The Chills frontman Martin Phillipps has been remembered as a pioneer of New Zealand music after it was announced yesterday that he had died unexpectedly.
The singer and songwriter was revered in the Aotearoa music scene and enjoyed a cult status worldwide.
Phillipps was part of The Chills since its founding in the 1980s.
On Sunday, a statement from the band's manager Scott Muir said it was "with broken hearts the family and friends of Martin Phillipps wish to advise Martin has died unexpectedly".
Speaking about Phillipps' songwriting, journalist Russell Brown, who was the singer's friend, said he was "someone for whom songs seemed to come from outer space or from inner space".
"People like that often don't actually know what this is within them.
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"But Martin always had a duty to what was inside him, and sometimes that came at the cost of other parts of his life, but he was so determined to get out what was inside him.
"I am really glad that Martin got that great second wind and was able to tour again and record again, and more to hear and see how much people loved his music."
He described The Chills' music as the "beachhead" for the Dunedin sound and New Zealand music.
"It wasn't just creatively; they went out and did it," Brown said.
"In 1985, when The Chills went to London, that was a big deal. Now, New Zealand artists do that all the time; they go to Europe.
"That only happened because Martin was so dedicated and determined to get out there and play those songs."
Some of The Chills' biggest hits included Pink Frost, Heavenly Pop Hit, I Love My Leather Jacket and Kaleidoscope World.
On The Chills' official website, Phillipps is lauded as having "a single-minded determination to take quality, original NZ-sounding, melodic rock music global".
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