Unfold (2017)
I’ve been listening to the Australian trio The Necks via CDs, downloads and streaming for about 10 years. This October they are touring the UK. The band is hard to categorise, improvised jazz, minimalism, avant garde, with some rock influences. They don’t attempt to recreate their recordings in concerts, but each performance makes a new beginning. They have recorded lots of studio albums over the years since they got together in 1987. I also enjoy Terry Riley and Steve Reich. Anyone see them live? Like or dislike particular albums? Thoughts on The Necks and / or other improvising music and minimalism welcome.
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Thanks for the prompt! Just searched and booked tickets for the jazz cafe in London in October. Never seen them live but have enjoyed a number of their albums after hearing one of their releases “Sex” some years ago.
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New Necks 3CD album is out in October. My wife says it sounds like music made by children!
Sex was the first CD I bought. I assume the title is an in-joke or ironic? I do like the album. Curiously The Necks was suggested as background music to write creatively to. But Naim kit doesn’t really facilitate this and I find them too interesting for mere background.
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I’ve ordered my CD and have played the download track ‘Causeway’ twice. Perhaps it takes 30 years of practise to improvise ‘like children’! My wife isn’t a jazz fan - even assuming The Necks play jazz. Could be like abstract painting, many think it would be easy to do, but the reality is different.
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Saw them at Band on the Wall a few months back.
They were fantastic.
Two long improvisations.
Nothing like anything on their albums, which is their way.
Sex is probably the best introduction to them but I’ve really enjoyed Bleed (great on vinyl) and Travel recently.
Box is good value for 8CDs which gets you a good chunk of the back catalogue in a oner.
Can’t say I’ve come across another band in their style yet, but I’ve arrived at them from listening to lots of ambient and electronic music since my youth - Eno, Steve Reich, William Basinski, Autechre, Aphex etc. I’m no jazz aficionado.
I’d say the Necks straddle quite a few genres and are quite accessible, while still being challenging at the same time!
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I agree Wardy, I’m not really a jazz fan apart from bands like Ezra Collective and Fela Kuti. I’ve listened to lots of electronic and ambient music. The Box looks a good buy for me too.
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Plenty to go at there.
There’s a triple CD Disquiet coming out in October.
One track from it Causeway is already streaming on Bandcamp / Qobuz.
I’ve pre-ordered it on the strength of that.
Not everyone’s cup of tea, there was a clear demographic at the gig I went to 
Yes, thanks Wardy. I’ve already played the download three times and ordered Disquiet I guess I’m part of that demographic! Minimalist but not The Necks is Africa Express Presents… Terry Riley’s In C Mali which I’ll play soon.
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Manchester, UK, for our international members
Martin
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The mention of Terry Riley & Steve Reich tweaks my interest… I’ll check The Necks out, with 
they’re anything as captivating as those two.
Ta.
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SEX is the first album and perhaps a good starting place.
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Thought I’d try Mindset first, as the first track (of two) has an urgency bordering on claustrophobia according to some reviews - could be interesting!
Picking it up on Thursday.
I don’t know Mindset, but I’ll explore. Hanging Gardens was excellent.
I’ve seen them live, twice. Once around 1990 on a Sunday afternoon in an intimate hall at Sydney University, a concert I still remember well. Then about ten years ago here in Brisbane at the Judith Wright Centre. Both times their live performances were (unsurprisingly) on another level to their recordings. That’s the nature of improvised music I guess. There’s an element of theatre in watching the subtle interplay of the musicians as they modulate and innovate their way to composition that simply is absent in recordings, and I would think that in the studio the absence of an audience and its subtle reactions impacts creativity.
As others have mentioned ’Sex’ is a perfect introduction to their oeuvre, and probably the most approachable. I haven’t seen it on a streaming service so a CD is probably your only access point.
Necks performances used to be rare because of their outside commitments, but if you get a chance to hear them in concert you shouldn’t miss it.
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Thanks for this reflection. Live music has a special energy and improvisation increases this. Perhaps their studio albums are like watching a filmed or recorded performance as opposed to the vigour of live theatre? (I’ve a literature rather than a music background). I have read something of The Necks process, but only a little. I’m looking forward to seeing them live as I missed them at Cafe Oto last year.
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Anyone who preordered Disquiet will have got an invite to the ‘listening party’ this evening. A taster for the full album.
My copy of the album arrived this morning from Australia. You will love it!
Excellent! I look forward to it and even more to seeing the live.