A SAD WAY TO END THE MONTH

BILLY THORPE DIED TODAY OF A HEART ATTACK, AGED 60 YEARS. HE WAS TRUELY A LEGEND OF AUSTALIAN ROCK AND WILL BE MISSED.

THE LIVING DEAD, OR THE DEAD LIVING?

AFTER MY NIGHT OF NOSTALGIA WITH THE BEATELS, I CAME ACROSS THIS PIC. I DON'T RECALL SEEING A STONES TRIBUTE BAND. I GUESS THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF SUCH THIN DEAD LOOKING MUSICIANS.

I'VE FINALLY DECIDED WHICH WAY TO GO WITH MY STUDIO

I HAVE SPENT THE LAST YEAR LOOKING AT VARIOUS HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE OPTIONS TO CONTROL MY STUDIO, AND HAVE SETTLED ON CUBASE SOFTWARE. A COUPLE OF MY NEIGHBOURS WHO HAVE PROFESSIONAL HOME STUDIOS, DAN BERGEN OF DB STUDIOS AND STEVE MAHER, A MUSICIAN, COMPOSER BOTH USE CUBASE AND NOT ONLY LIKE IT, BUT HAVE EXPERIENCED NO PROBLEMS. MY OTHER OPTION, PROTOOLS, AS USED BY MY OLD FRIEND STEPHEN GARD AT HIS BLUE DAWE STUDIO, LOST OUT ON THE BASIS THAT IT REQUIRES SPECIFIC HARDWARE, AND IS GENERALLY, BECAUSE OF THIS, A MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE OPTION. I HAVE SETTLED ON THE BEHRINGER B CONTROL RANGE AS THE HARDWARE INTERFACE. I WILL USE ALL THREE UNITS INCLUDING BOTH MIDI UNITS WITH MOTORIZED FADERS AND KNOBS.

THE BEATELS

HAD A GREAT NIGHT AT MY LOCAL CLUB TONIGHT, WATCHING THE "BEATELS", A GREAT TRIBUTE BAND. THEY PLAYED THE SAME INSTRUMENTS AND AMPLIFIERS, PROVIDED SOME GOOD SOUNDING MIDI BACKING TO THE SECOND SET AND GENERALLY LOOKED THE PART WITH THE UNIFORMS.

I'VE BEEN BUSY

I HAVEN'T POSTED MUCH THIS YEAR, BUT IT'S NOT BECAUSE I HAVEN'T BEEN DOING ANYTHING. QUITE THE CONTRARY; I HAVE BEEN SEEKING QUOTES AND MODIFYING DESIGNS FOR THE NEW STUDIO AND HAVE BEEN GIVING EBAY A BIT OF A WORK OUT. IN THE NEW STUDIO, I WILL HAVE PLENTY OF INSTRUMENTS FOR VISITORS TO USE, HOPEFULLY ENCOURAGING SOME OF THE LOCAL KIDS TO GET INVOLVED WITH MUSIC.

THESE ARE SOME HOUSE GUITARS I HAVE RECENTLY ACQUIRED FOR VISITORS TO MUCK AROUND WITH.