Steve Gilpin

Steve Gilpin (28 April 1949 – 6 January 1992) was a New Zealand-born vocalist best known for his work in the rock band Mi-Sex.

Born in Wellington, New Zealand, Gilpin began his career as a cabaret singer in hotels. His star rose in 1972 when he was the winner of television talent show New Faces. After releasing a string of singles until 1977, his focus soon shifted from cabaret to rock. In 1976 Gilpin met with progressive rock band Father Thyme at the Awapuni Hotel, and suggested that they work together in the future.

In 1978, Gilpin teamed up with Don Martin and Alan Moon, two of the members of Father Thyme, after they disbanded in 1977. However, Moon soon left and was replaced by Murray Burns, and after Steve Osborne was recruited, he was quickly replaced by Richard Hodgkinson and guitarist Kevin Stanton. These five members, playing New Wave, called themselves Mi-Sex (taken from the song by UK New Wave band Ultravox). After their unsuccessful debut single, the band decided that they would try their luck on the Australian touring circuit and within a very short time they were among Sydney's most popular bands.

Thanks to strong support from the ABC's Sydney 'youth' radio station Double Jay and its nationally televised pop show Countdown, Mi-Sex hit their peak in late 1979 with the extremely popular single "Computer Games". This culminated in their performance at the Sydney Opera House in the Concert of the Decade in November 1979 and led to the group winning the 1979 TV Week/Countdown Music Awards for 'Most Popular Album or Single', 'Best Australian Single' and 'Best New Talent'.

The next year they recorded their follow-up album Space Race and completed a six-week tour of the US, but during the mid-1980s their popularity waned and the group eventually split in 1985. Gilpin remained in Australia and played with a variety of bands. Gilpin joined as guest vocalist with The Incredible Penguins in 1985, for a cover of "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)", a charity project for research on Fairy penguins, which peaked at #10 on the Australian Kent Music Report in December.Mi-Sex released a Greatest Hits collection in 1988.

Gilpin performed with several bands in New Zealand following Mi-Sex's demise, including Under Rapz. In November 1991, while driving from a gig at Byron Bay, on his way home to Mullumbimby, Gilpin was involved in a car accident, sustaining serious head injuries that left him in a coma. He never recovered, and died in Southport Hospital on Queenland's Gold Coast on 6 January 1992, aged 42.He is buried on his property.