A new album celebrating the music of New Zealand’s legendary musician Martin Phillips is set to be released in early 2025, months after his death in July 2024. The album will feature fresh recordings of songs Phillips had been working on for decades, some of which date back nearly 40 years.
The collection, a collaborative effort by several Kiwi musicians, is based on a series of song fragments Phillips had started long before his passing. According to Dianne Swann, a close friend and fellow musician, Phillips had always intended to revisit these tracks. However, as he revisited the material, he realized significant work was required to bring them to life.
“Martin had the idea of going back and recording them, but when he started looking at the songs, he realised he needed to tweak them a lot,” Swann explained.
Phillips, best known for his iconic work with The Chills, died at the age of 61 after battling liver disease. His new album, set for release next year, will serve as a tribute to his lasting impact on New Zealand’s music scene, carrying his legacy forward through the collaborative efforts of those who knew him best.
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