"Every so often a "hit song" is written in record time and that was the case with ‘Under The Milky Way’." - Steve Kilbey

Photo credit: Hugh Stewart

Steve Kilbey is not only the lead singer and bass guitarist for iconic Australian rock band The Church but is a songwriter in his own right with 14 solo album releases. With a music career that spans over five decades Steve Kilbey continues to find inspiration for new songs. “Inspiration is always coming through. the collective human subconscious perhaps. or maybe I'm hearing things!”. Deciding to become a full-time artist was an easy option for Steve. “I was no good at anything else. I was confident I could make a go of music”.

With his musical influences being The Beatles, Bowie and Bolan, the new stuff doesn’t interest Steve much. “I never go for trends, my trends all happened 50 years ago and I work within that, the great music of the Beatles, Bowie, Dylan etc. New stuff doesn't interest me much. I would never do something because it's trendy, quite the opposite. I create what the muses hand down and it has nothing to do with current foibles”.

Steve concentrating on his original influences seems to be working as after five decades together “The Church” have upcoming shows across the United States and Canada starting June 2024. Even with the evolving times. The Church have stuck to their original sound and have the fan base to prove that music doesn’t have to change to gain new audiences or keep your original audience interested. “I try to retain the basic sound of The Church from the beginning but allow that sound to mutate or become more elaborate or more simple or more aggressive or more whatever it wants to be always mindful of what people liked about it in the first place”.

Sometimes artists know when a song is going to become a hit. Every so often a hit song is written in record time and that was the case with ‘Under The Milky Way’. Released in 1988 the song is still popular with it being back on the airwaves making Triple M’s “Ozzest 100” (the most Australian songs of all time) charts in 2018. "Under The Milky Way" came easily on a piano. Five minutes max. Didn't think much of it to be honest, but now look at it!”

When asked what can we expect from Steve Kilbey and The Church in the future, Steve states “You can expect quality music and in spades!”. Creating new music if Steve’s favorite thing with “every new piece is a challenge to push the envelope a bit further. Every record is a new feeling. new things become important. move on and create and don't look back too much”.

Favorite original songs are always changing for an artist but “Realm Of Minor Angels” is currently Steve’s favored right now. “It’s just a great torch song”.

For most artists touring the world performing original music to crowds is the dream and for Steve Kilbey that is a fulfilling moment for him. “Every night I can't believe what I'm doing, especially when we're having a good night and that's almost every night. I love traveling and playing and making records. it's all good, i consider myself lucky! to play in a nice theater or record in a great studio...it’s its own reward!”

You can find tour dates ,tickets and more information at https://www.thechurchband.com/

Vera Black

A RECAP OF WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED: "Every so often a "hit song" is written in record time and that was the case with ‘Under The Milky Way’." - Steve Kilbey

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