Of Skins and Heart
Encyclopedia
Of Skins and Heart is the debut album by Australian alternative rock band The Church
. It was released in April 1981 by EMI
/Parlophone
records and reached No. 22 on the Australian Kent Music Report
Albums Chart. It is the only album to feature founding member Nick Ward on drums and is largely dominated by simple-structured, post-punk songs. It was produced by Chris Gilbey
and Bob Clearmountain
. Seven songs were entirely written by lead singer and bass guitarist Steve Kilbey
and two 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", 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 was replaced by Richard Ploog
on drums. The album was re-sequenced and released internationally as The Church (1982).
and guitarist Peter Koppes
formed a three-piece band in Sydney with Nick Ward on drums and began performing. A month later, Marty Willson-Piper
(originally from Liverpool
, United Kingdom) joined on guitar, and they were named The Church.
A four-song demo was recorded in Kilbey's bedroom studio. Thanks to contacts from his former band Baby Grande, they sent the tape to Australian record label, ATV Northern. The song "Chrome Injury" attracted the attention of Chris Gilbey
who had recently formed a record production company in association with EMI Records
in Australia and resurrected the Parlophone
label. Gilbey went to band rehearsals and helped shape their sound – he bought Willson-Piper a 12 string Rickenbacker
guitar and equipped Koppes with an Echolette tape delay. The band's first contract followed, of the four demos, only "Chrome Injury" was officially released.
Their debut album, Of Skins and Heart, recorded late in 1980, was co-produced by Gilbey and Bob Clearmountain
(Bryan Adams
). Seven of the nine tracks were written solely by Kilbey and two co-written with others. The first single, "She Never Said", was released in November, but did not chart. The second single, "The Unguarded Moment", was issued alongside the album in March 1981, but initially only in Australia. "The Unguarded Moment" reached No. 22 on the Australian Kent Music Report
Singles Chart while Of Skins and Heart achieved the same position on the related Albums Chart. To promote their releases, the band undertook their first national tour. By the time of the album's release, drummer Ward had already been replaced by Richard Ploog
. He was recruited by their manager, Michael Chugg, after hearing of his reputation in Adelaide, Ploog's arrival established The Church's first stable line-up.
The first recordings by the group with Ploog were released as a five-track double single / extended play, Too Fast for You in July 1981. It included the first collectively written track, "Sisters". Another track, "Tear It All Away", later released as a separate single, showed a development towards more elaborate guitar structures – regarded as typical The Church sound. Their image evoked comparisons to 1960s psychedelic groups with tight jeans and paisley
shirts.
The success of Of Skins and Heart enabled Gilbey to present the release to Freddie Cannon of UK label Carrere and Rupert Perry of United States label Capitol
. Both labels released the album in 1982, renamed as The Church, with repackaged and altered track listings – including a song(s) from Too Fast for You. Ploog was incorrectly credited as the sole drummer on the US release, despite playing on only three tracks, "Too Fast for You", "Tear It All Away" and "Sisters". Capitol also released an edited single version of "The Unguarded Moment" which was a minute shorter – a decision which displeased the band.
Parlophone
PCSO 7582
1982 European release
Carrere Records CAL130
1982 North American release
Capitol Records
ST-12193
The album was re-sequenced and released internationally as The Church (1982) by Capitol Records in North America and Carrere Records in Europe. The 1989 CD release by Arista Records
included three extra tracks: "Too Fast for You", "Tear It All Away" and "Sisters", which originally appeared on the double 7" single/extended play, Too Fast for You in 1981.
Production details
Art work
The Church (band)
The Church is an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1980. Initially associated with new wave and the neo-psychedelic sound of the mid 1980s, their music later became more reminiscent of progressive rock, featuring long instrumental jams and complex guitar interplay...
. It was released in April 1981 by EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
/Parlophone
Parlophone
Parlophone is a record label that was founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch was formed in 1923 as "Parlophone" which developed a reputation in the 1920s as a leading jazz label. It was acquired in 1927 by the Columbia Graphophone Company which...
records and reached No. 22 on the Australian Kent Music Report
Kent Music Report
The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
Albums Chart. It is the only album to feature founding member Nick Ward on drums and is largely dominated by simple-structured, post-punk songs. It was produced by Chris Gilbey
Chris Gilbey
Chris Gilbey OAM is an Australian entrepreneur and music industry identity. He has helped shape the careers of artists such as INXS, Tommy Emmanuel, Keith Urban, The Church, The Saints, AC/DC and Stevie Wright...
and Bob Clearmountain
Bob Clearmountain
Bob Clearmountain is an award-winning American music engineer, mixer and producer. He has worked with many prominent names in music including Bruce Springsteen , The Rolling Stones , Bryan Adams , Robbie Williams Bob Clearmountain is an award-winning American music engineer, mixer and producer. He...
. Seven songs were entirely written by lead singer and bass guitarist Steve Kilbey
Steve Kilbey
Steven John Kilbey is the lead singer-songwriter and bass guitarist for The Church, an Australian rock band. He is also a music producer, poet, and painter....
and two 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", 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 was replaced by Richard Ploog
Richard Ploog
-External links:...
on drums. The album was re-sequenced and released internationally as The Church (1982).
Background
In March 1980, lead vocalist and bass guitarist Steve KilbeySteve Kilbey
Steven John Kilbey is the lead singer-songwriter and bass guitarist for The Church, an Australian rock band. He is also a music producer, poet, and painter....
and guitarist Peter Koppes
Peter Koppes
Peter Koppes is a guitarist and founding member of Australian independent rock band The Church. As well as his contributions to The Church, he has also released several solo albums....
formed a three-piece band in Sydney with Nick Ward on drums and began performing. A month later, Marty Willson-Piper
Marty Willson-Piper
Marty Willson-Piper is a guitarist and member of Australian independent rock band The Church.After busking his way around the world, he arrived in Australia...
(originally from Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, United Kingdom) joined on guitar, and they were named The Church.
A four-song demo was recorded in Kilbey's bedroom studio. Thanks to contacts from his former band Baby Grande, they sent the tape to Australian record label, ATV Northern. The song "Chrome Injury" attracted the attention of Chris Gilbey
Chris Gilbey
Chris Gilbey OAM is an Australian entrepreneur and music industry identity. He has helped shape the careers of artists such as INXS, Tommy Emmanuel, Keith Urban, The Church, The Saints, AC/DC and Stevie Wright...
who had recently formed a record production company in association with EMI Records
EMI Records
EMI Records is the flagship record label founded by the EMI company in 1972 and launched in January 1973 as the successor to its Columbia label. The EMI label was launched worldwide...
in Australia and resurrected the Parlophone
Parlophone
Parlophone is a record label that was founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch was formed in 1923 as "Parlophone" which developed a reputation in the 1920s as a leading jazz label. It was acquired in 1927 by the Columbia Graphophone Company which...
label. Gilbey went to band rehearsals and helped shape their sound – he bought Willson-Piper a 12 string Rickenbacker
Rickenbacker
Rickenbacker International Corporation, also known as Rickenbacker, is an electric and bass guitar manufacturer based in Santa Ana, California...
guitar and equipped Koppes with an Echolette tape delay. The band's first contract followed, of the four demos, only "Chrome Injury" was officially released.
Their debut album, Of Skins and Heart, recorded late in 1980, was co-produced by Gilbey and Bob Clearmountain
Bob Clearmountain
Bob Clearmountain is an award-winning American music engineer, mixer and producer. He has worked with many prominent names in music including Bruce Springsteen , The Rolling Stones , Bryan Adams , Robbie Williams Bob Clearmountain is an award-winning American music engineer, mixer and producer. He...
(Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
). Seven of the nine tracks were written solely by Kilbey and two co-written with others. The first single, "She Never Said", was released in November, but did not chart. The second single, "The Unguarded Moment", was issued alongside the album in March 1981, but initially only in Australia. "The Unguarded Moment" reached No. 22 on the Australian Kent Music Report
Kent Music Report
The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
Singles Chart while Of Skins and Heart achieved the same position on the related Albums Chart. To promote their releases, the band undertook their first national tour. By the time of the album's release, drummer Ward had already been replaced by Richard Ploog
Richard Ploog
-External links:...
. He was recruited by their manager, Michael Chugg, after hearing of his reputation in Adelaide, Ploog's arrival established The Church's first stable line-up.
The first recordings by the group with Ploog were released as a five-track double single / extended play, Too Fast for You in July 1981. It included the first collectively written track, "Sisters". Another track, "Tear It All Away", later released as a separate single, showed a development towards more elaborate guitar structures – regarded as typical The Church sound. Their image evoked comparisons to 1960s psychedelic groups with tight jeans and paisley
Paisley (design)
Paisley or Paisley pattern is a droplet-shaped vegetable motif of Indian, Pakistani and Persian origin. The pattern is sometimes called "Persian pickles" by American traditionalists, especially quiltmakers,The Persian Pickle Club, Sandra Dallas. St. Martin's Press,...
shirts.
The success of Of Skins and Heart enabled Gilbey to present the release to Freddie Cannon of UK label Carrere and Rupert Perry of United States label Capitol
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
. Both labels released the album in 1982, renamed as The Church, with repackaged and altered track listings – including a song(s) from Too Fast for You. Ploog was incorrectly credited as the sole drummer on the US release, despite playing on only three tracks, "Too Fast for You", "Tear It All Away" and "Sisters". Capitol also released an edited single version of "The Unguarded Moment" which was a minute shorter – a decision which displeased the band.
Track listing
1981 Australian releaseParlophone
Parlophone
Parlophone is a record label that was founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch was formed in 1923 as "Parlophone" which developed a reputation in the 1920s as a leading jazz label. It was acquired in 1927 by the Columbia Graphophone Company which...
PCSO 7582
- "For a Moment We're Strangers" (Steve Kilbey) – 3:57
- "Chrome Injury" (Kilbey) – 4:01
- "The Unguarded Moment" (Kilbey, Mikela Uniacke) – 4:12
- "Memories in Future Tense" (Kilbey) – 4:46
- "Bel-Air" (Kilbey) – 3:57
- "Is This Where You Live" (Kilbey) – 7:40
- "She Never Said" (Kilbey) – 3:16
- "Fighter Pilot...Korean War" (Kilbey) – 4:29
- "Don't Open the Door to Strangers" (Kilbey, Marty Willson-PiperMarty Willson-PiperMarty Willson-Piper is a guitarist and member of Australian independent rock band The Church.After busking his way around the world, he arrived in Australia...
) – 3:32
1982 European release
Carrere Records CAL130
- "For a Moment We're Strangers" (Kilbey) – 3:53
- "Chrome Injury" (Kilbey) – 4:00
- "The Unguarded Moment" (Kilbey, Uniacke) – 4:12
- "Memories in Future Tense" (Kilbey) – 4:42
- "Bel-Air" (Kilbey) – 3:53
- "Is This Where You Live" (Kilbey) – 7:39
- "She Never Said" (Kilbey) – 3:16
- "Tear It All Away" (Kilbey) – 4:18
- "Don't Open the Door to Strangers" (Kilbey, Marty Willson-PiperMarty Willson-PiperMarty Willson-Piper is a guitarist and member of Australian independent rock band The Church.After busking his way around the world, he arrived in Australia...
) – 3:27
1982 North American release
Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
ST-12193
- "The Unguarded Moment" (Kilbey, Uniacke) – 4:17
- "Too Fast for You" (Kilbey) – 3:28
- "For a Moment We're Strangers" (Kilbey) – 3:52
- "Tear It All Away" (Kilbey) – 4:10
- "Don't Open the Door to Strangers" (Kilbey, Willson-Piper) – 3:24
- "Bel-Air" (Kilbey) – 3:56
- "Sisters" (Willson-Piper, Steve Koppes, Richard Ploog, Kilbey) – 4:05
- "Memories in Future Tense (Kilbey) – 4:44
- "Is This Where You Live" (Kilbey) – 7:38
The album was re-sequenced and released internationally as The Church (1982) by Capitol Records in North America and Carrere Records in Europe. The 1989 CD release by Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
included three extra tracks: "Too Fast for You", "Tear It All Away" and "Sisters", which originally appeared on the double 7" single/extended play, Too Fast for You in 1981.
Personnel
The Church members- Steve KilbeySteve KilbeySteven John Kilbey is the lead singer-songwriter and bass guitarist for The Church, an Australian rock band. He is also a music producer, poet, and painter....
– lead vocals, bass guitar, keyboards - Peter KoppesPeter KoppesPeter Koppes is a guitarist and founding member of Australian independent rock band The Church. As well as his contributions to The Church, he has also released several solo albums....
– lead guitar, slide guitar, backing vocals - Marty Willson-PiperMarty Willson-PiperMarty Willson-Piper is a guitarist and member of Australian independent rock band The Church.After busking his way around the world, he arrived in Australia...
– electric 6 and 12 string guitars, acoustic guitars, backing vocals - Nick Ward – drums, percussion, backing vocals, the thing
- Richard PloogRichard Ploog-External links:...
– drums, percussion ("Too Fast for You", "Tear It All Away", "Sisters")
Production details
- Producer – Chris GilbeyChris GilbeyChris Gilbey OAM is an Australian entrepreneur and music industry identity. He has helped shape the careers of artists such as INXS, Tommy Emmanuel, Keith Urban, The Church, The Saints, AC/DC and Stevie Wright...
, Bob ClearmountainBob ClearmountainBob Clearmountain is an award-winning American music engineer, mixer and producer. He has worked with many prominent names in music including Bruce Springsteen , The Rolling Stones , Bryan Adams , Robbie Williams Bob Clearmountain is an award-winning American music engineer, mixer and producer. He... - Mixing – Bob Clearmountain
- Engineer – Christo Curtis, John Bee, Steve Bywaters
- Assistant – Dave Greenberg, Gary Rindfuss, Raymond Wilhard
- Studio – Studios 301Studios 301Studios 301 is an Australian recording studio. Established in 1926, Studios 301 is the longest running professional recording studio in the southern hemisphere. It is also Australia’s largest Studio complex featuring state of the art 72 channel Neve 88R console and 72 channel SSL K Series console...
, Sydney- Mixed – Powerstation, New York
Art work
- Cover illustration – Paul Patte
- Art direction – Peter Shea, Roy Kohara
- Photography – Gary Matthews (group photo), Mike Mashimoto (liner photo)
- The Church – Don Bruner (cover photo)