Midge Back!

Rip It Up, Issue 31, 1 February 1980, Page 4

Midge Back!

After nearly two years in Australia, Midge Marsden is back home and putting together a new band for a national tour. The group will be known as Midge Marsden’s Kiwi Connection. “It’s not a backing band for me," says Midge, “but I would be silly not to use my name after all those years of slog. I’m probably the best-known unknown in the country.” Eighteen months with Australia's Phil Manning Band, a group that spends a lot of time on the road, left Midge tired, even disenchanted. A car crash was a further blow to morale, and he talked of giving up music altogether. But today he’s a different man. Always a volatile personality, he is brimming with enthusiasm for his new band and the tour. The band is Midge (vocals, guitar and harp), Sonny Day (vocals and guitar), Sid Limbert from Raglan on bass, and two former members of Rick Steele’s Hot Biscuit Band, Mike Abbott and Ray Chaber on drums and guitar respectively. The band’s first tour will be a six-week one, and Midge says the line-up may not stay the same for future gigs. He plans to take the band out for tours lasting perhaps six weeks, with maybe a two-month lay-off in betwen. “I don't feel inclined to chase my tail, trying to get ahead, and wind up getting overexposed.” The band will be playing “basically R&B, some juicy blues, and certainly a Loweil George song in there somewhere,” and Midge and other members of the line-up are writing. He describes the originals as being reminiscent of Springsteen, Petty and Parker. In between gigs, Midge wants to pursue other interests, such as taking on some work in radio, although he is rather disappointed in the local radio scene. He feels strongly that New Zealand radio remains oblivious to musical developments' across the Tasman and Continues to favour American and English product. At age 34, Marsden has seen a lot of music and has had his share of ups and downs, but he is full of confidence for the Kiwi Connection. “Maybe I should stop and do something else, but I can’t keep away from playing.”