Kittenpurse

New synth - Casio VL-5

2012-01-20T05:25:00.000-08:00

This couldn't have been more of a bargain - £2.50 from eBay. While the VL-1 (which I already have) seems to be very collectable, no-one seems much interested in its bigger cousin, the VL-5. The VL-5 is four-note polyphonic, and has a bar-code reader port for its monophonic sequencer. Unfortunately it doesn't have the sound synthesis features of the VL-1, just some preset tones. Never mind, it's nice to have, and this one's in lovely condition and came with a case.

New synth - Doepfer Pocket Control

2011-12-14T14:00:00.000-08:00

Here's something I've been chasing for some time, a Doepfer Pocket Control. Basically similar to the PhatBoy and other MIDI controllers, it has presets for many useful applications including performance control of the Doepfer MAQ 16-3 sequencer - so it should be handy for that at least. Pity about the hideous camouflage finish, though...

New synth - Yamaha MU100R

2011-12-03T12:00:00.000-08:00

The Yamaha MU100R isn't that interesting in itself - it's basically a G-MIDI module - but I bought this one because it comes with two optional boards fitted, the VL-PLG and VH-PLG. The first is essentially the same as the VL-70M, an acoustic modelling instrument which I've owned before and never been able to do much with. But since they now go for around £400, it was a bargain getting this MU100R for £200. The other board is a harmony generator, so probably not of much use except for vocals. The architecture of the MU100R is obtuse, but I've accessed its many interesting pad sounds plus the VL tones. My main ambition is to actually find a VL sound that's useable on my album!

New synth - Cheetah MQ8 sequencer

2011-11-09T11:49:00.000-08:00

Another eBay purchase, at around £40, a Cheetah MQ8 MIDI sequencer. I don't think I've ever used one of these, though it's basically similar to the Alesis Q80. It distinguishes itself by having various embellishment modes comparable to something like a Zyklus. Not that I'll probably make much use of it, but it should be fun to play with for a while.

Billie Ray Martin at HMV Oxford Circus

2011-10-17T15:21:00.000-07:00

Just been to see the divine Billie Ray Martin doing a PA at HMV Oxford Circus to promote her album as The Opiates, Hollywood Under the Knife. First time I've seen her live, and she is wonderful! Robert Solheim provided sterling support and I got the album signed. It's well worth checking out.
If your copy of the CD acts the same as mine, you'll find that the song Dinah and the Beautiful Blue comes up on Gracenote listed as Dinah and the Beautiful Blue Dildo. BRM's management tell me this is NOT the title of the song, which is 'a wonderful, tender tale and nothing to do with a dildo. Some idiot has interfered with the track details, which we will get corrected.' So there you have it, straight from the source!

New synth - Technics WSA1R

2011-10-02T12:25:00.000-07:00

My latest eBay acquisition is a technics WSA1R, an acoustic modelling synth which I thought might be more useable than the Yamaha VL-70M. It's a 3u unit so it takes up a load of space, and from first impressions the sounds come across more like sample-and-synth than acoustic models. But I gather the presets are a little lame, so I'll try some downloaded patches. I also have a Quasimidi Quasar on the way, at which point I'll probably get rid of the TechnoX - so that didn't last long...

New synth - Kurzweil Ensemble Expander

2011-09-10T09:20:00.000-07:00

I've never owned any Kurzweil gear, so I was pleased to pick up an Ensemble Expander for just over £50. The sounds are top quality samples of bread-and-butter instruments - piano, strings, horn, choir, vibes etc - so they're not likely to get much use in my electronic compositions, but they're nice to have. Pity the unit is so massive. The Yamaha EMT-10 does pretty much the same job in a box 1/8th of the size.

New keyboard: Casio DM-100

2011-09-06T15:48:00.000-07:00

My latest eBay acquisition is a Casio DM-100, a rare dual-manual instrument. It's not as collectable as some people like to think it is, but I was quite lucky to get it for £60. The gimmick is that the top keyboard is a sampler, so along with some unusually good string and chorus sounds and autoaccompaniment, it makes for in interesting combo. No MIDI, but fun.

Jean Michel Jarre at IFA, Berlin

2011-09-03T12:41:00.001-07:00

Just got back from a few days in Berlin for the IFA consumer electronics show. Not much to see except yet more 3D and Smart TVs, but the highlight had to be the sight of Jean Michel Jarre having to climb up a ladder to put an iPad on top of his crazy 11-foot tall AeroDream One speaker system.
If I'd stayed longer I could have seen Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark playing in the park on Monday, but having heard the CD of their last Berlin concert, I don't think I've missed much...

New synth - Quasimidi Rave-o-Lution 309

2011-08-18T08:28:00.001-07:00

I got a Quasimidi Rave-o-Lution 309 for just over £100 from eBay - it's very good fun, but unfortunately came without the audio, synth or drum expansions, so I'll have to look out for those separately.

New drum machine - Roland DR-220A

2011-08-15T05:42:00.000-07:00

Having already bought a DR-220E, with the Simmons- style electronic sounds, I was pleased to get from eBay the standard DR-220A with acoustic sounds, for a little over £20. Nice little pocket drum machine, hampered only by the lack of any sync facilities (except trigger in/out). And it came in its case with a manual.

Sand kitten sets new standards for cuteness

2011-08-11T02:06:00.000-07:00

A rare sand cat kitten was born in an Israeli Zoo three weeks ago, and this week made its public debut. Sand cats live in the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East and are endangered in many areas. This picture goes off the cuteness scale...

Chris Foss signing Hardware at Forbidden Planet

2011-07-23T15:29:00.000-07:00

I was very pleased to be able to attend a signing session by Chris Foss for his book Hardware at Forbidden Planet in London. I've always been a fan of Foss' work, and have all his other books. My interest first came from his covers for EE Doc Smith's Lensman books and Isaac Asimov's Foundation trilogy, and these and all his other major sci-fi works are included in the excellent compilation Hardware. I got a copy signed and annotated and had a bit of a chat. Pity there doesn't seem to be an exhibition planned - not outside Guernsey, anyway.

New synths - Korg 05R/W, Quasimidi TechnoX, Roland A220

2011-07-14T14:29:00.000-07:00

More eBay purchases; a Korg 05R/W synth module, for a bargain £26, which offers a great selection of samploid sounds; a Quasimidi TechnoX, which has some interesting sounds and a useful arpeggiator function; and a Roland A220, which is actually a MIDI keyboard splitter, not something I'll probably use much, but it goes with my Roland A110. Hopefully that's it for now.

New synth - Korg MS2000R

2011-06-28T02:24:00.000-07:00

The spending frenzy has not ended - I got a Korg MS2000R just to see if I like it - if not, I can always sell it again. I also got a spare Yamaha TX7, an RX21 drum machine and a MCS2 MIDI Controller. Oh, and a Simmons TMI, which I don't have any real use for, but it is Simmons.

More new synths - Korg Prophecy, Korg Poly 800 reverse keys, Yamaha TF1

2011-05-17T08:45:00.000-07:00

I've been going mad buying things on eBay again. First I got a Yamaha TX rack with a single TF1 module for £45; not bad going, and it helps towards completing my TX816 rack. Then I got (another) Korg Poly 800 with reverse keys, for £70; so I can use it to refurbish my slightly wonky one, and sell what's left over. Then I got a Korg Prophecy, for £180; not cheap, but they're rarely seen much cheaper. This I'm really pleased with, as it seems like a good substitute for the MiniMoog I sold, as well as being a source of interesting acoustic modelled sounds (so much better than the Yamaha VL-70M, which I could never get anything useful out of). Now let's hope that's the end of my spending frenzy.

New synths - Kawai PHM Pop module, eKeys 37, TQ49

2011-04-28T08:58:00.000-07:00

Another eBay goodie, a Kawai PHM Pop module. I was a bit disconcerted to find that it doesn't have a headphone output, but once I got a sound out of it, it turns out to have a nice mixture of K1-style pad sounds, FM-like tones and cheesy drum machine patterns. Not bad for £25-odd. I also got an eKeys 37, a useful sized USB keyboard - and for £5 from a charity shop, an old TQ49 USB MIDI keyboard, which I assumed would be useful, but it turns out it's so ancient that I can't find USB drivers for it. It powers up though, so I've been able to use it as a purely MIDI device, despite its lack of anything fancy like controllers or channel settings.

Powertran 1024 Composer

2011-04-03T14:55:00.001-07:00

Yet another purchase from eBay - a Powertran 1024 Composer. I desperately wanted one of these kit-built CV/gate sequencers when I was young, as it was about the only available multi-sequence digital sequencer other than the unaffordable Roland Microcomposers. It was used by Joy Division/New Order, with the Powertran Transcendent 2000 synthesizer, which I used to have. I don't know what I'll use it with now, as it requires a synth with CV/Gate in and out - probably the Sequential Pro 1, though that of course has a built-in mini-sequencer. Anyway, I'm glad to have got this, and relatively cheaply too - and it's only the second time I remember seeing one on eBay.

More new gear - Kawai MM-16 and Kawai XD-5

2011-03-14T14:39:00.000-07:00

Two more eBay purchases, hardly essentials, but nice additions to my collection of Kawai gear; an XD-5, a drum sound module which is essentially a K4R but filled with percussion waveforms; and an MM-16, a MIDI controller with various merging and processing functions. Complete with power supplies and manuals, so not bad buys, though what actual use I'll put them to is another question...

New gear - Nihon-Hammond DPM-48 drum machine

2011-03-03T14:07:00.000-08:00

Another bit of gear I didn't really need but fancied having from eBay - a Nihon-Hammond DPM-48 drum machine (otherwise badged Sakata or Jugg Box). I used one of these many years ago. A bit untidy this one, but working well. Decent basic sounds, useful DIN sync, level mixers and multi outputs, though nothing fancy like velocity response; luckily this one came with the essential memory cartridge and manual. More gear to come soon...

Another visit from Boofums

2011-02-23T04:18:00.001-08:00

Neighbouring cat Boofums (or that's what we call him) has been visiting again, and this time deigned to come in for a snack. He's still lovely and cuddly.

Smokey the Cat and the Maplin Sound Pressure Level Meter

2011-02-23T04:13:00.000-08:00

Loud-purring cat Smokey apparently purrs at levels up to 98dB, louder than a hairdryer. Lovely pussy pics in all the papers, and a nice Maplin Sound Pressure Level Meter in shot to prove the point.

Man from UNCLE carbine Dragonfawn special

2011-02-08T13:17:00.000-08:00

I finally received the Man from UNCLE special carbine I ordered some months ago from Dragonfawn. Basically it's a Walther P38 airsoft pistol with resin attachments, quite a nice job, some rough parts, but I think I can tidy it up and make some improvements using the replica parts I have, then customise a case. And I'd like to get an actual Bushnell Phantom telescopic sight to add an extra level of authenticity...

Secret Agent Golden Sniper kit

2011-02-06T01:58:00.000-08:00

Picked this up as a Buy it Now from eBay at some considerable cost, but it would have gone much higher otherwise; okay, it isn't James Bond or even Man from UNCLE, but these sets command ridiculous prices, so I might sell it on... or might not.

Nice win - Revell Sherman Calliope

2011-02-02T03:17:00.000-08:00

Received a large and unexpected box in the post - very pleased, it turns out I've won a 1/35th scale Revell Sherman Calliope kit in a Scale Military Modeller reader survey contest. See, it is worth filling these things in and returning them... At the moment I'm also trying to collect some Starfighter, Freedom Fighter, Hustler and Draken kits to do a spot of Supermarionation kit-bashing...

Stuff I've bought recently

2011-01-05T08:14:00.000-08:00

A nice book about Doc Savage artist James Bama... more Classic Doctor Who action figures... a Dragon South Wales Borderers Rorke's Drift 1/6th scale figure... and the Airfix Plastic Toy Soldiers book I've been looking for for ages...

Klaus Schulze - Big in Japan

2010-12-06T07:59:00.000-08:00

Nice to get this package of a DVD and two CDs from the 2009 Tokyo concert. The original limited edition issued in Japan has a slightly different selection of tracks and more elaborate booklet, but I think I can live without it.

Basically this is not classic Schulze, but it does make a change from his recent collaborations with Lisa Gerrard which tended to outstay their welcome. A combination of delicate sequencing, washes of orchestral tones and the occasional tentative solo makes for a relaxing if unchallenging listening experience - the video is obviously fairly static, but serves to show the extent of the light and video show.

But it looks as if Klaus will be unable to summon the energy to perform frantic solos again - I can imagine his output becoming more soporific as he gets older. I'm sure though that he'll never cease to be interesting.

New synths - Kawai G-Mega, Simmons Trixer

2010-11-10T12:29:00.000-08:00

I picked up a Kawai G-Mega module from eBay, not particularly cheap at £50 including delivery, but a more sensible buy than the equivalent keyboard, the K11. It's basically a General MIDI module with an extra bank of sounds - not a patch on the K1 or K4, but it adds to my Kawai collection.

In a fit of madness I also bought a dead Simmons Trixer, in the hope that I might be able to patch together one complete one from this, and the rusty example I already have. The new one has some obscure modifications, so finding out what they do might be fun...

New Doepfer synth modules

2010-10-25T09:01:00.000-07:00

A couple of Doepfer synth modules have come my way - a second VCLFO, which is useful for my Jean-Michel Jarre effects, and a bucket-brigade digital delay line. I've been dubious about including effects in the system, since I could always add them externally, but I suppose the fact that this is voltage-controlled makes it worthwhile. I still need a second theremin controller, though...

Tangerine Dream The Electronic Journey CD box set

2010-10-01T08:42:00.000-07:00

Well here's a bargain, a box set of 10 Tangerine Dream CDs for £13.99 from C&D Services. Compiling what are probably 10 of the worst TD albums - Seven Letters from Tibet, Cyberjam Collection, Tangines Scales and so forth - it's a great way to mop up some titles I probably wouldn't have bothered with otherwise. Apparently the box photo is the same as that of a 4-CD box, Ballads, which was another compilation which I didn't bother with. But I look forward to skipping through most of the tracks on Electronic Journey at some time in the near future...

More Classic Daleks

2010-09-23T08:53:00.001-07:00

There's another marvellous Classic Dalek set on the way from Character Options; the Remembrance of the Daleks set features an Imperial (great, now I don't have to get the overpriced McCoy+Imperial pack), a Renegade, a Supreme, and best of all, a Special Weapons Dalek. And there are three more Cybermen coming out too, but frankly they're all starting to look the same to me...

A visit from Evil Cat

2010-09-23T08:48:00.000-07:00

We've had a few visits from a local cat who likes to nest in the foliage at the top of the garden, or curl up on the barbecue, or just sit on the step and stare at us. He's a bit evil-looking, black with a tatty ear and glarey eyes, but I've been feeding him anyway. Here he is, auditioning for a part in The Omen.

Unimat 1 Classic

2010-09-07T06:10:00.000-07:00

I indulged myself in a multi-tool which ought to make it easier to manufacture small parts for models and conversions. The Unimat 1 Classic is a lightweight plastic-bodied lathe which converts into a mill, saw, sander etc; it's not heavy-duty, but should serve for what I need, and at around £160 from eBay it was a viable alternative to the £600-ish mills and lathes a real pro would go for. I'll report back on how I get on with it!

Doctor Who action figures - 11 Doctors box, Ironside Dalek etc

2010-08-02T09:10:00.000-07:00

I've been going a bit mad with the Doctor Who action figures lately - apart from the 11 Doctors box set, I've had the 1st Doctor with Dalek, 2nd Doctor with Cyberman, 7th Doctor with The Master, Cyberman 2-pack and Remote Control Dalek Ironside. Just have to get the 7th Doctor with Dalek now. And a blue new model Dalek. I sold another custom - a 'pewter' finish classic Dalek - and am still working on a Dalek Space Commander...

Nintendo DS Lite, Korg DS-10 plus, Dubreq Stylophone

2010-08-02T08:58:00.001-07:00

Mainly influenced by a number of impressive videos on Matrixsynth, I invested in a Nintendo DS Lite and Korg DS-10 Plus software. It wasn't cheap - the DS cost £50and the Korg software was around £40 - which was much more than it made sense to pay for something which is little more than a toy. And it's not as if I'm going to play games on it. But still, it's good fun - the combination of synthesis, sequencing and real-time control would be difficult to match on any other hand-held device. I suspect though that the novelty will soon wear off. You can't, after all, transpose patterns, export sequences, control external instruments etc - and of course you can do all that on a Yamaha QY instrument. Still, good fun. I also got a new design Stylophone - well, one has to, doesn't one?.

New instrument - Boss DR-220E

2010-07-05T06:03:00.000-07:00

I'm very pleased to finally have found on eBay a reasonably-priced Boss DR-220E drum machine. At around £35 it's a bit of an indulgence, but I've always fancied one. The 'E' sounds are nice punchy Simmons-type electro samples, so though the drum machine has no MIDI or sync (though you can clock it via the Trigger In), it might be some use. And anyway, it's fun. I'm not too fussed about getting a 220A, since its acoustic sounds are fairly dull, but I'll pick one up if I see it dirt cheap.

Doctor Who Eleven Doctors action figure set

2010-06-24T08:57:00.000-07:00

Ooh, very excited by this. A set of all 11 Doctor Who action figures, in a Tardis presentation case, including the one Doctor who hasn't been released before, number 8. Looking forward to seeing it at a launch in July, and I already have my order in...

Victory of the Daleks poster, new pattern Daleks etc

2010-05-12T13:16:00.001-07:00

Pleased to see that the new pattern Dalek collectables are starting to appear on Forbidden Planet's website; presumably the Victory of the Daleks poster will be the last of the old pattern Dalek collectables... and of course a Cyberman is always nice to have...

New synth - Korg Poly 800 reverse keys

2010-04-26T07:50:00.001-07:00

Another eBay purchase I'm very pleased with - a reverse-key Korg Poly 800 for a fabulous £57. It needs some work - one key's broken, joystick's flakey, it's lost its patches - but from a quick test it seems to be substantially sound. The good thing (apart from the yummy reverse colour keys) is that it has the Moog Slayer mod fitted, so I don't have to mess around with my existing Poly 800 Mk 2 or EX 800 to get it done. Niiiiiice...!

Victory of the Daleks mods

2010-04-19T13:39:00.000-07:00

I've done very well selling modified WW2 Daleks - or 'Bracewell Ironsides' - on eBay. They're relatively easy to paint as they're all one basic colour, and I've done a good job making ammo belts and Union Jack badges, much better than anyone else who has had a go at it. I've done 6-inch and 10-inch models, and I'll try to do some more while there's interest. And I quite like the new coloured Daleks, apart from the over-large chest boxes and the hunchback...

The Gem S-series saga continues

2010-03-27T16:26:00.000-07:00

So now I've found a Gem S2R for £180, probably the cheapest I could have got one. So far as I can make out it has all the Turbo facilities built in. I've sold the S3 keyboard, having finally figured out with the help of Andy at EMIS that the 10 basic patches are all you get with non-Turbo models - you can't do a factory reset to restore a whole set of 100. So now I have the S3 Turbo and the S2R (Turbo), which is more than enough for anyone...

New synth - Yamaha PS55

2010-03-20T17:18:00.000-07:00

My latest purchase from eBay is a Yamaha PS55, one of the last home keyboards from the company using PCM, before they went over to FM synthesis. No MIDI, but it features a poly section, a mono section, a chorus unit, and an arpeggiator, in addition to some nice accompaniment features, and of course built-in speakers. But the main reason I bought it is that this actual unit is featured in a great YouTube demo, playing Edgar Froese's Stuntman. Now I have to figure out how to play that myself...

Novation Supernova

2010-02-09T03:35:00.000-08:00

... and just for the hell of it I also got a Novation Supernova. It was £250, which I thought was cheap, but it turns out I was thinking of the Supernova 2. Never mind, it's a great bit of kit and full of swooshy noises. I got it linked up to the Doepfer MAQ16/3 and got immediate sequencer heaven, so I'll certainly be using it on my forthcoming album... On a separate note I had to give up on the Gem S2 Turbo keyboard, as it was proving too difficult to transfer the Turbo board to the S3, or even to transfer the patches (brilliant design there, Gem...) So now I'm just reprogramming the S3 by hand - it sounds great and the keyboard is fab, so I can live without the Turbo facilities and I've sold on the S2.

Novation Super BassStation and Kenton Control Freak

2010-02-04T04:11:00.000-08:00

I was very pleased to get a Novation Super BassStation from eBay for £116 - the cheapest I've seen one. It adds more patches, stereo output, sample-and-hold, noise, ring-mod, stereo chorus, arpeggiator and other good stuff to the spec of the original BassStation Rack I have, so I sold that for more than I paid for the Super BassStation, which I thought was remarkably clever of me.

I also got a Kenton Control Freak - not the Studio version with 16 sliders, but the standard one with eight, unfortunately, but it should be useful for applications such as editing the Oberheim Matrix 1000 and Doepfer MAQ16/3.

Update - So then I got a Control Freak Studio as well. I'll have to figure out whether there's any point in keeping the two, or whether the original can be sold.

Doepfer MAQ16/3

2010-01-29T02:06:00.000-08:00

I've finally got around to buying a Doepfer MAQ16/3 sequencer. Despite its age, it seems to be the best digital/ analogue style MIDI/CV sequencer on the market - certainly the only really affordable one. Looking at the manual, I'm sure it's capable of all sorts of timing, transposing and ratcheting tricks given the necessary programming, so I'm planning to use it extensively on my second album - the first one is pretty much composed already, and isn't very improvisational. But once that's finished, it will be wibbly sequences all the way...

Oh, and I also picked up a Yamaha CBK-K1 MIDI controller keyboard for under £40 - I already have a CBX-K1XG which has built-in sounds, but I thought this was too good to miss, particularly as it came with an Emagic MIDI-to-USB convertor...

Doctor Who DVDs

2010-01-23T08:55:00.000-08:00

I've made a start on a long-planned project to start buying Doctor Who DVDs ('real' Doctor Who, not gay Doctor Who), and I've picked up around 30 from eBay at prices around £5 each. There seem to be a few which are only available at silly prices, but I can wait. I've watched a few at random, and of course, the extras are always entertaining. I've also picked up some of the Target novelisations for the hell of it - I never read any of them when they were published, so that may be interesting, though I have no intention of trying to get the whole lot.

Doepfer Minicases

2010-01-22T08:25:00.000-08:00

There's only one thing better than a Doepfer modular synth system mini-case, and that's three Doepfer modular synth system mini-cases, which I was lucky enough to grab from eBay at reasonable prices. Now I can expand my system a bit without investing money or space in a full-size case - though the spare modules I have at the moment won't amount to anything on their own.

Admiral Me 262 1:18th scale

2009-12-21T04:57:00.000-08:00

Admiral's 1:18th scale Messerschmitt 262 is the most marvellous model ever; in fact strictly speaking it's a toy, though an incredibly detailed one, including moving parts, a pilot and radio antenna. I picked one up on eBay for around £21, which I thought was incredible value considering its size and quality. The only catch is that it doesn't come with the swastika decals dealers were supposed to supply, but I was able to source those from http://www.badcattoys.com/. I've now fixed them, plus the broader yellow tail-band which is more accurate - a big improvement.
Apparently there are also Stuka, Spitfire and Sabre models available, though Admiral has gone bust - but in any case I don't really have space for any more this size..!

Hammer Glamour exhibition, Madeline Smith, Valerie Leon

2009-10-27T14:16:00.000-07:00

I went to an event to launch the Hammer Festival exhibition, where I met Madeline Smith, cover starlet of Marcus Hearn's book Hammer Glamour. Despite the event being run by a PR company which couldn't organise a bum-rape in a Borstal, and who seemed intent on preventing anyone getting books signed or getting photos, l managed a chat with Madeline, who seems a mad as a box of frogs, and got the book signed.
I didn't catch up with Valerie Leon, and there was no sign of the promised appearance of Caroline Munro or Jimmy Sangster, but Madeline was the main attraction for me. And cleverly, I had bought the book for £12.49 from Forbidden Planet, rather than pay £25 at the Hoxton Twat gallery. So in the words of Alan Partridge, 'needless to say I had the last laugh'.

New synth - GEM S3

2009-10-21T02:28:00.000-07:00

If the maddest thing I had done recently was to buy a GEM S2 Turbo keyboard, this tops it - I got a GEM S3 keyboard, for £150. It's in better condition than the S2, and has the longer keyboard, but doesn't have the Turbo expansion - so I have to transfer that from the S2 to the S3, tidy up the S2 and sell it. Most importantly, I must actually record something with the S3.
Coincidentally, I also got for a bargain £18 a GEM WS2 module, which will provide the drum and accompaniment features the S3 lacks - cabaret-style entertainment, here we come.

Radio-controlled talking Davros

2009-10-21T02:18:00.000-07:00

I got a buddy for my radio-controlled talking Dalek - a radio-controlled talking Davros, for £19.99. But I'm not allowed to play with it until Christmas.

Radio controlled talking Dalek

2009-10-12T15:40:00.000-07:00

I finally got a large radio-controlled talking classic Dalek (as opposed to a new type Dalek); it looked like it was the last one in Forbidden Planet, reduced from £50 to £25. It's marvellous.

Another new synth - Gem S2 Turbo

2009-10-09T02:25:00.000-07:00

Shortly after buying the Kawai K1 Mk II - see previous post - I went a bit mad. I'd heard some samples from the Gem S2R, and missed one on eBay which went quite high - but then I saw a Gem S2 Turbo keyboard on eBay. It was listed once without any bids, listed again without any bids, so I made an offer and got it for £100, delivery included.
Good points; it sounds like a Korg M1, a Roland D50 and a Kawai K1 all layered together - every patch on it is like a huge swooshy Klaus Schulze pad. It even has Elka Synthex samples as waveforms. It can import Akai samples and use them as waveforms, it has a built-in sequencer, it has a great keyboard with polyphonic aftertouch, and it's built like a tank.
Bad points - it's filthy, scratched, has one silent key and a crackly output, and it's built like a tank. Also the Turbo upgrade doesn't have the optional RAM chips, so it won't retain uploaded samples, but that's probably easy enough to fix. Once I've tidied it up, I'll have to figure out whether to use it as my master keyboard - polyphonic aftertouch is ideal for controlling the Arturia CS80V software. Of course I'd still rather have had the S2RTurbo module, but those seem to be incredibly rare. Now I must stop buying keyboards...

Another new synth - Kawai K1 Mk II

2009-10-09T02:14:00.000-07:00

I used to have a Kawai K1 MkII keyboard, but replaced it a long time ago with a K1R module. Though it's very much a 'poor man's Korg M1', I like the Kawai's sample-and-synthesis sounds. You still can't beat the 2 Moon Sky preset...
The K1R module lacks the K1 Mk2's effects and drums, but they aren't much of a loss. Anyway, having sold most of my classic analogue monosynths, I had some space for keyboards, so I picked up a K1 MkII from eBay for a ridiculously low £50.
I won't get rid of the K1R, though, as it now looks as if I might not have space to set up the K1 Mk II after all - see the next post....

New synth - Oberheim OB12

2009-09-26T12:26:00.000-07:00

I just got an Oberheim OB12 from eBay. Not that cheap, £360, but it's in perfect condition, and importantly doesn't have any problem with the display, which often goes wrong.
I was hoping it would replace my sold Elka Synthex, Juno 60, Minimoog, ARP Odyssey and Crumar Spirit, and it does - but it looks like it will replace my Yamaha CS60 too. It has velocity and aftertouch sensitivity, an arpeggiator, a ring modulator, polyphonic portamento and an effects unit; it does the lot. It sounds a little harsh and digital for something that's supposed to be virtual analogue, but so what. Viscount being Italian, the manual's a bit garbled, but I think the Viscount contribution to the design is what's given it the Synthex touch. And it's nice to have so many knobs and sliders to play with. So I think I'll sell the Juno 60 now; then my main keyboards will be the Roland D70, Quasimidi Raven Max and Korg DW8000, plus the Oberheim - I think that should be enough to dominate the world.

New Doctor Who action figures from Character Options, 2009 Dalek Bubble Bath

2009-09-15T13:42:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to have picked up from Forbidden Planet the latest Doctor Who Classic action figure sets from Character Options; the Fourth Doctor Adventure Set, and the second of the Classic Daleks sets. I'm particularly taken with the Saucer Pilot Dalek (the one with the energy collector dish on the back) and with the Fourth Doctor, a very convincing representation of Tom Baker (with a choice of heads). And you can't beat a Dalek with bombs strapped to it. There are more out next month, including another Dalek with a Jon Pertwee figure, so I'll be first in the queue. And I've picked up the Dalek Supreme Bubble Bath... the last one in Forbidden Planet as, Boots and the like don't seem to be stokcing it this year... but I did get the last of last year's black Dalek bubble baths fro Boots for £1.25... and I'm still working on some mods for the first Classic Dalek set. I got some Plastruct and brass tubing to try to fabricate the claw, but it's tricky...

Vintage Years of Airfix and Revell Fairey Rotodyne

2009-08-03T06:55:00.000-07:00

Got an excellent book recently - The Vintage Years of Airfix by Roy Cross. Collecting his artwork from the classic years of Airfix model kits, it's a very high quality production and has all my favourite artwork in it, from the Fairey Rotodyne to the DUKW. Published at £35, I got it for £26 from Amazon. I also got the reissue of the Revell kit of the Rotodyne - looking forward to building it, though I still mean to get another couple to do 'What if...?' finishes.

More Doctor Who action figures

2009-07-25T07:46:00.000-07:00

Apart from the nice-looking Hartnell and Troughton Dr Who action figures coming out this month, I see Character Options now has some great packs scheduled for August, including four new classic Daleks, and a four-pack with Tom Baker, Mummy, Death Robot and Suicide Dalek. Want!

John Foxx at the Apple Store, Regent Street

2009-07-25T07:40:00.000-07:00

I went to see John Foxx last night at the Apple Store, Regent Street. A bit shambolic - no sign outside or inside that the performance was taking place, and jabbering fuckwits fiddling with iPods throughout the show. But quite interesting - John played Yamaha piano and Alesis reverb over one short film from the Quiet Man project, read over another, then held a short Q&A. Mark Gatiss introduced. No chance so far as I could see to buy CDs, but I'll have to catch up with the latest titles eventually.

Three Keyboard Cat Moon T-shirt - the T-shirt of the gods

2009-07-20T06:04:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit slow picking up on these things, so I was the last to see the Keyboard Cat videos on YouTube, and the last to find out about the Three Wolf Moon t-shirt on Amazon; but even I can appreciate the sheer wonder of the Three Keyboard Cat Moon t-shirt. As I post, it's only a suggestion on www.threadless.com - by the time you read this, it will probably be the biggest-selling clothing item of all time.

A visit from Boofums

2009-06-18T06:50:00.000-07:00

We get visits from a well-fed local kitty, who likes a chat, a cuddle and a bit of chicken, but who doesn't have a collar. So we call him Boofums. He'd probably be mortified if he knew. Here he is contemplating coming in for a nose around.

Battersea Dogs (& Cats) Home Cattery appeal

2009-06-18T06:41:00.000-07:00

I see that Battersea Dogs (& Cats) Home is running an appeal for funds to build a new cattery. They have some lovely posters up around town, and some very attractive kitties on the website. But the planned cattery looks like Marineville. I'm sure the kitties would rather have somewhere more homely. Find out more at http://www.battersea.org.uk/get_involved/cattery_appeal.html

New toy - Oberheim Systemizer

2009-05-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

I'm thrilled to have found this on eBay for under £30 - an Oberheim Systemizer. One of the Perf/X series, it's a MIDI performance processor which adds zoning, velocity switch, controller switch, position cross-fade, velocity cross-fade, aftertouch cross-fade, controller cross-fade, local hold, split release, patch change and so on to your keyboard setup. I'll probably never need it, but since I have an Oberheim Cyclone, Strummer and Drummer, it's nice to have - lovely condition too, boxed with manual. Now I discover there's another Perf/X device, the Navigator, so I'll have to start looking for one of them...

Dalek crazy!

2009-05-15T05:54:00.001-07:00

I'm buying a load of Dalek toys at the moment with a view to customising them. There are some good examples on eBay, like this blue one... I'm sure I can do just as good a job, and maybe add flashing LEDS...

Star Trek toys at Burger King

2009-05-15T05:50:00.000-07:00

I haven't eaten at Burger King for years, but I had to go in the investigate the Star Trek toys they're doing with kids' meals this month. It's a great selection of super-deformed characters and spaceships, and the best part is they have speech chips with lines from the movie. I've managed to blag a whole set, without having to eat a single burger...

Star Trek, the new movie reviewed

2009-05-07T02:02:00.000-07:00

Spoiler Alert! If you don't want to know about the plot of the new Star Trek movie, don't read on! I saw it last night courtesy of Xbox360 Movie Club.

I have to admit it's an enjoyable movie; big budget, action-packed, decently performed and with enough nods to geekdom to keep both old fans and new happy.

But it lacks depth, and there are some bum notes - Simon Pegg neither looks, sounds or acts like Scott, and there are some huge plot holes - what are the odds of two people stranded independently on an ice planet finding each other? And could someone decide whether Vulcan has a moon or not? But what annoyed me most is that the time-travel plot completely tears up Classic Trek continuity. So now there's no planet Vulcan - does that mean no Amok Time, no Voyage Home...?

Anyway, it was better than Insurrection, and Nemesis, and Enterprise, so I won't grumble too much. Perhaps the next one will present fewer difficulties. And I'll still collect the Burger King toys.

Next door's cat, latest image

2009-04-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

Next door's Maine Coon, as lovely as ever, despite recently having a run-in with a stray and getting her tail dislocated.

Dave Gibbons at St Albans library

2009-04-29T07:48:00.000-07:00

Saw Dave Gibbons talking about Watchmen at St Albans public library the other week. Very interesting, largely based on his book Watching the Watchmen - which I had to buy on the spot. Got it signed, along with my original copy of Watchmen, and a copy for someone in work, and a Dr Manhattan action figure... result!

Cactus Desert Drums on Matrixsynth

2009-04-03T04:20:00.000-07:00

Matrixsynth is one of my favourite websites, so I was pleased to see they had mentioned my eBay listing for a Cactus Desert Drums kit. Pity I didn't take better photos of it... I've sold my Korg DDD-5 as well, since I now have a DDD-1 so the 5 is redundant...
UPDATE! The buyer of the Cactus Kit has promptly put it up for sale again - with my pics. I could buy it back! - no, maybe not...

Latest eBay acquisition - Yamaha CBX-K1XG

2009-04-03T04:09:00.000-07:00

I'm very pleased with my latest eBay acquisition, a Yamaha CBX-K1XG - it's a compact velocity-sensitive keyboard controller with a built-in GM sound module and speakers. It was around £325 when it was released, so I was pleased to have got it for £24, particularly since you can pay more than that for something like an Evolution eKeys 37, which is just a controller. The CBX-K1XG has a couple of quirks but it's generally very flexible - now I have to get a MIDI-to-USB adaptor to make it more useful as a laptop controller.

Doepfer Dark Energy modular synth

2009-03-27T04:32:00.000-07:00

This looks cool - a monophonic stand-alone synthesizer with USB and Midi interface, using analogue sound generation and modulation. Dark Energy is built into a rugged black metal case with wooden side plates - the distance between the controls is a bit wider compared to A-100 modules, and more 'classic' knobs are fitted. But there's also a caseless non-MIDI version for use with the modular system I have. Available in June at 400 Euros. I'll have to start saving.

Who watches the Watchmen?

2009-03-05T02:51:00.001-08:00

I went to see Watchmen at BAFTA last night, courtesy of Xbox Live Movies. It's stunning - epic in scale, uncompromising in vision, unbelieveably faithful to the original comic. I'm amazed it got made, and not at all sure whether it will be a hit or not - it's certainly the best superhero film ever, and one of the best sci-fi films ever, but will it cross over from comic fandom to the mass market? Obviously I'm looking forward to seeing it on DVD, and in the inevitable Special Edition, Very Special Edition, and Extraordinarily Special Edition...

In the current weather conditions, please think of the kittens

2009-02-06T02:31:00.000-08:00

It's cold out, and sudden snowfalls can catch kittenses unawares. Please take them in and keep them warm.

New Doctor Who action figures

2009-01-30T04:55:00.000-08:00

These look lovely - new Doctor Who action figure two-packs, including the 1st Doctor and a Dalek, and the 2nd Doctor and a Cyberman. Each pack is £24.99 and there are also monochrome versions available. From Character Options, expected in June.

Roland AX-Synth shoulder synthesizer

2009-01-15T13:20:00.000-08:00

I WANT ONE NOW! But it's not out until July. The first shoulder-worn MIDI controller keyboard with decent on-board sounds (unless you count the Moog Liberation).

Doctor Who Time Squad from Character Options

2009-01-02T01:47:00.000-08:00

I'm looking forward to these super-deformed Doctor Who figures from Character Options. Time Squad figures will come in five-packs for £9.99 or two-packs for £4.99. They're more fun than the conventional action figures, that's for sure.

Judge Death - Legendary Comic Book Heroes

2008-12-29T12:41:00.000-08:00

Who says there's never anything worth having in Matelan? I just got the Legendary Comic Book Heroes Judge Death figure - AND the variant Transparent Judge Death figure - for £2 each. Whoop! They had a few others from the series, and some Marvel action figures, but unfortunately there wasn't anything else I was interested in...

Klaus Schulze with Lisa Gerrard - Rheingold DVD/CD

2008-12-11T12:44:00.000-08:00

Just got my copy of the Klaus Schulze DVD/CD package Rheingold. The DVDs feature the live concert from Loreley earlier this year, plus a documentary and interview. The CDs feature the concert plus a bonus track. All very gothic and Wagnerian, it might not be the best Klaus Schulze concert ever - there's too much of Lisa Gerrard 'singing' - but it's a great package, with Dolby and DTS surround sound on the DVDs. Despite Schulze's prodigious output there's very little of him on video. Okay, a figure who looks like a geography teacher hunched behind banks of synths doesn't make for great visuals - but this is the world's greatest musician, for goodness sake. The full SPV package is £30, the DVDs and CDs are available separately if you prefer. Get them from the ever-reliable Compact Disc Services, www.cd-services.com.

Nash the Slash on Phantomcircuit

2008-12-08T12:29:00.000-08:00

Go to http://phantomcircuit.wordpress.com for a podcast of Nash the Slash interviewed and in concert in Birmingham the other week. Good stuff, better than the recording I got, or rather failed to get, in London...!

Star Fleet on DVD

2008-12-03T09:09:00.000-08:00

If you remember Star Fleet, the early '80s manga-style marionette series which was a bit like Thunderbirds on acid, you'll be thrilled to hear that it's coming out on DVD for the first time. It's due out on February 9th 2009 from Fabulous Films, in a great-looking box set with all 24 episodes, loads of extras, postcards and a comic book, all for £39.99. Can't wait.

Nash the Slash in London

2008-11-29T11:27:00.000-08:00

Saw Nash the Slash at the Purple Turtle in Camden last night; he was fine, though the set was a bit predictable. Got the latest Nash album, In-A-Gadda-Da-Nash; not his greatest, rather bland cover versions. Support act Young Things Don't Scream, an elderly Gary Numan tribute band, were surprisingly good. The three other support bands ranged from awful to embarrassing.

Hot Wheels Batmobile

2008-11-10T05:25:00.001-08:00

For Christmas, I've had the Hot Wheels 1/18th Scale '60s Batmobile - a bargain from Forbidden Planet at £36.99, minus 10% discount because they were having a sale. I also got the 1/43rd scale Batbike. Of course, I already want the forthcoming Super Elite Batmobile - but that's £250 or something, so I won't indulge. I might, though, head over to website Pimp My Batmobile (http://pimpmybatmobile.yuku.com) for some tips on how to upgrade my Standard to Elite!

Barry Gray on the South Bank

2008-11-10T05:08:00.000-08:00

On Saturday I had a marvellous time at the Barry Grey centenary concert at the Royal Festival Hall. The Philharmonia Orchestra, Voces8 vocal ensemble, pianist Crispin Merrell and Ondes Martenot player Pascale Rousse-Lacordaire played a rousing selection of pieces from Thunderbirds, Fireball XL5, Stingray, Captain Scarlet, UFO, Joe 90, Space: 1999 and more. Several fans turned up in costume, and we got a chance to meet Scott Tracy. Brian Blessed presided, and Gerry Anderson hovered around - I saw him in the hospitality room but didn't stop to chat. During the concert they projected scenes from the Blu-ray edition of Thunderbirds, but at £120 for the 6-disc set, I think I'll settle for my DVDs.

Jean Michel Jarre's hi-fi

2008-11-07T07:34:00.000-08:00

I see Jean Michel Jarre has gone into the hi-fi business. Apparently he's designed a home cinema system, an iPod dock, a multimedia display and so on. So far, the iPod dock is for sale in France only at around € 450. The others are presumably in the design stage. I think I'll ask for a 5.1 system for Christmas 2012. See the website at http://www.jmjarretechnologies.com/.

CME U-Key controller keyboard - in pink

2008-11-05T02:24:00.000-08:00

This £129 USB controller keyboard looks interesting - though apparently it's aimed at people who want to compose ringtones for mobile phones!? More from http://sonic8.com/.

Next door's cat

2008-11-04T14:05:00.000-08:00

Next door's cat is a very beautiful Maine Coon. She comes and sits on our step, or hides under a bush, refusing to come out for a cuddle. One day, maybe.

Tangerine Dream, London Eye Concert 2008

2008-11-04T13:47:00.000-08:00

I went to see Tangerine Dream at the Forum, Kentish Town on Saturday; here's a pic taken from the balcony, where the idiots who run the Forum had decided to have unallocated seating - so you paid for a seat but still had to fight for a decent one. Anyway, the three-hour concert was predictably hard going - Tangerine Dream haven't been much good since Chris Franke left, and the latest version, swamped with guitar, sax and percussion, sounds more like some Californian New Age soft-rock combo than a pioneering experimental synth band. Yet all the talk on the chat forums is of how great they were. Go figure. Well, at least they did Going West. Anyway, it's probably the last time I'll be able to whip up the energy to go to see them, but I'm looking forward to Edgar Froese's forthcoming book, provisionally titled 'Bouncing Back; or, Needless to Say I Had the Last Laugh.'

Radio-controlled Davros

2008-10-04T05:17:00.000-07:00

Who wouldn't want a 5", radio-controlled, talking Davros? Coming soon from all stockists of Character Options Doctor Who stuff, £17 or so

New toy - Korg DDD-1 sampling board

2008-10-04T05:13:00.000-07:00

Just got this from eBay - the optional sampling board for the Korg DDD-1 drum machine. Samples two crunchy 8-bit sounds and stores them on the RAM card. I may never use it, but it's a nice toy.

Nash the Slash back in the UK!

2008-10-03T07:09:00.000-07:00

Details on his website - see Links

Jelly cat

2008-10-03T02:23:00.000-07:00

Delicious tangerine jelly cat - I particularly enjoyed his little raspberry nose