HEYDAY

Released in November 1985, Heyday marked a turning point for The Church. It was their fourth studio album and showcased a lush, expansive sound that built on the jangly guitars and ethereal atmospheres they were known for while incorporating new textures. It was a refinement of the band’s artistic vision, delivering an album blending neo-psychedelia, folk rock, and post-punk into a cohesive and evocative musical experience that impressed critics and delighted fans.

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By the mid-1980s The Church had already carved out a distinctive place in the Australian alternative rock scene. Their previous album, Remote Luxury (1984), saw them experimenting with dreamlike textures, but the band felt it was a fragmented effort. With Heyday they aimed for a more unified and ambitious sound, and achieved their goal.

The creative process began in mid-1985 when the band—Steve Kilbey (vocals, bass), Marty Willson-Piper (guitar, vocals), Peter Koppes (guitar, vocals), and Richard Ploog (drums)—entered EMI Studios in Sydney. Working with British producer Peter Walsh, who had previously worked with artists like Simple Minds and Scott Walker, The Church sought to enhance their sonic depth. Walsh encouraged them in this boundary pushing enterprise, resulting in a wider range of textures and arrangements. In particular, the use of brass and strings added a new dimension to the band's sound. It’s as if they recalled how 1960s psychedelic rock was full of orchestral flourishes and baroque affectation. While retaining their shimmering, Byrds-esque guitars, Heyday found them layering in horns and string arrangements to complement the guitar interplay.

Steve Kilbey’s lyrics—cryptic yet poetic—weave surreal and introspective spells throughout the record. Heyday explores a variety of moods, from the mystical and melancholic to the uplifting and transcendent. Musically, tracks like "Myrrh" and "Tantalized" stand out as some of The Church’s most dynamic and ambitious compositions. "Myrrh" opens the album with a hypnotic bassline and interwoven guitars, while "Tantalized" explodes with frenetic energy, driven by punchy brass and propulsive drumming. Both proclaim the band’s newfound confidence and willingness to take risks.

Other tracks, such as "Columbus" and "Night of Light," reveal the more introspective side of the band. "Columbus," in particular, has a cinematic feel, its haunting melody and reflective lyrics conjuring imagery of distant lands and lost explorers.

There is a warm, organic quality that sets Heyday apart from the new wave-influenced sound of The Church’s early records. The interplay between the guitars of Willson-Piper and Koppes is fluid and more expressive than ever, blending effortlessly with Kilbey’s moody basslines and Ploog’s tight drumming. Yet although Heyday was well received by critics, it did not have a significant commercial impact at the time. Perhaps that is because there is nothing quite as arresting as "Under the Milky Way" from Starfish, the breakthrough album that followed. Amongst fans, however, Heyday remains one of The Church’s most beloved albums, being widely regarded as a highlight of their discography. Its blend of psychedelic grandeur, poetic lyricism and adventurous instrumentation showcases a band at the peak of their creative powers. 

Though it may not have brought them mainstream success at the time, Heyday stands as one of The Church’s most enduring and rewarding albums, a key chapter in a long and storied career. As such, the splendid 2024 re-issue (on red vinyl, and including a lyric/inner sleeve) is one to grab while you have the chance.

© Bruce Jenkins—February 2025