Martin Phillipps, renowned as the guitarist and lead singer of the New Zealand rock band The Chills, has passed away at the age of 61.
Phillipps died at his home in Dunedin, New Zealand, on Sunday, as confirmed by The Chills’ manager Scott Muir in a statement to USA TODAY. The musician succumbed to natural causes after enduring “severe health issues” in recent years.
Muir expressed the band’s grief, saying, “He is loved and missed by us all.”
The Chills announced Phillipps’ death in a poignant statement on social media. “With broken hearts, the family and friends of Martin Phillipps wish to share the news that Martin has died unexpectedly,” the statement read. “The family requests privacy during this difficult time.”
Phillipps founded The Chills in 1980 with his sister Rachel Phillipps and Jane Dodd, following his time with the punk rock band The Same.
Despite numerous lineup changes over the years, The Chills released their debut album, Brave Words, in January 1987 through Flying Nun Records.
The band’s second album, Submarine Bells (1990), achieved significant success, reaching No. 1 on the New Zealand Charts and featuring the Top 5 hit “Heavenly Pop Hit.”
In June 1996, Phillipps released a solo album titled Sunburnt under the name Martin Phillipps and the Chills.
After a 23-year hiatus, The Chills returned with their fourth album, Silver Bullets, in 2015. This was followed by Snowbound in 2018 and Scatterbrain in 2021, which peaked at No. 4 in New Zealand.
Phillipps was featured in the 2019 documentary The Chills: The Triumph and Tragedy of Martin Phillipps.
Last summer, Phillipps toured with The Chills across Europe, performing in Spain, the Netherlands, England, and Ireland.
