Martin Phillipps, the founding singer and songwriter of New Zealand band the Chills, has died at 61. The band announced that he died unexpectedly, but neither the announcement nor contemporaneous reports provided a cause of death. Phillipps’s earlier hepatitis C and liver problems were part of his health history; they have not been established as the cause of his death.
What is known about Martin Phillipps’s death
The Chills shared a statement from Phillipps’s family and friends saying: “It is with broken hearts the family and friend of Martin Phillipps wish to advise Martin has died unexpectedly. The family ask for privacy at this time.” The statement did not identify a cause. Reports published at the time likewise said no cause had been shared or reported.
Phillipps had previously spoken about hepatitis C and liver problems, including in the 2019 documentary The Chills: The Triumph & Tragedy of Martin Phillipps. Those are details of his earlier health history, not an explanation for his death. The available announcement and reports do not establish a medical cause.
Who was Martin Phillipps?
Phillipps formed the Chills in 1980 and remained the band’s central creative figure across a career spanning more than four decades. The group emerged from Dunedin, New Zealand, and became closely associated with the local music scene known as the Dunedin sound and with Flying Nun Records.
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The Chills’ guitar-pop brought melodic songwriting together with punk energy and psychedelic elements. Their following was devoted in New Zealand and extended to cult audiences in Europe and the United States. Neil Finn called Phillipps “one of NZ’s greatest songwriters,” praising his devotion to music’s “magic and mystery.” Flying Nun described him as a “single-minded talent who took all components of a musical career seriously.”
The Chills’ best-known songs and albums
“Pink Frost,” “Heavenly Pop Hit” and “I Love My Leather Jacket” are among the Chills’ best-known songs. Their 1990 album Submarine Bells was a commercial success, helping bring Phillipps’s songwriting to a wider audience. Kaleidoscope World is another release associated with the band.
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For listeners discovering the group through individual songs, “Pink Frost” and “Heavenly Pop Hit” are natural starting points. Submarine Bells offers an album-length introduction to the sound Phillipps shaped with the Chills.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A documentary portrait of Phillipps and the Chills
The Chills: The Triumph & Tragedy of Martin Phillipps, released in 2019, traces Phillipps’s life and music. It provides a documentary perspective on the artist behind the songs and the band’s history, including the earlier health struggles discussed during his life.
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