The Prospectors are a 12-strong band of disabled musicians who’ve been meeting once a week in Heaton Moor near Stockport for over 6 years. They blend live bass, guitar and keys with assistive music technology to create unique versions of pop and dance classics.
Ableton Live is at the heart of the Prospectors’ arrangements. Samples within Ableton are triggered using a range of switches, including hacked Playstation controllers.
The band also uses Soundbeam (an ultrasonic beam device) and iPads to add texture to the songs. Drake Music associates Fil, Vicky and Andy lead the sessions.
The Prospectors were recently invited by Manchester District Music Archive to work with dance music pioneer and experimental artist Graham Massey on a short set celebrating both Greater Manchester music and some of Graham’s wider musical inspirations. The results were performed at the city’s legendary Band on the Wall venue as part of the ‘Defining Me — Musical Adventures in Manchester’ project on Feb 24th 2014.
