Electronic cold wave duo CHURCH GROUP were formed in 2020, the year that wasn't. Trapped in a dark world of perpetual pessimism and despair, they utilise minimal beats, dual vocals, weaving rhythmic synths and haunting subject matters to create grim tunes for a grim world.
Featuring members of Nerve Quakes, DiE, Shivved, Gaffer and more, we chatted to the pair ahead of their appearance at ALT//FEST on November 12.
While you’ve both done time in a number of acts, from Nerve Quakes to Gaffer, this project takes you both in a more stripped-back and cold direction. Where did the urge to create this together come from?
CHRIS + CAITIE: We'd been playing in Gaffer together for a while, and started hanging out and realised we were listening to similar electronic music. And failing the fact that we couldn't find anyone else to make it with, we decided to team up and do it together
Can you describe a song you most connect with personally from your releases and the story behind this piece?
CHRIS: Misery. This song was actually demoed by some friends of mine years ago, and was floating around my friendship group in the UK. A friend and I started a band and decided to elaborate more on the song, but it was more of a guitar/drums regular kind of post-punk band. The band kind of stuttered for a while then fell to pieces. Then when me and Caitie started Church Group, I played the demo to her and we decided to do a new version of it. For me, it's cool to play it live and do a different version of it, because it's been in my life for a long time.
Church Group’s sound has always dripped with cynicism. How do you find this influence shines through your music?
CAITIE: I can only really speak to the cynicism in the lyrics, but I guess coming from a punk-ish background it comes pretty naturally to see and point out the worst in things and to carry on about it a bit. But I think the melodies that we come up with are kind of bleak in themselves, so it wouldn't seem fit to sing about my new puppy or that nice lady around the corner who gives out free meals to people. I would like to think I don't think the worst of people, mostly on a one-on-one kind of level. But also the world is fucked and people are to blame for that, so what can you do you know? Except whinge about it on a microphone in Chris's lounge room. And occasionally on stage.
Is discomfort a common theme throughout your music? Or is it more a comment on the current social climate?
CHRIS: No, I don't really think it's discomfort. More scepticism I guess? We don't make a concerted effort to have themes running through our tracks, whether it's discomfort or anything else. There are enough happy songs in the world, I don't feel the need to add to them.
CAITIE: Kind of both I think? We can't really agree on this (laughs). I feel like I am frequently worried about everything all at once, so I'd say yeah it's probably a pretty common theme for me to write about.
Is the band looking towards new material now? If so, can you give us a taste of the direction it is heading?
CAITIE + CHRIS: Yeah, we're currently working on some new songs together. Sound-wise, they're not too dissimilar from what we've already done. But we'd like to expand on our sound a bit. Make some danceable tunes for people to sway and wallow to I suppose. Obviously, we're always trying to write better songs than we've previously written. I guess everyone's a bit like that though really.
What would be your ideal contemporary Australian gig (in an ideal world) and why?
CAITIE: This is hard because contemporary music isn't really my thing (laughs).
CHRIS: More punk stuff I guess. Anything where I don't have to play and can just watch is great.
CAITIE + CHRIS: 100% (Meeanjin/Brisbane), Krimi (Boorloo/Perth), No Class (Naarm/Melbourne), Low Life (Warrane/Sydney), Thatcher's Snatch (Naarm/Melbourne).
ALT // FEST is on Saturday, November 12 at Badlands Bar. Tickets available now here.