Neck

" Neck's riotous sound; as if The Clash were born on the Emerald Isle!" The Irish Post

“Manic psycho-ceilídh from the London-Irish heirs to the Pogues' legacy” Hot Press, Ireland

"Bringing Irish Punk past The Pogues - a worthy contender for the Celtic punk crown is born!" Irish Voice, USA

Not for nothing have London-Irish Psycho-Ceilídh band NECK become known as 'The Heavy Artillery of Irish Music': their high energy live show being honed to a tee over nearly twenty years of furious global gigging (including in excess of 1,000 festivals across three Continents). Along with a movie appearance, they’ve released three albums - their seminal second, ‘Sod ‘em & Begorrah!’ being rated, variously, 2nd and 3rd-best Celtic-Punk album ever! Their ‘Psycho Ceilídh!’ e.p. featured in New York's Irish Voice Top Ten releases chart, which included U2 and Sinéad O'Connor! While Clash-inspired social awareness saw their Anti-racism anthem 'Everybody's welcome to The Hooley!' charting in the UK - setting an historic precedent when it was plugged through an early-day motion in the House of Commons!
- All establishing them as a leading force at the cutting edge of the international Celtic/Folk-Punk scene.

The band juxtaposes perfectly the swirling, spiritual abandon of Traditional Irish music with the intense electric energy blast of a full-on Punk band! In the process, NECK distill the sound of two other mighty London rebel bands The Clash & The Pogues, 'carrying the torch on' with their own, unique London-Irish brew: Psycho-Ceilídh! The band is led from the front by former member of Shane MacGowan's Popes, songsmith Leeson O'Keeffe – a man with an undeniably authentic voice and pedigree: a stalwart of the London Traditional Irish Music session scene, from the same North London-Irish enclave as fellow London-Irishman Sex Pistol Johnny Lydon, and roots in the same Dublin neighbourhood as Damien Dempsey & Flogging Molly’s Dave King; he’s guested / collaborated with Alabama 3, Hayseed Dixie, The Men They Couldn't Hang & The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing.

NECK’s rowdy, exhilarating live show's firmly established them as International Festival favourites from Moscow to Texas & all points in between: they’ve played the UK's biggest, Glastonbury, six times (the only band to play it’s LeftField as many times as Tony Benn & Billy Bragg). With over half the band being authentic Trad. Irish Music Session players, they play both full electric and acoustic sets (being awarded the huge honour of playing a Trad. Irish music seisiún for the Irish Paralympic team), and their broad appeal’s seen them play a very wide variety of festivals and events: from Folk and Irish, to Metal, Rock and ‘Indie', via Punk and Ska! Over countless festivals, gigs & parties (Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, Hell's Angel's Club Houses, etc), they've racked-up nine U.S. Trips; ten Irish ones; thirty seven (!) European; one Asian (Moscow in front of 8,000) & ranged extensively throughout the UK from Cornwall to The Shetlands! Along with their own headline tours & shows, they've also performed with acts such as their U.S. contemporaries (& mates) The Dropkick Murphys & Flogging Molly; as well as Shane MacGowan, The Levellers, Stiff Little Fingers, The Undertones, The Misfits, Damien Dempsey, Hayseed Dixie & The Men They Couldn't Hang. They play live Radio sessions worldwide, & are on five movie soundtracks, including appearing performing in Film4’s Belfast-set ‘Rom-Dram’ ‘With or Without You’ (Directed by Michael Winterbottom - Welcome to Sarajevo, Wonderland, 24 Hour Party People - & starring Christopher Ecclestone - Dr. Who, 28 Days Later, Gone in 60 seconds, Legend, etc). Added to that, Boston’s renowned 'Irish Punk' webzine / radio station, etc. is named after the Neck tune, ‘Shite & Onions’.
They’ve even picked-up famous fans such as Johnny Depp...

Make no mistake - amongst the leaders and followers of Irish folk influenced Punk bands all over the world - with their roots, understanding and command of the music, NECK are simply, and most certainly, the real deal! Sin é…

Just some of the Festivals NECK have rocked the bejaysus out of (& quite a few more than once!):

UK and Ireland: Glastonbury (x6), Rebellion (x10!), Beautiful Days (x4), Solfest (x4), Strummercamp (x4), Boomtown Fair (x3), Respect (x3), Bearded Theory (x2), Willowman (x2), Knockengorroch (x2), Nozstock (x2), Crawley Folk (x2), AWOD (x2), Camp Bestival, Belladrum, Guilfest, Wickerman, Trowbridge, The Fleadh, Wickham, Great Escape, Farmer Phil's, Manchester Punk festival, HRH Punk, Pontardawe UK; Ardoyne Fleadh (x3), Derry Gas Yard Féile (x2), Waterford Spraoi (x2), West Belfast Féile an Phobail, Kilkenny IRL.
Europe and Asia: Nuits Celtiques, FR; Goorock, BE; Paas Pop, Huntenpop, Nirwanas TuinFeest, Zommerpop, Elastiek, Jera on Air, Oerel, NL; Punk 'n' Disorderly (x4), With Full Force, Wilwarin, Stadfest, Eifler Folkpunk, Castellans, DE; Postplatz, Nextpunk, CH; Travobaccano, Brintaal Celtic, ITA; Graz, Rain Rock, AT; Skagen, Punk&Billy Bash, DK; Oulu Irish, FIN; St. Patrick's, HR; Tantsy, RUS.
USA: SXSW TX, Dublin Irish festival OH, Flogging Molly's Salty Dog cruise FL, Guinness Toast festival NC, Irish Rock festival & Wildwood Irish festival NJ, Irish Rock festival (x2) & Irish2000 Fest NY. . … and many more!
Some quotes from just some of the Reviews for 3rd album 'Come out Fighting!':

"Come out Fighting!' - a full-on and in-your-face aural assault that combines the pathos of The Pogues,
the folk lilt of The Levellers and the punchiness of Stiff Little Fingers to mesmerising effect. 4/5" Big Cheese

"...easily as good as The Pogues ever got...they go to all the places Flogging Molly or Dropkick Murphys do but with more first hand closer-to-the bone reality. Neck's finest moment yet and another fine hooley of an album by the best Irish Punk band in the world! 5/5" Organ magazine
"A particular favourite's 'Everybody's welcome to The Hooley!', it's anti-racist lyrics and reel halfway through, it exemplifying Neck's riotous sound: as if The Clash were born on the Emerald Isle! 5/5" The Irish Post

"not only Neck’s best to date but it’s also one of the best Celtic-punk releases ever! In fact both the band and release define what Celtic-punk is. Neck are rooted with one foot in punk attitude and one foot steeped in traditional Celtic music unlike any other group - this stuff is in their blood. If you’ve never heard Celtic Punk before and wonder what the fuss is about then there isn’t a better introduction” Shite 'n' Onions, USA

“...a daring, glorious and grand melody-drenched wall of sound that offers all the evidence required for the band to take their rightful place alongside Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly.4/5" Rock 'n Reel

'...my favourite album of 2009 so far. One release not to be ignored! 10/10 Street Voice

"I love Neck! ...definitely my album of the month!" Garry Bushell

“I am struggling to think of any similar bands who have made such a striking impression
and am equally struggling to think of an album of this ilk that works so well.” Fungal Punk

"..Hard working? Great musicianship? Great Album? – Already said!? But I will say it again just for good measure.This is a very good album which I would recommend personally: VERY GOOD 8½/10” Studs & Punks

F*cking brilliant! - Uplifting, punchy, hints of The Clash:
this is hands-down the most exciting cd I've heard in a long time! Three Punk Rock questions

"...guaranteed to cure all ills, rouse the dead and disperse the evil spirits. Supremely mighty,
200% in-yer-face, a brilliantly raucous good time and a life-affirming experience –
and the abundance of life in Neck's music's enough to knock spots off the competition! Netrhythms

"...the real deal, coming at you like a 3,000 mile an hour Irish whirlwind,
it grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go until the last chord...4/5”… Spiral Earth

"Superior rampant and raucous Irishry with hidden depths - Neck are arguably at the top of the list of the innumerable bands who claim The Pogues as spiritual ancestors. 3/4" Maverick Country

"...a frenetic and ferocious concoction of jigs, reels, and folk songs: Neck are quite unique
- The Irish love a fight and you're in for one hell of a Guinness infused hammering..." Get ready to Rock

"...energetic, aggressive, ballsy and isn't afraid to say what it thinks. The socio-political message is a breath of fresh air and they get their anti-racism stance across far better than bands like The King Blues. "
Punktastic

'...Neck stand on their own two feet, both arms swinging and deliver anything as powerful as their peers
Distorted Magazine

“...contagiously passionate - the leaner, tighter sound of a band who have really come into their own."
The Irish World

"...full of energy, passion and very much on top of their game
- it’s no wonder they have such a decent buzz around their name: Neck are the real deal!" Lights Go Out

"Better than ever! Tip for any party!" - Album of the month / one of the 10 most important genre albums!”
SLAM magazine, Germany

“The rough and tumble boys do a bit of everything on their new album, and they do it spot on. I simply fell in love with Neck. If you don’t rock this album than you’re no longer cool." Young poor and angry, USA

""I really like Neck and have done for a while – there are other, similar, bands doing better somehow,
but there aren’t any doing it with so much fun. 9/10 " Tasty fanzine, USA

"...their best to date! Neck gets better with each album that they release!"
Readjunk.com, USA

Shite 'n' Onions Top 10 CDs of 2009: 2. Neck – Come Out Fighting
“Best to date, fantastic production, if there was more new stuff they would be number 1" Shite 'n' Onions, USA