The founder of The Chills died in July last year, but his legacy lives on with the release of the band’s final album Spring Board: Early Unrecorded Songs yesterday and a new exhibition display of Phillipps’ artefacts.
These include the leather jacket given to Phillipps by Martyn Bull, a pair of the winklepicker boots that feature on the Heavenly Pop Hits greatest hits album cover and the vest Phillipps wore in the Pink Frost music video.
Exhibitions lead Craig Scott said it was a bittersweet experience putting the display together.
"But we hope it fills people with warmth.
"We’ve been in discussion about this sort of display since late last year.
"Martin’s last live performance was actually here [at Tūhura] for the ‘Stairwell’ display opening for [museum director Ian Griffin’s] Director’s Choice display.
"I worked on Chills’ first exhibition that was in the museum seven years ago, so it’s a nice full circle to be able to bring this back into the museum space."
He and other museum staff worked on the design and artwork for Spring Board, Mr Scott said.
"Martin was very specific that he wanted the puffer fish lamp on the cover, so he sat with me and we did some photography.
"It was all sort of a very DIY aesthetic as well. We made up a little black box to photograph in upstairs, and then he went to his house and he gave me a box of the trinkets that feature on the inside cover to photograph as well, and display them in a cabinet of curiosities."
Mr Scott had been given the chance to listen to the album before it was released.
"It’s really incredible. It’s such an awesome legacy and it’s such a shame that Martin’s not here, but the band and family have been really great to work with, and we’re really happy that we can do this for him.
"I really love the opening track, Dolphins. It just sets the scene really well ... and obviously the last one that was played at his funeral, I Don’t Want To Live To Forever, is a very poignant song, but it’s also very celebratory, so I think it’s a very nice and bittersweet way to end the album."
He had also enjoyed putting together the collage of Chills-related ephemera to complement the museum display, Mr Scott said.
"I made this massive collage ... to be this overwhelming workspace, just to commemorate Martin and the legacy of The Chills and his music.
"I hope it inspires some people; just sparks some creativity in them."
The "Martin Phillipps and the Chills" display will be moved to the Beautiful Science Gallery in May until July, and there were plans to host it in a more "permanent space" afterwards.
