The Necks 30th Anniversary: Solo Performances - Lloyd Swanton

ISSUE is thrilled to welcome back legendary Australian trio The Necks for three special performances celebrating their 30th anniversary February 23rd through 25th. A cult phenomenon of cathartic, sonic possibility -- The Necks have been praised by the LA Times as “among the world’s greatest forces in music,” developing their distinct and enthralling sound over three decades, nineteen albums, and countless performances across the world. Marking their first ISSUE appearance in full form since 2010, ISSUE presents three distinct performances that highlight key performance practices the trio has embarked upon over their stunning experimental tenure.

Thursday, February 23rd, Chris Abrahams, Lloyd Swanton and Tony Buck each perform solo sets showcasing their distinct instrumental approaches that emphasize independent performative contributions to their collaborative music.

Apart from leading The catholics, Lloyd Swanton has performed with many of the cornerstones of Australian music. Swanton’s recent solo work “Ambon,” a major suite of compositions for a twelve-piece ensemble (which was drawn from the secret prison diary of his uncle, who died a prisoner of the Japanese in World War II) premiered to great acclaim in 2015 and a double CD studio recording of the work was also released that year.

Described by Billboard Magazine as "an outstanding and imaginative Australian bassist and composer,” Lloyd Swanton was born into a large and musical family in Sydney in 1960. His long-running group, The catholics, has released eight albums, all produced and predominantly composed by him, with three receiving ARIA Award nominations. Their album Simple was nominated for the German Deutsche Schallplattenkritik Award.His 12-part suite Ambon, drawing from his uncle Stuart's secret diary kept whilst a prisoner of war in World War II, had its premiere in 2015, and is now released as a double CD. Overseas exposure in nearly 40 countries with numerous groups includes countless performances throughout Europe, Canada, the USA, Mexico, India, Cuba, New Zealand, Taiwan, South Korea, Russia, Indonesia, Thailand and Japan. For fourteen years, Lloyd Swanton hosted Mixed Marriage, a very popular radio program which examined crossings of jazz with other musical styles, on Eastside Radio in Sydney. In his spare time, Lloyd is an avid follower of Australian Football, and a keen collector of Australian Aboriginal art, ice crushers, modernist ceramics, and books on Fellini. He is also gathering historical information on his distant ancestor Theodore Deck, a leading name in 19th Century French ceramics.