Zaine Griff

aka Glenn Mikkelson


In the early 1980s Zaine Griff had it all. He had the kind of chic cred and looks other aspiring pop stars would have killed for. He worked with big names in music, including Kate Bush and David Bowie. An excellent musician, songwriter and performer, his two solo albums from this period still maintain a loyal fan base.

Born in Auckland in 1957, Griff’s early creative education came from his family who encouraged him to paint and write poetry. His wider family introduced him to music while at primary school. “Around this time my cousin John Staines showed me chords on his guitar,” says Griff, “and Saturday nights I would sit and watch my older cousin Max Thompson play drums on television with a band called The Pleasers. I learnt so many songs on guitar that every day after school I would spend hours playing and not doing any kind of school homework."

Zaine Griff in 2013
LIve in Holland, 1982
A poster for the 2013 launch of Zaine Griff's album The Visitor at The Paddington, Parnell, Auckland
Zaine Griff backstage at Amsterdam's Milky Way, 1984
Photo credit: Photo by Danny de Jong
Tonight - live at Auckland's Kings Arms, 2011
Designer Mark Wardel, Zaine Griff and Steve Strange at at Ebury Gallery, London, for a Zaine Griff exhibition. Producer Richard James Burgess is behind Strange.
Zaine Griff in 2013
The 1974 Human Instinct album The Huster featured Maurice Greer, Martin Hope, John Donoghue and Glenn Mikkelson (aka Zaine Griff) with the latter writing five of the nine tracks
Photo credit: Susy Pointon
Harry van Heerden from the Zaine Griff Dutch Office and photographer Danny de Jong with Zaine Griff, 1982
The 1976 single Interplanetary Twist by Screemer, produced by Phil Wainman, best known for his work with UK glam band The Sweet
Zaine Griff in 1980
Zaine Griff early 1980s publicity shot
Zaine Griff at soundcheck in Holland, 1983
Photo credit: Photo by Danny de Jong
Zaine Griff at The Marquee, 1979
Figures (1982)
Zaine Griff signing his poetry book FIGVRES in Virgin Megastore at the time of his Art Exhibition in Ebury Gallery London, Oct 1982
Photo credit: Photo by Harry van Heerden
Zaine Griff, Holland, 1982
Photo credit: Photo by Danny de Jong
Zaine Griff looking out on a Dutch audience in 1982
Photo credit: Photo by Danny de Jong
Zaine Griff live in the early 1980s
The Human Instinct around 1974: Martin Hope, Maurice Greer and Glenn Mikkelson (Zaine Griff). John Donoghue is obscured to the right.
Zaine Griff in Amsterdam, 1982
Photo credit: Photo by Danny de Jong
Zaine Griff in London, 1982
Zaine Griff with Dee Harrington in a Daily Express photo shoot, 1978
Zaine Griff in Amsterdam, July 1983
Photo credit: Photo by Danny de Jong
Zaine Griff's 1980 Warner Bros. single Tonight
Zaine Griff at Amsterdam's Milky Way, 1983
Photo credit: Photo by Danny de Jong
Zaine Griff circa 1980
Zaine Griff with Mark Pinder (drums), Dave Flett (guitar) and Bernie Clark (keyboards), The Bridge House, London, 1978
Zaine Griff in 1982
An early 1980s Zaine Griff publicity shot
Zaine Griff in September 1990
Zaine Griff in the late 1970s
Zaine Griff and band, Holland, 1982
Photo credit: Photo by Danny de Jong
Swing (Demo) (1983)
Zaine Griff on a London bus, 1984
Photo credit: Photo by Harry van Heerden
The Zaine Griff band, 1979: Clive Edwards, Alan Coates, Zaine Griff, Rob Norman, Matt Irvine and Billy Kristian
The Hustler album photo shoot with John Donoghue, Glenn Mikkelson (Zaine Griff) and Martin Hope
The Human Instinct in 1974: John Donoghue, Glenn Mikkelson (Zaine Griff), Maurice Greer and Martin Hope
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