Martin Phillipps, whose band the Chills was a mainstay of the 1980s New Zealand indie-rock scene that served as a formative influence on the likes of R.E.M. The statement didn’t say when or where Phillipps died or specify a cause but noted that he’d died “unexpectedly.” A 2019 documentary about Phillipps and the Chills chronicled the musician’s struggles with hepatitis …
