In Sydney, in March 1980, singer, bass guitarist and songwriter Steve Kilbey bumped into guitarist Peter Koppes, an old bandmate from his Canberra days. Koppes was playing with another Canberran, drummer Nick Ward, in a Sydney band called Limazine. The three decided to form a new band, called it The Church (originally The Church of Man) and began performing. A month later, Marty Willson-Piper, originally from Liverpool, United Kingdom, came to one of their gigs and was invited to join on second guitar.