Ned Collette

Ned Collette is an Australian singer, instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer now based in Berlin. He was a member of Melbourne instrumental band City City City and has since then recorded eight albums, either as solo productions or with his band, Wirewalker.

Background

Collette was born in the inner Melbourne suburb of Carlton, the only child of parents Susan Hancock, an author and English teacher at La Trobe University, and Adrian Collette, a former operatic baritone and later chief executive of Opera Australia. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in improvised music from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2000, and completed his honours in modern composition at Monash University in 2002.

He formed City City City, an improvisational and mostly instrumental band, and recorded two albums with them before signing to Australian label Dot Dash Recordings and releasing his debut solo album, Jokes and Trials, in July 2006. It drew influences from Paul Kelly, Nick Drake and Syd Barrett. In October 2008 the band undertook a 22-date tour of the UK, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Poland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, followed by a 10-date European solo tour in January 2009.

During this period Collette set up home in Glasgow, writing a new set of songs that abandoned the introspective singer-songwriter confessionals for more observed storytelling. The band had earlier announced a name change to Ned Collette & Wirewalker, a reference to Philippe Petit and his Man on Wire film.

A second Wirewalker album, titled 2, was released on 11 May 2012, through Dot Dash/Remote Control. Collette and Wirewalker also signed their first international licensing deal, with London-based Fire Records, who released the album worldwide (outside Australia and New Zealand) on 6 August. A media release said that while signifying that it was the second album released under that band name, "the title 2 also refers to the fact that the album is essentially a collaboration between Collette and Talia, with regular Wirewalker member Ben Bourke taking time off to be with his young family in Melbourne." Parts of the album were recorded with the two artists working separately—Collette in Berlin and Talia in Melbourne—although Talia spent six weeks in Berlin in mid-2011 to expand the recordings before Collette returned to Melbourne for final mixing. It features guest vocals by Gemma Ray and Laura Jean, among others. The album also features "For Roberto", an instrumental tribute to late Chilean writer Roberto Bolaño. The album received favorable reviews.

On 18 March 2014 it was announced that Collette's fifth album (and third with Wirewalker), Networking in Purgatory, would be released on 18 April 2014 through Dot Dash. The first single "Vanitas Quack" was made available to stream online.

Discography

Albums

With City City City Dawn & The Blue Light District (Sensory Projects, 2004) The Perimeter Motor Show (Holding Pattern/Remote Control, 2005)

As Ned Collette

Jokes & Trials (Dot Dash/Remote Control, 2006) Future Suture (Dot Dash/Remote Control, 2007) Old Chestnut (It Records/Feeding Tube Records, 2018) Quarantunes - limited live lathe cut (Feeding Tube Records, 2022) Our Other History (Sophomore Lounge Records, 2024) Mixed Light (It Records/Feeding Tube Records, 2026)

As Ned Collette & Wirewalker Over the Stones, Under the Stars (Dot Dash/Remote Control, 2009) 2 (Dot Dash/Remote Control, Fire Records, 2012) Networking in Purgatory (Dot Dash/Remote Control, Bronze Rat 2014)

Ned Collette, James Rushford, Joe Talia Afternoon—Dusk (Feeding Tube Records, 2019)

As a member of Rand & Holland Caravans (Spunk, 2007)

EPs and singles

Test Patterns EP (CDR release 2004, repressed on Holding Pattern, 2006) The Pool is Full of Hats EP (featuring Wirewalker and remixes by Super Melody and Spiderface) (Dot Dash/Remote Control, 2010) Long You Lie / The Hedonist 7" Vinyl (with Joe Talia) (Escobar Records, 2011)