Martin Rotsey

Last updated

Martin Rotsey
Martin Rotsey 2022 (cropped).jpg
Rotsey in 2022
Background information
BornFebruary 19, 1956
Sydney, Australia
Genres Rock, alternative rock
Occupation(s)Guitarist
Years active1977–2002, 2006–present
Website midnightoil.com

Martin Rotsey is an Australian guitarist and a member of the rock band Midnight Oil, which was active from 1977 to 2002 and resumed performing in 2017. [1] [2]

Contents

Career

In 2006, he joined fellow Midnight Oil member Rob Hirst's projects Ghostwriters and The Angry Tradesmen. He is also featured – together with Hirst – on the track "Around the world" from fellow Midnight Oil guitarist Jim Moginie's solo debut album "Alas Folkloric".

In 2010 Rotsey teamed up with two other former members of Midnight Oil, Hirst and Moginie, and Violent Femmes bass player Brian Ritchie to form a new surf rock band, The Break. Their debut album Church of the Open Sky was released on 16 April 2010 on the independent label Bombora, distributed by MGM. A tour of Australia followed.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midnight Oil</span> Australian rock band

Midnight Oil are an Australian rock band composed of Peter Garrett, Rob Hirst (drums), Jim Moginie and Martin Rotsey (guitar). The group was formed in Sydney in 1972 by Hirst, Moginie and original bassist Andrew James as Farm: they enlisted Garrett the following year, changed their name in 1976, and hired Rotsey a year later. Peter Gifford served as bass player from 1980 to 1987, with Bones Hillman then assuming the role until his death in 2020. Midnight Oil have sold over 20 million albums worldwide as of 2021.

<i>Midnight Oil</i> (Midnight Oil album) 1978 studio album by Midnight Oil

Midnight Oil is the debut album by Australian rock band Midnight Oil which was recorded in 1977 and released in November 1978 on the band's independent Powderworks label. It reached the top 50 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart. The album was later distributed by CBS Records and issued as a CD. The LP has a blue cover, however, the CD has a black cover. Because of the blue cover, the former version is often referred to, by fans, as the "blue album" or "the Blue Meanie". The lead single, "Run by Night", became the band's first minor hit in Australia and appeared on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart Top 100. It also had a video clip.

<i>Head Injuries</i> 1979 studio album by Midnight Oil

Head Injuries is the second studio album by Australian pub rockers Midnight Oil, which was released in October 1979 on their own Powderworks label and distributed by Columbia Records. The album was produced by Leszek J. Karski, recorded at 'Trafalgar Studios' in Sydney. It was the last Midnight Oil album to feature founding bass guitarist Andrew James, who quit the band due to illness. It peaked at No. 36 on the Australian Kent Music Report and by mid-1980 had achieved gold status in Australia.

<i>Place without a Postcard</i> 1981 studio album by Midnight Oil

Place Without a Postcard is the third studio album by Australian alternative rockers Midnight Oil, released in November 1981 under Sprint Music and the Columbia Records label. It peaked at No. 12 on the Kent Music Report albums chart and the related singles "Don't Wanna Be the One" and "Armistice Day" reached the associated Top 40 chart.

<i>Scream in Blue</i> 1992 live album by Midnight Oil

Scream in Blue is a live album by Midnight Oil that was released in May 1992 under the Columbia Records label. It contains songs carefully culled from 5 live concerts recorded over a 9-year period. The audiences sound quite large, but also included is material from a 1990 protest concert held on the street in front of Exxon headquarters in New York City. The album is mixed so as to sound like one continuous concert.

<i>Bird Noises</i> 1980 EP by Midnight Oil

Bird Noises is the first extended play by Australian rock group, Midnight Oil, which was released on 24 November 1980 under the band's own independent label, Powderworks Records / Sprint Music. It was produced by Leszek Karski and manufactured and distributed by CBS/Columbia. Bird Noises reached the Top 30 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart.

<i>Species Deceases</i> 1985 EP by Midnight Oil

Species Deceases is an extended play by Australian rock music group, Midnight Oil, which was released on 26 November 1985 under the CBS record label. Species Deceases debuted at No. 1 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart for six weeks from December 1985 to January 1986. It was the first Australian single and/or EP to reach the number-one spot on its chart appearance and remains Midnight Oil's only No. 1 on the national singles chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Hirst</span> Musical artist

Robert George Hirst is an Australian musician from Camden, New South Wales. He is a founding member of rock band Midnight Oil on drums, percussion and backing vocals from the 1970s until the band took a hiatus in 2002. The band resumed activity as a group in 2017. Hirst also wrote a book, Willie's Bar & Grill, recounting the experiences on the tour Midnight Oil embarked on shortly after the 11 September terrorist attacks in 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Moginie</span> Australian musician (born 1956)

James Moginie is an Australian musician. He is best known for his work with Midnight Oil, of which he is a founding member, guitarist, keyboardist and leading songwriter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghostwriters (band)</span>

Ghostwriters are an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1990, principally involving Midnight Oil drummer Rob Hirst and Hoodoo Gurus bassist Richard Grossman. Their highest-charting single was "Someone's Singing New York New York" (1991) written by Hirst. It reached No. 29 on the ARIA Australian Singles Chart.

<i>20,000 Watt R.S.L.</i> 1997 greatest hits album by Midnight Oil

20,000 Watt R.S.L. is a compilation album by Australian rock band Midnight Oil released on 13 October 1997 on their own label Sprint Music. The word "Collection" appears on the front of the CD along the hinge in the same type face as the title and the name of the band and may have been intended as part of the album's title; however, it does not appear on the spine. The release has also been distributed inside a cardboard sleeve which adds "Midnight Oil: The Hits" to the album art, distinguishing it as a compilation album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wedding Cake Island</span>

Wedding Cake Island is an island located approximately one kilometre (0.6 mi) east of Coogee Beach, Sydney, Australia in the Tasman Sea. The island protects the beach from most swells. The island is also known as Lemo's Island.

<i>The Real Thing</i> (Midnight Oil album) 2000 live album by Midnight Oil

The Real Thing is a mostly acoustic live album by Midnight Oil, which includes four additional studio recordings, among them a cover version of Russell Morris's classic "The Real Thing". It was initially issued in Australia with a bonus disk of interview material listed as containing 2 tracks but the CD was divided into 30 tracks, dividing the interview up so that past albums and each track on "The Real Thing" gets a short discussion followed by snippet from the album or song being discussed. Later international releases had a bonus disk with videos of "Cemetery In My Mind" and "Redneck Wonderland".

<i>Capricornia</i> (album) 2002 studio album by Midnight Oil

Capricornia is the eleventh studio album by Australian band Midnight Oil, released in February 2002 by Columbia Records in Australia and Liquid 8 Records in America.

<i>Best of Both Worlds</i> (Midnight Oil album) 2004 live album by Midnight Oil

Best of Both Worlds is a DVD-Video release of two significant concerts performed by Australian rock band Midnight Oil. The featured concerts are Oils on the Water and Saturday Night at the Capitol (1982). Best of Both Worlds was released in 2004 by Triple J as part of their Live at the Wireless program. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2004 it won Best Music DVD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Power and the Passion (song)</span> 1983 single by Midnight Oil

"Power and the Passion" is the second single from Midnight Oil's 1982 album 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. The song is one of the band's most famous, and it was performed on every Midnight Oil tour since the issue of 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 as well as at the WaveAid concert.

"Read About It" is a song by Australian rock band Midnight Oil, released as the third and final single from their 1982 studio album, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. It was a favourite with the band and with fans, appearing at least once on every tour since its release and appearing at the WaveAid concert. Very few other Midnight Oil songs have appeared so often.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">US Forces (song)</span> 1982 single by Midnight Oil

"US Forces" is the first single released from Australian rock band Midnight Oil's fourth studio album, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. The song, which denounces US military intervention in foreign affairs, charted at no. 20 in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Put Down That Weapon</span> 1987 single by Midnight Oil

"Put Down That Weapon" is a song by Australian rock band Midnight Oil. The song was released in December 1987 as the third single from their sixth studio album, Diesel and Dust.

<i>Resist</i> (Midnight Oil album) 2022 studio album by Midnight Oil

Resist is the thirteenth studio album by Australian band Midnight Oil, released on 18 February 2022 by Sony Music Australia. The album will be supported by the band's final Australian and New Zealand tour, concluding in May 2022 with guitarist Jim Moginie saying "We've played intensely physical gigs since our humble beginnings back in 1977 and we never want to take even the slightest risk of compromising that." Despite this being the group's final tour, all members are still open to recording in the future.

References

  1. The Business Times
  2. "Midnight Oil On Changing The World Through Music". Forbes . Archived from the original on 9 December 2021.