Mi-Sex
Mi-Sex formed in 1977, led by Steve Gilpin (vocals), Kevin Stanton (guitar), Don Martin (bass), and Murray Burns (keys/synth), and Richard Hodgkinson (drums). Within months of releasing the debut single, ‘Straight Laddie’ (1978); an early punk parody that pays homage to Ian Dury, with a snatch of The Stranglers on keys; Mi-Sex were smashing house records right across their native New Zealand. Chasing new horizons, Mi-Sex jumped the ditch to bring their new-found sound, and highly energized theatrical shows, to Australian audiences.
Exploding upon the Sydney live music scene, Mi-Sex quickly caught the eye of record producer Peter Dawkins, who signed the group to CBS. The relationship proved to be a masterstroke, with the release of the group’s debut LP, Graffiti Crimes, and subsequent singles, ‘But You Don’t Care’ and ‘Computer Games’ racing to the top of the charts in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Germany, Austria and South Africa. The LP became the catalyst for an entirely new era in music and fashion – new wave.
ABC’s Double J embraced new wave and Mi-Sex became regular guests on Countdown, which saw the group shoot to #1 with ‘Computer Games’, before Mi-Sex rounding-out the decade with its landmark performance at the Sydney Opera House – revered by those of the era as the ‘Concert of the Decade’. Early the following year, Mi-Sex Graffiti Crimes scooped the 1979 TV WEEK / COUNTDOWN MUSIC AWARDS with 4 gongs: Best New Single (Computer Games), Most Popular Single/Album (Computer Games/Graffiti Crimes), Best New Talent (Mi-Sex), and Best Production (Peter Dawkins/Graffiti Crimes).
Cross-pollinated from the get-go with the collective creativity of a cabaret crooner Steve Gilpin, alongside art-rocker Don Martin on bass, Richard Hodgkinson on drums, Kevin Stanton on guitar, and Murray Burns on keys ‘n’ synth, Stanton and Burns forged a song-writing partnership that anchored Mi-Sex four albums in the early years; Graffiti Crimes (1979), Space Race (1980), Shanghaied (1981), and Where Do They Go? (1983). Produced by Rolling Stones’ Bob Clearmountain, Where Do They Go? and the album’s hit singles – ‘Blue Day’ and ‘Castaway’ – were released to critical acclaim in the US and Canada, shortly before the group disbanded in pursuit of respite from years of almost endless touring, and various solo ventures.
Mi-Sex reformed in the late 1980’s for two more Australian tours, and in the summer of 1990 commenced work on material for a new album. However, the reformation was cut tragically short following a fatal car crash involving Steve Gilpin, who died at Southport Hospital on January 6, 1992. Shortly after Gilpin’s death, the cream of Australian music came together for consecutive concerts in Sydney and Melbourne, to honour the life, achievements and extraordinary contribution of Steve Gilpin to music.
After an almost twenty-year hiatus, Mi-Sex re-emerged yet again, to perform at the Christchurch Earthquake Relief Concert, on this occasion with Noiseworks and Electric Hippies’ bassist and producer, Steve Balbi, out front. Enamoured by the experience, Mi-Sex entered the studio for the first time in 33 years to record a new studio album, Not from Here, which was released in September 2016. One year later, founding member and guitarist, Kevin Stanton, also passed away. Yet the legacy of Mi-Sex lives on.
Now, altogether reimagined to honour and pay legacy to the group’s extraordinary socio-cultural narrative and history, Mi-Sex new wave features the founding member and songwriter Murray Burns (keys ‘n’ synth), Steve Balbi (vocals), James Van Cooper (guitar), Travis New (bass) and Jordan McDonald (drums).
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