John Dodd


Some important and influential people on the country’s musical landscape fly under the radar, sometimes for decades. John Dodd is one of them. Older brother of some other Dodds you might have heard of – Tim, RNZ Concert producer among many things, and Jane, bass player in The Verlaines and Able Tasmans – the term “extensive” undersells his experience.

The last time we spoke was in 1985. I knew his already impressive pedigree then and asked him to send through a list of the bands and musical projects he’s been involved with since. It took some reading, and confirms that John’s career shows no sign of slowing down. He might just have the longest musical CV in the South, if not nationally.

John Dodd, bass player in Midge Marsden's band, Karapiro Harvest Festival, 20 March 1982.
Photo credit: John Mercer CameraWorks21
The Chaps performing at the Harbour Light Cafe, Lyttelton, 29 September 2005
Poster for The Spaghettis with John Dodd, Ross Nichol, Chris Maher and Andy Anderson. A much-loved rootsy/bluesy rock'n'roll band, The Spaghettis toured the South Island extensively and recorded an EP.
Early line up of the Spaghettis, with Rick Bryant, Methven, 1986. Left to right: Rick Bryant, Wayne Baird, Paul Hewitt, John Dodd, Ross Nicolls.
John Dodd aged 15 in 1970.
The Pioneer Pog'n'Scroggin' Bush Band (The Pog Band) at Larnach Castle, Dunedin, c.1996. L to R back: John Dodd, John Steel, Greg Waite, Mike Moroney, Mark Laws, Tarek Bazley. Front: Laura Gartner, Lindsey Shields, Tony Wilson.
Otago Daily Times photo of theatre show 'Maniac at the Joystick' featuring the poetry and spoken voice of Cilla McQueen, with band, at Fortune Theatre, Dunedin c.1986. Top (L to R): John Dodd, John Hodge, Ali McDougall, Andy Anderson. Bottom (L to R): Cilla McQueen, Jono Lonie.
Photo credit: Otago Daily Times
Bamboo on the steps of their practice house in Woodford Road, Mount Eden, 1977. Left to right: Hamin Derus, John Dodd, Wayne Baird, Bud Hooper (top), Louis Rawnsley (bottom).
The Midge Marsden Band performing at Lake Karapiro, 1982, John Dodd at left. 
Photo credit: John Mercer
The Whirling Eddys - Talk To Your Daughter (2023)
John Dodd at the Waitati Spring Festival with Chappaqua, 1975.
The Flying Doctors, Auckland, 1980. Left to right: Mike Farrell, John Dodd, Mike Abbott, Liam Ryan.
The Ratz at Westies nightclub in Queenstown, 1991. Left to right: John Dodd, Nigel Hirst, Ned Webster, Brett Strachan.
Bamboo on the steps of their practice house in Woodford Road, Mount Eden, 1977. Left to right: Hamin Derus, John Dodd, Wayne Baird, Bud Hooper (top), Louis Rawnsley (bottom).
The Chaps performing Kari Kari Kiri Kiri - (H. Melbourne) on Telethon c. 1993, broadcast from the NHNZ studio on Dowling Street, Dunedin.
The Chaps performing Toward The Light (written by M Turner) at the Skagen Festival 2006, Skagen, Denmark.
Poster for a performance by The Chaps in a garden square in Fredericia, Denmark, 2006.
Delgirl c. 2016. Left to right: John Dodd, Lynn Vare, Erin Morton, Charlie (front).
Flying Doctors poster, c. 1980. The band consisted of John Dodd (bass), Mike Farrell (guitar), Liam Ryan (keyboards) and Mike Abbott (drums).
Flying Doctors poster, c. 1980. The line-up was John Dodd (bass), Mike Farrell (guitar), Liam Ryan (keyboards) and Mike Abbott (drums).
The Whirling Eddys in Port Chalmers Town Hall, 2023. Left to right: Doug Wright, Terry Ebeling, John Dodd, obscured Steve Hudson.
The band (the Bodacious Bobcats) for the Fortune Theatre's production of 'Always Patsy Cline' (the part of Patsy Cline played by Lorina Harding), Dunedin c.1994. L to R: Craig Reeves (with guitar), Jim Strang, Graeme Perkins, Red McKelvie, John Dodd.
Skin and Bone at Inch Bar in Dunedin, 2023. L to R: Anna Bowen, John Dodd, Steve Hudson, Emily Sterk, Mike Moroney.
The Spaghettis in Dunedin, 1987. Left to right: John Dodd, Chris Maher, Ross Nicolls, Andy Anderson.
Poster for reggae band Bamboo, featuring Wayne Baird, Hamin Derus, Louis Rawnsley, and John Dodd
Midge Marsden and John Dodd
High Country Bluegrass entertain at a garden party in Purakaunui, Otago c.1990. Geoff Wright (banjo), Tony Hale (guitar), John Dodd (bass), Bruce Fergus (mandolin, in white hat).
The Midge Marsden Band, promo shot for '12 Bars from Mars' LP at Harlequin Studios, Auckland, 1982. Left to Right: John Dodd, Midge Marsden, Liam Ryan, Ross Burge, Mike Farrell.
Diane Huggett and John Dodd perform with Cripple, 1972.
Calder Prescott, centre, at a tribute evening in his honour at Logan Park High School, 25 March 2015. He was retiring after teaching jazz to Logan Park pupils for 33 years. With him is Netta Wylie, former head of music at Logan Park, and John Dodd, in that role in 2015 and a former bass player for Midge Marsden and many others. 
Photo credit: Kristan Mouat
Poster for The Spaghettis with John Dodd, Ross Nichol, Chris Maher and Andy Anderson. The Spaghettis toured the South Island extensively and recorded an EP.
Poster advertising John Dodd at the Inch Bar, Dunedin
Poster for the Blind Venetians
John Dodd and John Egenes in Dunedin, 2023.
Chappaqua in the NZBC Dunedin Studio (this became the University of Otago's Albany Street Studio), 1975. Top to bottom: Jim Worth, Stephen Kiely, Hamin Derus, Wayne Baird, John Dodd (bottom left), Michael Porter (bottom right).
The Chaps - Cutting It Fine, "a sheep shearing inspired reggae flavoured tune" by John Dodd, performed at Hatton Castle, Scotland
The Whirling Eddys in 2019. Clockwise from back left: Terry Ebeling, Steve Hudson, Doug Wright, John Dodd.
Poster for Cripple's 49th anniversary show at the Captain Cook hotel, Dunedin
Poster for John Dodd at the Inch Bar, Dunedin
The Chaps, photo shoot for live album 'In the Club' at Chingford Park, Dunedin, 1993. Hyram Ballard, Mike Moroney, John Dodd, Marcus Turner (front).
Bill Morris - Hinterland (2014)

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