Starfish (album)

Infobox Album |
Name = Starfish
Type = Album
Artist = The Church


Released = February 16, 1988
Recorded = 1987
Genre = post-punk, psychedelic rock
Length = 46:07
Label = Arista (worldwide except Australia)
Mushroom (Australia)
Producer = Greg Ladanyi, Waddy Wachtel, The Church
Reviews = * Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:bxcm96oo3ep3 link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|4|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thechurch/albums/album/119678/review/5946795/starfish link]
Last album = "Heyday"
(1986)
This album = "Starfish"
(1988)
Next album = "Gold Afternoon Fix"
(1990)

The breakthrough 1988 album by The Church, "Starfish" has remained the band's most commercially successful release. The first single, "Under The Milky Way", charted well into the American Top 40,peaking at #24 and #2 on Mainstream Rock Tracks leading to significant exposure of the then relatively underground Australian act.

Background

Recorded/produced in Los Angeles by L.A. session musicians Waddy Wachtel and Greg Ladanyi, the recording is more sparse and open than its predecessor, "Heyday". Many of its songs have seen heavy rotation in live setlists, and the album remains a favorite among many fans. Band members repeatedly noted how much they disliked being in Los Angeles during the recording sessions; "North, South, East And West" is an indictment of L.A.'s shallow aspects.

The album's title was taken from singer/bassist Steve Kilbey's nickname for friend/ musical partner Donnette Thayer. Kilbey also contributed a long untitled poem in the album's liner notes.

"Hotel Womb" has dream/nightmare-themed lyrics pertaining to cannibalism.

Music videos were filmed for "Under The Milky Way" and "Reptile."

Two songs were used in episodes of the U.S. television show "Miami Vice". "Under The Milky Way" was used in an episode called "Asian Cut" (aired Jan. 13, 1989), and "Blood Money" was used in "Heart Of Night" (Nov. 18, 1988).

"Under The Milky Way" was featured in 2001 film Donnie Darko.

The song "Reptile" was used in Toy Machine's skate video Suffer the Joy. The song is used in Matt Bennett's section.

A sheet music/guitar tablature book was released for the entire album by Cherry Lane.

Track listing

# "Destination" (Kilbey/Willson-Piper/Koppes/Ploog)
# "Under The Milky Way" (Kilbey/Jansson)
# "Blood Money" (Kilbey/Willson-Piper/Koppes/Ploog)
# "Lost" (Kilbey/Willson-Piper/Koppes/Ploog)
# "North, South, East And West" (Kilbey/Willson-Piper/Koppes/Ploog)
# "Spark" (Willson-Piper)
# "Antenna" (Kilbey/Willson-Piper/Koppes/Ploog)
# "Reptile" (Kilbey/Willson-Piper/Koppes/Ploog)
# "A New Season" (Koppes)
# "Hotel Womb" (Kilbey)

Initial vinyl copies of the album came with a free bonus 12" EP. Tracklisting:
#"Anna Miranda" (Kilbey/Jansson/The Church)
#"Musk" (Kilbey/The Church)
#"Perfect Child" (Kilbey/The Church)
#"Frozen And Distant" (Kilbey/The Church)
#"Texas Moon" (Kilbey/The Church)All except "Musk" later appeared on the band's 1991 rarities compilation, "A Quick Smoke At Spot's". All five appeared on a 2005 double-CD remastered version of "Starfish".

Personnel

*Steve Kilbey: bass guitar, lead vocals
*Peter Koppes: guitars, lead vocal on "A New Season"
*Marty Willson-Piper: guitars, lead vocal on "Spark"
* Richard Ploog: drums, percussion

Additional musicians

* Greg Kuehn - keyboards
* David Lindley - mandolin on "Antenna"
* "Awesome Welles" - Synclavier
* Waddy Wachtel - backing vocals

Charted singles

External links

* [http://homepage.mac.com/fipster/church/albums/starfish.html Page of data on the album]