Our Pozible campaign finishes in a matter of hours, on November the 6th. Currently we are at 67% of our total, with around 80 generous supporters - thank you, friends. If you have thought about supporting us, now is the time! It's do or die. WE MUST REACH OUR TARGET RECEIVE YOUR PLEDGES.

The story: Imagine arriving in another country on a Friday afternoon, meeting a bunch of musos for the first time, rehearsing a new set of songs that evening, and then recording them over the next two (immense - check the band pic) days for an album.

That's exactly how The Pet Rocks third album was recorded 9 months ago. The Australian based band pulled together members from Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland for the session at Neil Finn's Roundhead Studios in Auckland. The session surpassed all expectations, with 12 songs making the cut.

The band started in Auckland in 1994. Nick Kreisler is the bandleader and principal songwriter. We had a high profile in the 90's AK rock scene, and played major gigs such as the Big Day Out and Sweetwaters, and supports for international acts. Our debut album, PR Nightmare, came out in 1997.

Kreisler re located to Sydney in 1999, and started a new lineup with local musicians. The band released Wayward Ways in 2008, through Fuse Music Group, and received widespread airplay and excellent reviews.

Another change came in 2009, with Kreisler moving again, this time to Melbourne, and forming a local gigging lineup to play bars around town.

However, with strong ties to his Sydney crew, he produced new recordings with a crack Pet Rocks lineup in November 2011 at Roundhead. The lineup on the new album is Kreisler (vocals, guitar), Gareth Eunson (lead guitar), Nick Beswick (piano, vocals), Rory Toomey (drums, vocals), and Steve Shaw (bass). Special guest appearances from Pabs Hurrell (lead guitar, vocals) and Omar Pervez (guitar).

For Roundhead, Toomey and Beswick travelled to AK from Sydney, while Kreisler and Eunson flew from Melbourne. Steve Shaw, who played in the Rocks in the 90's, is an Auckland native. In a repeat of the 'seat of the pants' recording sessions for Wayward Ways in 2007, when the band only had four rehearsals before going to Tardis Studios, this time the band members did not even know each other! Kreisler was the only one who knew all the players. The band all met at a cafe in Auckland on a Friday afternoon, then went in to a six hour rehearsal session at Shaw's practice room in the CBD. Then, over two marathon sessions on Saturday and Sunday, the band recorded twelve songs. In addition to the rigor and finesse of the musicians, credit for this is also due to the efficiency of the engineer Jordan Stone (Queens Of The Stoneage, Crowded House) and his assistant.

The new album, though, is extremely coherent. Kreisler and Beswick conceptualised it as early as 2007, over a drink at the Hopetoun, a famed venue in Sydney. After hearing one of Kreisler's bizarre tales of a relationship with a vampire, which he had once had in London, Beswick suggested a body of 'portrait' songs, concerning people Kreisler had known. This eventually developed into the theme of the album - portraits from personal history, and unusual coincidence. Beswick and Kreisler immediately started writing material - one of the first was 'Fatal Shore', about art critic Robert Hughes' car crash in Western Australia.

The '50% Off Everything' narratives are set in the numerous places Kreisler has lived: London, Taranaki, Mexico City, Brunswick, and Sydney. The album has also built on strong collaborative relationships. Kreisler has close personal friendships with all the players. Also, it extends the core relationship of Kreisler, Beswick, and Toomey. Beswick and Toomey contribute songs to this album. Similarly, Kreisler and Eunson have worked together extensively in Melbourne, both on gigging and recording demos etc for the album. And Shaw....? Kreisler met him by the urinals at a gig by the Chills in 1995. They went on to play in the AK Rocks for a several years, and have remained close friends. Rory described Steve best, when trying to explain his style of bass playing: "He's like Batman. You don't see him coming, don't hear him coming, but then you suddenly realise that he's right there".

Described as "much anticipated" by music site Doubtful Sounds, our self-funded 3rd album now requires professional mixing ($4,000) and mastering ($2,000). Additionally, we plan to manufacture, then release '50% Off Everything' on Compact Disc ($1,750). If we substantially surpass our goal, we will release it on vinyl, and give a copy to each of you who sign up for the rewards of $100 plus.

Hopefully you can help us make this album possible.

Love 'n' Energy.

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