Chris Abrahams – piano, hammond organ, electric keyboard 
Llody Swanton – acoustic and electric bass
Tony Buck – drums, percussion, eletronics

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The Necks are one of the great cult bands of Australia. With next to no publicity, their seven albums have sold in their thousands. Their new album looks set to do the same. Chris Abrahams , Tony Buck , and Lloyd Swanton conjure a chemistry together that defies description in orthodox terms. These three musicians are among the most respected and in-demand in Australia, working in every field from pop to avant-garde. Over 160 albums feature their presence individually or together, but the music of The Necks stands apart from everything else they have done. Featuring lengthy pieces which slowly unravel in the most intoxicating fashion, frequently underpinned by an insistent deep groove, the eight albums by The Necks stand up to re-listening time and time again. The deceptive simplicity of their music throws forth new charms on each hearing. Not entirely avant-garde, nor minimalist, nor ambient, nor jazz, the music of The Necks is possibly unique in the world today.

ALBUMS (All albums released in Australia on Fish of Milk through Shock, except as noted)

Sex 1989, USA: Private Music, 1996

Next 1990

Aquatic 1994, USA: Carpet Bomb 1999

Silent Night 1996

Piano Bass Drums 1998
(nominated Jazz Recording of the Year, ABC Classic FM Awards)

Music for the feature film The Boys 1998, Wild Sound/MDS (nominated Best Soundtrack Album, ARIA Awards and Australian Guild of Screen Composers Awards)

Hanging Gardens 1999, Europe: ReR, 2001
FILM SCORES

In the Mind of the Architect 2000, 3 X 1 hr ABC-TV documentaries

The Boys 1998, 80 mins, director: Rowan Woods (nominated Best Musical Score, AFI Awards and Australian Guild of Screen Composers Awards)

What’s the Deal? 1997, 17 mins, director: Robert Mac
TOURS

Australia numerous performances in Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane since 1987

Mexico 1987 12 cities (with Jeannie Lewis, subject of SBS-TV documentary „Maroubra to Mexico“)

Berlin, Germany 1995

Europe 1998 15 cities

Europe 1999: (April-May) 9 cities (Sep-Oct) 12 cities

Australia 2000 8 cities, 11 shows

Europe 2000 (May-June) 17 cities- (Oct-Nov) 8 cities

Australia 2001 10 cities, 18 shows

Europe 2001 (March-April) 7 cities
Chris Abrahams

One of the most distinctive keyboardists Australia has produced, Chris was born in 1961 in New Zealand but came to Sydney by way of Nigeria at an early age. He first came to public attention as pianist and chief composer for The Benders. With them he recorded three albums and toured overseas to India, Cuba, the UK and Europe.

In 1993 he toured the world for nine months as keyboard player with Midnight Oil. Currently he performs and composes with Melanie Oxley, and The Hunting Party. He has released two highly-acclaimed solo piano albums, and has recently finished recording a third. Lately Chris has also been pivotal in the local revival of interest in the Hammond organ.

Abrahams is one of Sydney’s most in-demand session players, having appeared on over 50 albums with the likes of The Laughing Clowns, The Triffids, The Church, The Jackson Code, The Whitlams, Stephen Cummings, Karma County, Wendy Matthews and The Sparklers.

He has recorded over 60 of his own compositions or co-compositions, and has been covered by such artists as Stephen Cummings, and Vika and Linda Bull. Chris has production credit on albums by The Benders and Melanie Oxley, as well as having composed half a dozen movie soundtracks.

Chris has been voted Best Keyboardist for two years running in the Rolling Stone Critics‘ Awards.
Tony Buck

Born in Sydney in 1962, Tony is regarded as one of Australia’s most creative and adventurous exports, with vast experience across the globe. He has been involved in a highly diverse array of projects. Apart from The Necks, he is probably best known as leader of hardcore/impro band PERIL.

Early in his musical life, after having graduated from the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music, he became very involved in the jazz scene in Australia, often touring with visiting international artists such as Vincent Herring, Clifford Jordan, Mickey Tucker, Branford Marsalis and Ernie Watts, as well as Australians Mark Simmonds, Paul Grabowsky, The catholics, Sandy Evans and Dale Barlow.

Following time spent in Japan, where he formed PERIL with Otomo Yoshihide and Kato Hideki, Tony moved to Europe, and has involved himself in many projects there, including the development of new „virtual“ MIDI controllers at STEIM in Amsterdam.

Tony has played, toured or recorded with, among others, Jon Rose, Nicolas Collins, Tenko, John Zorn, Tom Cora, Phil Minton, Haino, Switchbox, The Machine for Making Sense, Ne Zhdall, The EX, Peter Brotzmann, Hans Reichel, The Little Red Spiders, Subrito Roy Chowdury, Clifford Jordan, Kletka Red, Han Bennink, Shelley Hirsch, Wayne Horvitz, Palinckx, and Ground Zero.

Lloyd Swanton

Described by Billboard Magazine as „An outstanding and imaginative Australian bassist and composer“, Forty one year old Lloyd Swanton has performed with many of the cornerstones of Australian music: The Benders, Clarion Fracture Zone, the Bernie McGann Trio, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Vince Jones, Alpha Centauri Ensemble, the Mighty Reapers, the Seymour Group, Tim Finn, Stephen Cummings, and Wendy Matthews. Lloyd has also performed a number of solo improvisation concerts, something rarely seen on the double bass.

In 1991 he formed his own group, The catholics (winners of the 1995 Mo Award for Best Jazz Group). This highly-acclaimed group has released four albums, three of which have been nominated for ARIA Awards. All are produced by Swanton and feature predominantly his compositions. Three are released in the USA, and their second album, Simple, has been released in Germany, where it was recently nominated for the Deutsche Schallplattenkritik award.

Overseas exposure with numerous groups includes several visits each to the prestigious Montreux, Montreal and North Sea festivals, and many other performances throughout much of Europe, Asia, Canada, the USA, Mexico, Cuba, New Zealand and Russia.

International artists with whom he has performed throughout Australia include Dewey Redman, Nat Adderly, Clifford Jordan, Vincent Herring, Sting, Jimmy Witherspoon, Margie Evans, Sheila Jordan, Billy Harper, Barney Kessel, Andrew Hill, George Coleman Jr., John Hicks & Carlos Ward, Darrell Grant, and Gary Bartz.

Lloyd appears on some sixty albums, including several ARIA Award winners, and produced last year’s Award winner, by Bernie McGann. Over sixty of his compositions or co-compositions appear on record.

He has composed several film soundtracks, including „The Beat Manifesto“, which won the 1995 Australian Guild of Screen Composers Award for Best Short Film Soundtrack, as well as Best Achievement in Music Score at the Exposure International Short Film Festival, and three AFI Awards.

He also hosts „Mixed Marriage“, a popular weekly radio program which looks at crossings of jazz with other musical styles, on Eastside Radio in Sydney.