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My long-time music friend and blues guitarist, Deadman Turner, has kindly offered to sell me his PK-5A pedal board, an offer I’d be a fool to pass up. This MIDI gadget by Roland is discontinued, and DT’s unit is one of the best kept models I’ve seen. So, in the next few months, expect this bassist to get all Sting on yo’ asses 
Thank’s DT, VERY much appreciated.
As for a sound module, I’ve ordered an iPad and NLog pro is my app of choice. Coupled with my MIDI-USB cable and the Camera Connection kit, the whole rig’s cheaper than a hardware synth and better sound quality and playability than even Virus hardware. Noice
The Collectables got a bit stuck on a song’s beat on Monday night. I could “hear” the perfect riddim in my head but was damned if I could materialise it as a beatbox exercise for Tony. Alex nearly had it, but we both lost it.
Then, last night at Festy Hall, as Papa V. Pretty (dreadfully downplayed support for Incubus, PVP’s mix was awful! Sack the sound guy!) played one of their tunes. (Wrecking Ball, the verse bit) Click, all of a sudden, all I could hear was my bassline over PVP’s beat. Immediate text to Alex
Kick Hat Kick Snare
Kick Hat Kick Snare and swing it.
Update: then Alex found a version of the old line up playing it. Problem solved. Rockin’ little number!
Today I ordered this audio interface so that the band can record gigs and rehearsals as a reference record, or even full albums. The deal was awesome, NZ$ price way less than AU$ price, no freight fee and an overall AU$ cost stupidly below AU$ RRP The US1800 haa 8 balance mic inputs, 2 instrument/line ins, 4 straight line ins and 2 digital S/PDIF channels for 16 simultaneous inputs and 4 outputs over USB2. Schweet Full review when it arrives and is put into service.
UPDATE: Still waiting, hopefully it will arrive today (Feb 8)
UPDATE 2: Apparently being DHL’d tomorrow (Valentine’s Day) eager to get this up and running!
There’s word of a whisper that the band I’ve hitched my wagon to, The Collectables, may have a gig soon. More details as they come to hand, probably tomorrow as rehearsal is tonight.
UPDATE: The gig is confirmed, The Collectables are headlining a fantastic 3 band show at Noise Bar (Railway Hotel), Brunswick, on Friday, 24 February. Be there or be a right, regular trapezoid.
The Collectables
The Divine Fluxus
Third band TBA
This is me with my new toy… er, sorry, professional instrument, my candyapple red Fender Standard Jazz. She looks a dream, plays herself (almost) and sounds like rock’n'roll with deeper bottoms than any bass I’ve ever owned wihout any compromise to clarity and brightness.
The front pickup is warm and woody, with thump and thunder, bring on the back pickup and she becomes solid and funky, while the back pickup on its own has such crisp, post-punk/new punk tones as to be dangerous 
This axe rocks. I think light guage Rotosounds are back on my biannual shopping list again, despite the cost. Worth every penny.
Candyapple red,
Deep rolling basso thunder,
Music is found here.
Well, The Collectables is now a complete 3 piece band and Tony, our new drummer is fitting in really well. We’re coming up to speed with ten songs and mostly nailing the five on the CD. (Which can be purchased here.)
I’ll be keeping you all up-to-date on when we get out playing, but you can hear what we’re about at Triple J Unearthed and “like” us on Facebook, too, if moved to.
The Collectables are, Alex Cappelli on guitar, piano and vocals, Steve Jay on bass, backing vocals and melodian, and Tony Burton on drums. We play only our own, hand-crafted originals, most penned by Alex, and the sound has been described as like Ben Folds and Weezer had a baby. We like to understatedly call it “pop/rock.”
After Sunday’s rehearsal, I decided yesterday to try out a simple rig to see if I could play the melodian part and switch to the bass part in time, and back. It took 10 minutes to figure out playing the part (a simple inversion on the chords), another 10 to figure out how to attach the melodian to my Ashton acoustic bass and about 30 minutes to practice the switch until I could get it right. I’ve recorded it, too, but the vid’s a little large (and a bit rough, audio-wise) for uploading. So, it works a treat. Now to rig something more professional, with much better ergonomics
On The Collectables’ “scoreboard”, it’s 9 to Alex, 1 to me: The Fireplace. This is cool. Alex and I are very different songwriters, so I feel pretty chuffed to have written one which fits the format.
Even more “chuffing,” is that, after a bit of discussion about what is “that one more thing” the song needs for perfection, the fact that I have a Melodian (which has a sort of “harmonica-ry” sound) came to light, and we decided to give it a try. As I didn’t have it with me at rehearsal, I had to sing the part, but next week…
So, even though it was something cool to have just because I’ve always wanted one, now it’s a useful instrument, too. That made my day, I can tell you.
At long last, The Collectables may have nailed down a drummer, returning to a previous tryout, largely because he’s also a fan. A dedicated fan is probably a better choice in the long run, and he’s still keen to jump on. More as news comes to hand.
The Collectables,
Have a new drummer on board,
The music begins.
I don’t often give much cred to “label owned” bands but I was watching ABC 2 the other night and was stunned by The Coral’s performance of my all-time favourite Byrds song, “Feel a Whole Lot Better.” Here’s the version I saw…
Enjoy! I know I do!
