Alex Neilson
Alex Neilson is an English drummer, percussionist and singer who is based in Glasgow but grew up in Leeds. He has performed alongside a large number of bands and artists including Lucky Luke, The One Ensemble Of Daniel Padden, Ashtray Navigations, Alastair Galbraith, Isobel Campbell, Bonnie Prince Billy, Ben Reynolds, Matt Valentine, David Keenan, Alasdair Roberts, Tanakh, Six Organs of Admittance and Taurpis Tula as well as Directing Hand and Scatter, both of which he founded. However, he is probably best known for his continuing collaborations with Richard Youngs and for his work with elusive American singer/songwriter Jandek, for whom he has drummed regularly - four of these live performances have been released by Corwood Industries as Glasgow Sunday, Newcastle Sunday, Glasgow Monday and Glasgow Friday on both CD and DVD. He also drummed for Will Oldham, firstly on a Scottish tour in April 2006 and then again for a US and Canadian tour later the same year.
Tours
In early 2007, Neilson left his position at Glasgow based record shop and distribution company Volcanic Tongue and rejoined Oldham for some tour dates and subsequently spent much of this year touring with Alasdair Roberts, with Ben Reynolds (as Motor Ghost), with David Keenan (as Tight Meat) and with a fresh incarnation of Directing Hand consisting of himself and vocalist/harpist Lavinia Blackwall.
In 2008, he toured with Baby Dee - he is heard on Dee's recent 'Safe Inside The Day' record - and Current 93. He has already appeared on a handful of Current 93 releases and has been confirmed on their Durtro webpage as a participant in various forthcoming recordings. A new Will Oldham live album featuring Neilson has also been released.
Neilson has spent much of late 2008 and early 2009 concentrating on his latest project Trembling Bells. The band consists of Neilson on drums and vocals, Lavinia Blackwall on lead vocals and guitar, Big Mike Hastings on guitar and Simon Shaw on bass guitar. Their debut LP "Carbeth" released on Honest Jon records to widespread critical acclaim in the spring of 2009. The second LP was due out in the spring of 2010. Neilson also has spent considerable time on tour with Ben Chasny and his ensemble which makes up Six Organs of Admittance live.
In early 2013, Neilson joined forces with artist Lucy Stein and artist/writer/musician Sybren Renema in Death Shanties, a saxophone-drum duo with live visuals. Their mini-tour and self-released CD-R were generally well received.[1][2]
Discography
- The Love That Whirrs, CD (Last Visible Dog, 2005)
- To Get Beyond Nihilism By Revaluing Combat, CD-R (Hypnagogia, 2005)
Death Shanties:
- Crabs, LP (Bomb Shop, 2014)
- Psychic Rome, LP (Goldenlab, 2015)
Directing Hand:
- Bells For Augustin Lesage, CD/LP (Secret Eye Records, 2005)
- Love Will Waste My Body, CD-R (Memoirs Of An Aesthete, 2005)
- An Old Soul At The Helm, CD-R (Chocolate Monk, 2005)
- What Put The Blood, LP (Dancing Wayang, 2008)
- Songs From The Red House, LP (Singing Knives Records, 2008)
Tight Meat Duo/Trio:
- Vanishing Fist, CD, (Bo’Weavil, 2007)
- Tight Meat Duo, 8" (Altvinyl, 2007)
- Ganges Letdown, CD-R (No label, 2007)
- Carbeth, CD (Honest Jon's Records, 2009)
- Abandoned Love, CD (Honest Jon's Records, 2010)
Richard Youngs & Alex Neilson:
- Ourselves, CD (VHF Records, 2004)
- Beating Stars, LP (HP Cycle Records, 2005)
- Partick Rain Dance, CD (VHF Records, 2005)
- Road Is Open Life, CD (Celebrate Psi Phenomenon, 2006)
- Electric Lotus, CD/LP (VHF Records, 2007)