MI SEX

Mi-Sex was formed in 1978 in New Zealand when Murray Burns on keyboards, Steve Gilpin on lead vocals, Don Martin on bass guitar and Kevin Stanton on lead guitar and backing vocals (all ex-Fragments of Time) and were joined by Richard Hodgkinson on drums. The band name is adapted from an Ultravox track, "My Sex", from that group's debut album, Ultravox! (February 1977).

Gilpin had earlier performed as a solo artist in New Zealand, following his winning a TV talent quest, New Faces, in 1972 (second place in the same show was Shona Laing). Invercargill-born Burns was influenced by progressive rock bands such as Yes, whereas Stanton's influences veered towards heavy metal. During 1977 Gilpin met Martin and they set about forming their own band; Martin brought Stanton on board and together with former Father Time members Alan Moon and Phil "Smarty" Smart, they formed Fragments of Time.

Fragments of Time were influenced by British new wave and pub rock bands; they received a commission from EMI New Zealand's Peter Dawkins, who wanted a punk-new wave record to introduce the label's new roster. Their line-up changed, with Moon replaced by Burns and Smart leaving, replaced briefly by Steve Osborne and then by Hodgkinson. Fragments of Time developed a quirky, futurist, paranoia-themed blend of new wave, punk, and pub rock, amalgamating some of the textures common to Britain's Ultravox with those more associated with The Stranglers. They blended this with a liberal dose of on stage theatrics. At around the same time, they changed their name – urgently needed for their demo. In a meeting in a room at the back of the Aranui hotel which they were playing in, they accepted the name Stanton had proposed.

Mi-Sex released their first single for EMI New Zealand, "Straight Laddie" (originally intended as a demo), early in 1978. Early performances include the Wellington Institute of Technology and Dr Johns (Ray Johns), on the same day with demo recording at Dellbrook studios in Tawa, and the bus breaking a gearbox on the Ngauranga Gorge section of motorway.

In August 1978 the band relocated to Sydney, where they became the city's "fourth biggest drawcard" within six months. They were signed to the Australian division of CBS Records by the label's A&R manager and house producer, Dawkins, who had produced "Straight Laddie". Their first single for CBS, "But You Don't Care", was released in Australia in May 1979, which peaked at #25 on the local Kent Music Report Singles Chart and #33 on their native Official New Zealand Music Chart.

Their debut album, 'Graffiti Crimes' was issued in July 1979 to coincide with their national tour supporting Talking Heads. They also headlined their own tour of Australia. It reached #6 in New Zealand and the top 20 in Australia. It was also produced by Dawkins at Studios 301, during April and May 1979.

Added to later versions of the LP is their biggest hit, the synthesiser-driven single, "Computer Games", which was co-written by Burns, Gilpin and Stanton. It was released in Australia on 1 October 1979. Dawkins had first heard the track at the album launch, in July, he asked Stanton, "'Why didn't you play me "Computer Games" when we were doing the demos for the album?'. Kevin answered in the most succinct way possible, 'Because I hadn't written it yet!" The single went to #1 in Australia, made the top 5 in New Zealand; and reached the top 10 in Austria, Canada, France, Italy, South Africa and West Germany.

In January 1980, the band began recording their second album. In April and May 1980 they toured the United States and Canada for five weeks. 'Space Race' was released in May 1980. In New Zealand it peaked at #1 and in Australia it reached #6. 'Space Race' provided another top 10 single, "People", which reached #3 in New Zealand and #6 in Australia. The title track was the next single and peaked in the top 20 in New Zealand and top 30 in Australia. Although Mi-Sex toured Australia and New Zealand through 1981 – performing 366 gigs in that year – the group "found its popularity in slow decline."

Their third album, Shanghaied! (October 1981), was co-produced by the band's members, mostly by Burns and Stanton, together with John L Sayers and Dave Marett. Ian McFarlane described it as "arguably the band's best album which failed to impress the record-buying public." In November Hodgkinson was replaced on drums by Paul Dunningham (ex-Coup D'État).

Late in 1982 Stanton temporarily left the band due to ill-health, he was replaced on guitar by Ted Yanni. After four months, Stanton returned and Yanni remained until he was replaced in turn by Colin Bayley (ex-Silent Movies) on guitar. The group continued as a six-piece. For their fourth album, 'Where Do They Go?' (November 1983), they worked with US producer, Bob Clearmountain. Three singles were released from the album including "Blue Day" which peaked within the top 40 in New Zealand and Australia in 1984. A greatest hits album was released in 1985, titled '79-'85.

Mi-Sex took a hiatus from February 1986; Stanton moved to London in April to work with Fairlight and produce feature film sound tracks. Gilpin remained in Australia, working with his cover band Under Rapz. In November 1991, while returning to his home after a gig, he was seriously injured in a major car accident, and lapsed into a coma from which he never recovered. He died in Southport Hospital on 6 January 1992.

The band reunited for a fund-raising concert following the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, with former Noiseworks bass player Steve Balbi on lead vocals. As of 2014 they were back in the studio working on new songs, 33 years since their last release. Stanton had been forced to sit out, having recently undergone serious surgery on his spine which rendered his entire left arm useless, but repairable with intricate neurosurgery.In February 2016, Mi-Sex announced the release of their first single in 33 years, titled "Somebody", followed by an Extended play featuring "Somebody" and three re-recorded tracks. "My Sex Your Sex", was released on 3 June 2016. Their first album since 1983's Where Do They Go?, titled Not from Here, was released on 9 September 2016. The album peaked at #93 on the ARIA Charts. Steve Gilpin died in a car accident in 1992. Kevin Stanton died in 2017. Don Martin battled cancer for some years, holding a 'living wake' in January 2020, and dying on 10 August of that year.

 
Members

Steve Gilpin (vocals), Murray Burns (keyboards), Kevin Stanton (guitar), Richard Hodgkinson (drums), Don Martin (bass), Paul Dunningham (drums), Ted 'The Head' Yanni (guitar), Colin Bailey (guitar)

SINGLES

But You Don't Care

2 JUL '79

#25

Computer Games

15 OCT '79

#1

People

31 MAR '80

#6

Space Race

23 JUN '80

#28

It Only Hurts When I'm Laughing

6 OCT '80

#84

Falling in and Out

4 MAY '81

#20

Castaway

14 JUN '82

#8

Down the Line

6 DEC '82

#37

Lost Time

20 JUN '83

#57

Only Thinking

14 NOV '83

#48

Blue Day

5 MAR '84

#24

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mi-Sex

http://top100singles.blogspot.com.au/