NECK sind der perfekte Mix aus POGUES und THE CLASH - klassischer britischer Punkrock trifft auf Irish Folk mit Fiddle, Banjo und Backpipes - ein feuchtfröhlicher Partysound, bei dem man einfach mitgehen muss! Seit zehn Jahren ist die Band um Leeson O’Keeffe, der mit Shane MacGowan bei den Popes spielte, eine feste Grösse in der Irish Folk/Punk-Szene der Insel, aber auch in ganz Europa.

Bio NECK:
"Bringing Irish Punk past The Pogues: Unlike many of the Celtic punks sired from the loins of Shane MacGowan, Neck come closest to the Pogues’ spirit... It doesn’t hurt to be a top-notch songwriter either: that is evident when O’Keeffe’s grandfather’s ghost makes a guest appearance on the touching title track of 'Here's mud in yer eye'... -At last, a worthy contender for the Celtic punk crown is born! " Irish Voice, NYC

Over the last six years, London-Irish band NECK have firmly established themselves as a leading force in the folk-punk scene, with their irrepressible ‘Psycho-Ceilídh’ (”kaylee”) sound.
The 6-piece band combines the swirling, spiritual abandon of Traditional Irish music (fiddle, tin-whistle, banjo and Uilleann bag-pipes); with the rip-roaring electric guitar, bass & drums of a full-on ‘pumped-up to f*ck’ Punk band! - All topped-off with the raucous, passionate vocals of song-smith Leeson O'Keeffe- a man with an undeniable pedigree: formerly of Shane MacGowan’s Popes; guest banjo-player with The Alabama 3 (A3 in the U.S.)- of TV’s “The Soprano’s” fame; from the same Irish enclave of North London that spawned Johnny Rotten; & with a family background from the same Dublin neighbourhood as Flogging Molly’s Dave King.

NECK’s up-lifting, rowdy live show has been taken all over the U.K., Europe ten times (including 3 weeks in Jan./ Feb.’05), Ireland eight times & the U.S.A. five times (including being in New York a week after 9/11, subsequently playing benefit gigs for the families of fire-fighters who were killed). They make numerous festival appearances every year, which have included Glastonbury, Holidays in the sun / Wasted & Respect (three times), Beautiful Days, London’s St. Patrick’s Fest. & The Fleadh (Leeson with NECK & The Alabama 3) in the U.K.; The Ardoyne Fleadh (three times) & West Belfast Feile an phobail in Ireland; Skagen in Denmark; Paaspop in Holland; Punk ’n’ Disorderly (twice) & With full force in Germany; Wildwood Irish Festival in New Jersey (one of the biggest in the U.S) & The New York Irish Rock Festival. They have toured with Stiff Little Fingers three times now, & have also played/ toured with: The Undertones; Shane MacGowan & The Popes; The Levellers; The Men They Couldn't Hang; The Real McKenzies; Alabama 3; The Dubliners; Black 47; Seanchai; Hayseed Dixie; The Misfits; & their U.S. ‘IRISH-PUNK’ contemporaries The Dropkick Murphys & Flogging Molly.

NECK have had both radio-play & played live radio sessions; They’ve also enjoyed press coverage in various countries: their "Psycho-Ceilídh" e.p. was joint-6th in New York's Irish Voice Top Ten releases of 2000 - which included U2 and Sinéad O'Connor! Such is the esteem for the band in the U.S. that, apart from universally glowing album reviews, the Boston-based Irish-punk web-zine, radio show & compilation album (!), is named after a NECK tune: ‘’Shite 'n' Onions’’! The band also appears performing two songs in the Belfast-set motion picture "With or Without You" (Miramax / Film Four).

NECK have contributed tracks to various compilation albums; released the above e.p. & an album ("Necked") on Deadly Discs; the ”Fields of Athenry” single in Ireland, on Hibernian; &, December ‘03, released their first of two albums in Europe (“Here’s mud in yer eye!”) for Berlin’s Bad Dog Records, ( September ’04 in the U.S., on Hibernian) . Their second, ‘Sod ‘em & begorrah!’, was released in October ‘04, with U.K., Irish & U.S. releases planned in 2005.

Make no mistake, with Irish-folk influenced punk bands appearing all over the world, there are definitely leaders & followers; & with their roots, understanding & command of the music,
NECK are most certainly the real deal!