The Church's Starfish

The Church's 1986 album Starfish was an unlikely global hit, but the band struggled with internal contradictions and were seduced by fame and drugs. This book traces the story of the album, its background, composition, production, and reception, and explores its cultural geography and songcraft. It situates the album in time and space and transports the reader to a key moment in popular music history when the structure and politics of the record industry were set to change.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 160 pages
Publication date: 14 July 2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

After a series of commercial setbacks, Australian rock band The Church faced a bleak future in 1986 when they were dropped by Warner Brothers in the US and EMI in Australasia. However, their next record, Starfish, became an unexpected global hit, with its captivating and introspective lead single, "Under the Milky Way," standing in stark contrast to the synth pop and hair metal that dominated the 1980s. Starfish is widely regarded as a high watermark of intelligent rock, musically anticipating alternative revolutions to come. However, the band struggled with internal contradictions as they sought both commercial and artistic success while being seduced by fame and drugs and cynical towards the music industry. Domiciled in Australia but with a European literary worldview, The Church relocated to Los Angeles to record Starfish under strained circumstances in the heart of the West Coast hit machine. This book delves into the story of Starfish, its background, composition, production, and reception, with a unique perspective from musician and geographer Gibson. Drawing upon four decades of media coverage and fresh interviews with band members, the book explores the mysteries of this mercurial classic, tracing both its slippery cultural geography and its sumptuous songcraft. It situates Starfish in time and space, transporting the reader to a pivotal album and moment in popular music history when the structure and politics of the record industry were set to change forever.

Weight: 182g
Dimension: 128 x 196 x 14 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781501387005