New synth - Red Sound Darkstar XP2

My latest eBay buy is a Red Sound Darkstar XP2, a desktop VA synth with a useful range of controls including a performance joystick. It's good for TB303-style basslines and reasonable for analogue pads (though it could do with a chorus unit). You can't fit Red Sound's vocoder conversion to this model - but I wouldn't be likely to do that even if I could find one, so that's not an issue. I found replacements for a couple of missing knobs, but not the joystick knob - Red Sound don't have them, so I wonder where I can find one of those?

New synth - Roland JD-990

Supposedly the rack equivalent of the JD-800 keyboard, what this lacks in real-time controls it makes up for in enhanced editing and effects functions. It certainly sounds great, and the fact that this came with the Vintage Synths add-on card means that it was almost worth the £300+ I gave for it. At least now I can sell my Vintage Synths module. The only synth I really want now is a Kawai K5000R, and the chances of finding one of those are pretty slim.

New synth - Casio VL-5

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

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

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

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

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!