There are great trios then there are The Necks – Australia's most successful, experimental music export and 'the greatest trio on Earth' as dubbed by The New York Times.
What started as a backyard jam between mates 30 years ago has ballooned into an internationally-acclaimed tour de force that is revered globally by critics and fans alike.
The masters of long-form improvisation, pianist Chris Abrahams, bassist Lloyd Swanton and drummer Tony Buck produce mesmerising soundscapes starting with simple, repeating rhythmic and melodic pattern that gradually evolve and become more complex over the course of an hour.
The Necks released their 20th album 'Body' in 2018 and will be on tour in Australia until March. We take some time with the band to discuss their intriguing work.
The Necks released their 20th album 'Body' in 2018; have you been happy with the response to the record?
(Tony Buck) Yes. I think we’ll all very happy. It’s been getting some nice reviews and has ended up in a bunch of 'best of' lists at the end of the year. So that’s all good. People tell us they like it. We were happy the way it ended up after recording it, so it’s always nice to know other people also enjoy it.
Being your 20th album, how did the band approach the writing/ recording process?
We have, more or less, used the same methods of recording that we used on the first record. We like to utilise the studio for all it has to offer.
All our studio records incorporate overdubs and lots of other instruments and sound sources outside of the main piano, bass and drum line-up. In essence, there are two The Necks really. The ‘live’, acoustic trio and the studio group; using the studio and shaping compositions that way.
How did the 'A Very Silent Way' collaboration with Underworld come about?
We played with Karl [Hyde], from Underworld, a few times in Australia and England, [and] with Brian Eno in the Pure Scenius project. Over the years, we’ve become quite close friends and we talked a lot about the idea of The Necks and Underworld collaborating. We managed to find the time and space to do it.
How does collaborating with another group affect the band's process of composing?
We don’t really compose in the usual sense. People that want to collaborate with us, I imagine, understand this and also have similar approaches as far as openness and spontaneous composition apply. We only ever do what we are comfortable doing.
What else kept the band and its members busy in 2018?
Lots of stuff. Individually and as a group, so it's hard to really condense it into a neat statement. There are some interesting collaborations with The Necks coming up but also we always keep busy as individuals outside of the band , which of course after a while ends up feeding influences and new creative energy into the group anyway.
Your most recent Australian tour began in Sydney mid-January; how have the live shows gone so far?
They’ve all been great.
How do The Necks in the studio compare/ contrast to The Necks live on-stage?
I think I referenced that earlier. [We're] kind of two different bands in actuality. On stage we simply walk on and start to play; listening to each other and responding to the situation as the sounds unfold in the room as we play.
In the studio we have the luxury to reflect more on how our parts work together, shaping a piece out of the many options we give ourselves though overdubbing and instrumental combinations.
Given the improvised nature of your work, how do The Necks prepare for a live show (if at all)?
Apart from the fact we’ve been working on and in this project for 30 + years, with all that entails, we don’t really talk about anything specific much anymore. The project and the music tend to grow very organically.
I feel we all share the same objectives - all know intrinsically what we are trying to achieve - so nowadays it’s really just a matter of creating the music together.
Have you ever been surprised or caught off-guard by the soundscapes you and your bandmates create in the moment?
To be honest, after 30 years, it happens often. Every few gigs I think one or other of us surprise the others with some new sound or approach.
Being improvised, how do you keep a song together without it going completely off the rails?
I’m not sure. The fact it is improvised, or spontaneously composed, means there is greater risk it might go of the rails than with any other type of music. It’s still based on listening and structural awareness and all the other things playing music with other people is based on.
I guess we’ve always been aware that clarity in ones ideas is an important aspect of playing together and also the idea of listening closely and taking our time.
After three decades performing and touring, what keeps you all together?
We really like the music we make together.
What else is coming up for The Necks in 2019?
A bunch of gigs and some recording for a new The Necks release and some other projects and collaborations with some great artists and friends. It looks like a good year ahead. Stay tuned.
The Necks Australia Tour 2019
Sat 23 Feb - The Tivoli Theatre (Brisbane)Sat 9 Mar - The Palais (Adelaide Festival)
Sun 10 Mar - Theatre Royal (Castlemaine)
11-12 Mar - Brunswick Music Festival (Melbourne)
Wed 13 Mar - MONA (Hobart)
