The Chills: The Triumph and Tragedy of Martin Phillipps - One year on

The introduction of the free streaming service Beamafilm could not have come at a more opportune time for Dunedin Public Libraries members. As we found ourselves plunged into an unprecedented stay at home lockdown, and in very uncertain times, it was a relief to be able to provide a new distraction. With access to the library's physical collections temporarily cut off, our patrons have used the opportunity to explore the wide array of movies and documentaries available to them on the Beamafilm platform. Within days of its launch some clear viewing favorites had become apparent including the remarkable and at times unsettling rock documentary ‘The Chills - The Triumph and Tragedy of Martin Phillipps.’ The tumultuous history of the Dunedin band has captured the attention not only of avid fans, but also a much wider audience who have found themselves drawn into the uncanny tale of the creative genius behind the music, Martin Phillipps. With continuing interest being shown in his story it felt like an ideal time to catch up with Martin and ask how things have been going and to find out how he feels about the film one year on.

(Spoiler alert: if you haven’t watched the film yet you might want to head over to Beamafilm and check it out before reading on).

Fiona: Greetings Martin, and thank you for agreeing to be interviewed. The first question I’m sure most people would like to ask you is how have you been doing? When we left you at the end of the movie you had been given the excellent news that you were cured of the Hepatitis C virus that had taken such a toll on your health. It was a jubilant moment in the film, one which prompted a round of spontaneous applause at the Dunedin premier, and contrasted vividly with the devastating prognosis you were given in the opening sequence. I wondered, a year and something on, what sort impact this freedom from Hepatitis C has had on your creative life? 

Martin: I have more energy overall than I did when I had the Hep C virus (which was for around twenty years) and I feel I have much greater focus and clarity of mind, but there has been real damage done and I often still get tired. The 80% of my liver which is fibrotic will not be functioning again so we are still learning where my health actually now stands and I will be doing regular tests for the rest of my life. But I am also more aware of making better use of my time these days.

Fiona: I understand from listening to previous interviews that you were on only the second day of filming when your routine health check threw up that totally unexpected and unwanted dimension to your story. Did you have a moment right there where you just thought no, I’m not doing this. Or did it just make you more determined to record the history of the band and tell your side of things? 

Martin: I was, indeed, just expecting the regular warnings about changing my lifestyle somewhere down the line so the prognosis of possible imminent death came as a huge surprise to myself and the crew and it was a very emotional day. But I felt I had already committed to being as honest as possible in this documentary and, in fact, learning that I might not even live to see its completion gave us all a greater resolve to seeing it done properly. Of course the timeline for making the movie was radically altered and there was a sense among us all of having to move quickly and deal with any developments as they arose - and this is not the normal way most documentary-makers work - having formally agreed with the financiers on some sort of structure. Julia Parnell and her team at Notable Pictures did an extraordinary job under very trying circumstances and ultimately their hard work and belief ended up creating something very special and quite unlike a normal 'rockumentary'.

Fiona: As the sole constant member and songwriter in the band the film is predominantly your story, but one aspect that gives the film depth is the inclusion of the observations made by some of the band's past members and people who were in The Chills orbit during the turbulent first half of the band's career. Was there anyone who was really integral to the story who was not mentioned in the film that in hindsight you would have liked to have acknowledged or heard from? 

Martin: The film-makers contacted all the surviving Chills and some chose not to be involved but we were also aware that to try and include everyone and cover every line-up change would make for a less interesting documentary with less appeal for non-Chills fans. The editors made decisions where one person's thoughts spoke on behalf of others and they found the two or three narrative flows which they selected as the most relevant. Unfortunately, this obviously meant that not all the ex-members' stories could be told but I think they did a remarkable job editing together a wonderful movie from the hundreds of hours of footage that they shot or were able to access from the previous uncompleted Chills documentary attempts. I do regret that some close friends chose not to participate as they could have given much-needed overviews of my story and the impact of The Chills over the decades rather than just through specific periods of time.

Fiona: I love the whole scene where you are creating and explaining ‘Tooth and Claw’. Do you have a favourite moment in the film?

Martin: Those dead cats, etc scene would be one of my favourite scenes as well, because I finally saw that what feels to be normal behaviour to me appears to those viewing it from outside as more than a little eccentric. Seeing my chaotic yet strangely ordered existence gave me some real insights into how I had arrived in some of my current predicaments.

Fiona: One of the lines that really struck me and seemed to sum up the frustration of trying to keep the band on an upwards trajectory was Doug Hood's observation that it was “the story of The Chills, you get to the end of the chapter and the band breaks up at the end.” This happened more than once at the end of a grueling tour schedule with band members commenting, sometimes with brutal honesty, about the strain placed on them by touring internationally. You have however had some very successful international tours over the past few years including an intensive five week journey through the US last year. Have your past experiences taught you key lessons that have helped you cope with the pressure of constant travel and momentum?

Martin: Over the last couple of decades I have tried to make sure that the band can communicate openly and honestly with each other - to the extent of having 'speak now or forever hold your tongue' opportunities at our band meetings. I think this has really helped avoid many of the pitfalls of the past - although it must be said that many of the misunderstandings and conflicts in those times were between very young people in high-pressure situations receiving, perhaps, less guidance than we could have expected from those around us with more experience. I am thankful that now, by and large, we are a band that really cares and looks out for each other.

Fiona: Some of the main problems that contributed to the instability of the band in the earlier years seemed to be the personality clashes and communication issues which obviously became a real sore point for some. Has being able to listen to the feedback from past members over those two years of filming helped you to foster a better relationship with the current members? 

Martin: Some of the comments from past members were actually revelations to me because there were issues I was unaware of, oblivious to or that were simply kept from me - presumably because it was decided I was "too busy writing" or something at the time. But there were also moments when the recollections were somewhat simplified and people, understandably, were omitting other details and actions that were taken by themselves or others at the time. This was something else that I'd discussed with the film-makers at the beginning of the project - that I had decided not to get caught up in counter-claims about events from so long ago. For me the Chills' story is the largest part of my life but for many it was only a chapter and it is not for me to try to 'set things straight' at this point after so many years.

Fiona: The Chills have had a remarkably stable lineup for the past 20 years. You’ve maintained a passionate international fan base and have been receiving some impressive recognition. After the band performed a number of shows at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin Texas last year The Rolling Stone magazine commented that “Martin Phillipps and the Chills dominated SXSW 2019”, which is a real compliment given the number of acts that perform at the festival. You were also awarded the SXSW ‘ Career Act’ Grulke Prize of $10,000 US which must have been extremely gratifying. Do you find it frustrating that so much focus is still put on the past history of the band, and particularly on the large number of lineup changes, and not on what you have achieved more recently? 

Martin: I have learned that you can't separate people's favourite musical choices from their treasured memories of the past and the intense feelings of their youth - but it can be disheartening when actual fans won't even listen to what we are doing now. Especially when, as opposed to many older bands who are still active or who have 'reformed', The Chills recent material is rightfully being acknowledged as every bit as good as our earlier output. Of course it will never have that 'newness' again or the personal sense, for many, that we are their special band. But the quality is undeniable. Having said that I am thrilled that we get the amount of attention that we still do. Great crowd response, excellent reviews, exhibitions and feature-length documentaries are not something I take for granted.

Fiona: The Chills film definitely struck a chord with it's viewers, but music documentaries can be a bit hit and miss. What is your favourite rockumentary?

Martin: Without doing a search through the many musical documentaries that I own, the one that springs to mind is still the Sex Pistols 'The Filth And The Fury' because it really rocked many of us who had been so exhilarated and inspired by the punk movement which had then seemed rebellious, exciting and fun. It was a startling revelation as to just how tragic the Sex Pistols' whole short-lived saga truly was. It's still a very powerful movie which brilliantly and clearly sets their story against the backdrop of the very troubled England of that era.

Fiona: Finally, if you could jump in a time machine and go back to talk to your younger self what pearls of wisdom would you impart?

Martin: I would tell myself - 'If you're going to take drugs then be extra careful because you are NOT, as you presently assume, immune to addiction'. I would also say 'Stop being so helpless and naive and learn about the industry you are becoming involved with' and 'Learn your instruments better'. Then, while I had my attention, I would say 'Be more aware when people do nice things for you' and 'Don't spend so much time and energy on failing relationships' and 'Keep an eye on your dental hygiene'…. and I probably wouldn't listen to any of it.

Martin, thank you so much for taking the time to respond. I am sure that there will be many readers who would like to say how much they enjoyed the film and appreciated your unflinching honesty and bravery. Sources have it that the next Chills album is 90% complete so we look forward to its release.All the very best for the future and for the next Chills adventure.

Special thanks to Director Julia Parnell and Programme Co-Ordinator & Marketing Manager Chris Connolly, and Notable Pictures, for granting permission to use their images.