Ned Collette
Encyclopedia
Ned Collette is a Melbourne singer-songwriter signed with the Australian record label Dot Dash Recordings.
in 2001, works for string quartet
s, various electro-concrete pieces and playing in a variety of loose fit outfits whilst focusing his talents in City City City. Parallel to all this Collette produced his own album, Jokes & Trials. Forgoing the democracies of a group, Collette played close to all the instruments, wrote all the songs as well as singing. Collette admits that the influence of Leonard Cohen
, Robert Wyatt
and Cat Power
led him to focus more and more on the importance of the lyrics. This resulted in his debut album Jokes & Trials, which was released on 29 July 2006.
Early on, Collette developed a unique live technique of using guitar loops and delays on stage, building percussive and melodic layers over which he presented his songs. He toured the album globally alongside artists such as Joanna Newsom
and Camera Obscura as well as playing his own headlining gigs.
In March 2009, the band announced a name change to Ned Collette & Wirewalker – a reference to Philippe Petit
and Man on Wire
, keeping the same personnel. Their debut performance under this name was at The Thornbury Theatre in Melbourne, Australia.
September 2007 saw the Ned Collette Band perform a great number of concerts, including a 4-week residency at the Edinburgh Castle Hotel in Brunswick
, in support of a second album Future Suture, released through the Dot Dash label on 29 September 2007. The album was 3RRR
's Album of the Week. The band toured it nationally in Australia.
European tour 2008
In October 2008, Collette and the band undertook a twenty-two date tour of Europe, taking in the UK, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Poland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Collette followed this with a ten date solo tour in January 2009.
Over the Stones, Under the Stars
A third album – the first to be recorded by Ned Collette & Wirewalker as a whole – was released by Dot Dash on 23 October 2009. Recorded at Joe Talia's studio in country Victoria, Over the Stones, Under the Stars was mixed by Joel Hamilton
in New York City. It features much simpler, band-only arrangements from Collette, Talia and Bourke. Ned Collette & Wirewalker toured the album throughout Australia in November 2009, and following Collette's relocation to Berlin, throughout Europe in May 2010.
, taught English at La Trobe University
and wrote two books, and Adrian Collette, who wrote his thesis
on Henry James
and also tutored at la Trobe, a former opera
tic baritone
before becoming chief executive of Opera Australia
; they have separated years ago. His father's mother, a Sri Lankan, was a cousin of Michael Ondaatje
.
Background
Collette’s musical history to date draws on a broad sound palette: an honours degree in modern composition from the Victorian College of the ArtsVictorian College of the Arts
The Faculty of the VCA and Music is a faculty of the University of Melbourne, in Victoria . VCAM is located near the Melbourne central business district, on two campuses, one - the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music - on the Parkville campus of the University of Melbourne, and the other - the...
in 2001, works for string quartet
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
s, various electro-concrete pieces and playing in a variety of loose fit outfits whilst focusing his talents in City City City. Parallel to all this Collette produced his own album, Jokes & Trials. Forgoing the democracies of a group, Collette played close to all the instruments, wrote all the songs as well as singing. Collette admits that the influence of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
, Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt is an English musician, and founding member of the influential Canterbury scene band Soft Machine, with a long and distinguished solo career...
and Cat Power
Cat Power
Charlyn Marie Marshall , also known as Chan Marshall or by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer/songwriter and occasional actress and model. Cat Power was originally the name of Marshall's first band, but has come to refer to her musical projects with various backing bands...
led him to focus more and more on the importance of the lyrics. This resulted in his debut album Jokes & Trials, which was released on 29 July 2006.
Early on, Collette developed a unique live technique of using guitar loops and delays on stage, building percussive and melodic layers over which he presented his songs. He toured the album globally alongside artists such as Joanna Newsom
Joanna Newsom
Joanna Newsom is an American harpist, pianist and singer-songwriter from Nevada City, California.- Early life :Newsom grew up in the small town of Nevada City, California...
and Camera Obscura as well as playing his own headlining gigs.
Current lineup
In 2007, he introduced a bassist and drummer (both ex-City City City colleagues), adopting the name of "Ned Collette Band". The line up is:- Ned Collette – vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
- Ben Bourke – electric bass, backing vocals
- Joe Talia – drumsDrummerA drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, backing vocals
In March 2009, the band announced a name change to Ned Collette & Wirewalker – a reference to Philippe Petit
Philippe Petit
Philippe Petit is a French high-wire artist who gained fame for his high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, New York, on 7 August 1974...
and Man on Wire
, keeping the same personnel. Their debut performance under this name was at The Thornbury Theatre in Melbourne, Australia.
Work
Future SutureSeptember 2007 saw the Ned Collette Band perform a great number of concerts, including a 4-week residency at the Edinburgh Castle Hotel in Brunswick
Brunswick, Victoria
Brunswick is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moreland...
, in support of a second album Future Suture, released through the Dot Dash label on 29 September 2007. The album was 3RRR
3RRR
3RRR is a popular Australian community radio station, based in Melbourne. It is the largest per capita subscribed radio station in the world....
's Album of the Week. The band toured it nationally in Australia.
European tour 2008
In October 2008, Collette and the band undertook a twenty-two date tour of Europe, taking in the UK, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Poland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Collette followed this with a ten date solo tour in January 2009.
Over the Stones, Under the Stars
A third album – the first to be recorded by Ned Collette & Wirewalker as a whole – was released by Dot Dash on 23 October 2009. Recorded at Joe Talia's studio in country Victoria, Over the Stones, Under the Stars was mixed by Joel Hamilton
Joel Hamilton
Joel Hamilton is a producer, engineer, and musician originally from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Since the late 1990s he has been based out of Brooklyn, NY. He shares a studio with partner Tony Maimone named Studio G. He has worked with a number of well known artists, as well as writing for various...
in New York City. It features much simpler, band-only arrangements from Collette, Talia and Bourke. Ned Collette & Wirewalker toured the album throughout Australia in November 2009, and following Collette's relocation to Berlin, throughout Europe in May 2010.
Discography
- Test Patterns EP (CDR release 2004, repressed on Holding Pattern 2006)
- Jokes & Trials (Dot Dash 2006)
- Future Suture (Dot Dash 2007)
- Over the Stones, Under the Stars (with Wirewalker) (Dot Dash 2009)
- The Pool is Full of Hats EP (featuring Wirewalker and remixes by Super Melody and Spiderface) (Dot Dash 2010)
- Long You Lie / The Hedonist 7" Vinyl (with Joe Talia) (Escobar Records 2011)
Personal life
Collette's parents are Susan Hancock, who studied at OxfordUniversity of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, taught English at La Trobe University
La Trobe University
La Trobe University is a multi-campus university in Victoria, Australia. It was established in 1964 by an Act of Parliament to become the third oldest university in the state of Victoria. The main campus of La Trobe is located in the Melbourne suburb of Bundoora; two other major campuses are...
and wrote two books, and Adrian Collette, who wrote his thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
on Henry James
Henry James
Henry James, OM was an American-born writer, regarded as one of the key figures of 19th-century literary realism. He was the son of Henry James, Sr., a clergyman, and the brother of philosopher and psychologist William James and diarist Alice James....
and also tutored at la Trobe, a former opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
tic baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
before becoming chief executive of Opera Australia
Opera Australia
Opera Australia is the principal opera company in Australia. Based in Sydney, its performance season at the Sydney Opera House runs for approximately eight months of the year, with the remainder of its time spent in the The Arts Centre in Melbourne...
; they have separated years ago. His father's mother, a Sri Lankan, was a cousin of Michael Ondaatje
Michael Ondaatje
Philip Michael Ondaatje , OC, is a Sri Lankan-born Canadian novelist and poet of Burgher origin. He is perhaps best known for his Booker Prize-winning novel, The English Patient, which was adapted into an Academy-Award-winning film.-Life and work:...
.