'The Chills' frontman Martin Phillipps dies at 61

Martin Phillips, the founder and frontman of seminal Dunedin band The Chills, died unexpectedly at the age of 61.

His passing was announced on Sunday, July 28, through The Chills' social media channels in a statement that read, “It is with broken hearts the family and friends of Martin Phillipps wish to advised Martin has died unexpectedly. “The family ask for privacy at this time. Funeral arrangements will be advised in due course.”

The guitarist and lead singer, who was the driving force behind The Chills, together with his band introduced a musical movement in the early 1980s’.

In addition, the band’s official website referred to Phillips as having a “single-minded determination to take quality, original NZ-sounding, melodic rock music global.”

Later in his career in 1990s’, the singer battled with drug addiction, alcoholism, and hepatitis C.

The 2019 documentary titled The Chills: The Triumph & Tragedy of Martin Phillipps discussed the issues he faced all over the years.

In an exclusive interview with RNZ in 2021, Phillips previously revealed that the documentary prompted him to reflect on his life.

With his death, Phillips left behind a legacy of timeless hits, including Pink Frost, Heavenly Pop Hit, I Love My Leather Jacket, and Kaleidoscope World.