The Necks

1-23-09 The Necks

In a few short weeks, I will get the opportunity to see The Necks – the fabulous Australian instrumental band.

CD AQUATIC FISH OF MILK FOM 0002

1994 2 TRKS CD-only release?

CD BOYS, THE (O.S.T.) ReR US ReRNECKS 4

2004 7 TRKS CD-only release?

CD HANGING GARDENS ReR US ReRNECKS 1

1999 1 TRK (60:30) CD-only release?

CD NEXT SPIRAL SCR 4

1990 6 TRKS CD-only release?

CD PHOTOSYNTHETIC LONG ARMS CDLA 03053

2002 1 TRK CD-only release? (42:22)

CDx2 SEE THROUGH / MOSQUITO ReR US ReRNECKS 4/5

2004 2 TRKS CD-only release?

CD SEX SPIRAL SCR 2

1989 1 TRK CD-only release?

CD TOWNSVILLE ReR US ReRNECKS 8

2007 1 TRK (53:41) CD-only release?

No, I do not have all of their releases. Recommended Records (US) is releasing their stuff here now, so by their numbering system, I am missing at least 5 titles, some of which are multiple disc sets! And is there any Necks on vinyl??? You’d have to fade a 60:00 track into 2 parts, to get it onto an LP.

I first heard The Necks when I started working at Bay Cities Disc, in Redondo Beach, CA. The owner of BCD had a CD of “Sex”, which I believe is their debut release – it’s a single track, running at or under an hour. Believe it or not, it even got a US release, via Private Music, a new age label that I was never terribly interested in. Rumor has it that the Australian label that did the first two Necks albums was the same (English) guy who paid for the debut EP by The Buzzcocks! Spiral Scratch, anybody? And isn’t “Fish Of Milk” a great name for a record label?

But The Necks are not “new age” by any means – is it jazz? It certainly isn’t ‘rock music’ per se.

Their 2^nd album, “Next”, had some shorter songs – 26 minutes only etc. Some very catchy stuff, and as close to ‘rock music’ as The Necks ever got. In fact, I recommend starting with “Next”, if you can find a copy!

I am not sure what Recommended Records (US) has the rights to – if they even have “Sex” or “Next”. Does music like this get played on the radio? I remember the joke in the late 60’s / early 70’s that FM radio disc jockeys used to put on “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” (17+ minutes) so they could “go outside for a smoke”. If you put on “Sex”, you could drive to the 7-11, get your smokes and some beer – drive back to the station, smoke your tabs and down a six-er in an hour! Or perhaps you could follow the ‘directive’ of the disc and find someone compliant – and not even feel rushed; and get back in time to back-announce and cue up another hour-long Necks track!

Truly, this is really special music.