The Crystal Set: Umbrella [1987]

The Crystal Set was a Sydney-based Australian indie rock band formed in the early 1980s featuring Russell Kilbey (bass and lead vocals), Phillip Maher (guitar & vocals), Davey Ray Moor (keyboards & vocals) and Tim Seckhold (drums).

The Crystal Set released its first single, "A Drop In The Ocean", independently. It was signed to Red Eye Records owned by John Foy and the first single was re-issued through Red Eye. Their next two singles, "Wholly Holy" and "Benefit Of The Doubt", were moderate indie hits via rotational airplay on then Sydney-based government-supported FM radio station JJJ.

With the departure of Moor, Craig Hooper (formerly of The Reels) joined Kilbey, Maher, and Seckhold and the collective released "Cluster". One side of the Red Eye released EP featured songs recorded with Moor while the other side featured compositions with Hooper. Upon Hooper's departure, Russell Kilbey assumed guitar duties and vocals and Luke Blackburn, a Melbourne musician, joined as bassist and vocalist.

When Red Eye Records signed a distribution deal with Polydor Australia in 1990, The Crystal Set's second album, Almost Pure, signalled the band's migration from an independent act to one associated with a major label. As a result, the release found moderate national success in 1991 with the singles, "Thrive" and "She Spits Out Stars". Their Red Eye/Polydor label-mates were The Cruel Sea, The Clouds, Steve Kilbey (Russell's brother and lead singer and bassist from successful Australian band The Church), Jack Frost aka Steve Kilbey and Grant McLennan (The Go-Betweens), The Bhagavad Guitars, Curious (Yellow) and The Beasts of Bourbon.

In 1991, Russell Kilbey and Phillip Maher relocated to Melbourne. Darren 'Fud' Ryan (Drums) and Paul Agar (Bass and Backing Vocals) were recruited as new members. Tour support for the album 'Almost Pure' saw the band doing support slots for U.K. band The Wonderstuff as well as solo shows in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

The Crystal Set disbanded at the end of 1991. Russell Kilbey went on to collaborate with David Thrussell from techno-industrial outfit Snog in a collaboration called Sex Industrie. The duo released a cover version of the classic AC/DC song "Jailbreak".

The Crystal Set album Umbrella has been re-released on Cd with an extra track.

Russell P. Kilbey collaborations with Steve Kilbey as a duo named Gilt Trip include the albums Gilt Trip and Egyptian Register. He has also collaborated with his brother John Kilbey as Warp Factor 9, releasing the album 5 Days in a Photon Belt.