invited to join on second guitar.
A four-song demo was recorded in Kilbey's bedroom studio. Thanks to contacts from Kilbey & Koppes' former band Baby Grande, they sent the tape to the Australian branch of publishing company ATV Northern Songs. The song "Chrome Injury" attracted the attention of managing director Chris Gilbey, who had recently formed a record production company in association with EMI Records in Australia and resurrected the Parlophone label. Gilbey signed the band, went to band rehearsals and helped shape their sound by buying Willson-Piper a 12 string Rickenbacker guitar and Koppes an Echolette tape delay. Sessions for their first album followed in late 1980. Of the four songs originally demoed, only "Chrome Injury" was included.
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