English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
drummer, percussionist and singer who is based in
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
but grew up in
Leeds
Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...
. He is a founding member and main songwriter of folk-rock group Trembling Bells (2008-2018). He is also known for his continuing collaborations with Alasdair Roberts,
Will Oldham
Joseph Will Oldham (born January 15, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter and actor. From 1993 to 1997, he performed and recorded in collaboration with dozens of other musicians under variations of Palace (Palace, Palace Flophouse, Palace Br ...
and
Richard Youngs
Richard Youngs is an English musician based in Glasgow since the early 1990s. His catalogue of solo and collaborative work formally begins with ''Advent'', first issued in 1990. He plays many instruments, most commonly choosing the guitar, but ...
, and for his work with elusive American singer/songwriter
Jandek
Jandek is the musical alias of Houston, Texas based lo-fi folk singer Sterling Smith. Since 1978, Jandek has independently released over 45 albums without granting interviews or providing any biographical information, releasing on a self-made lab ...
.
Career
Over the years Neilson has performed alongside a large number of bands and artists including Lucky Luke, The One Ensemble of Daniel Padden,
Ashtray Navigations
Ashtray Navigations is an English experimental music group centred upon Phil Todd and active since 1991. Colloquially referred to as "Ash Nav", the group operates out of Todd's home in Stoke-on-Trent, from which he also ran the record labels ...
Isobel Campbell
Isobel Campbell (born 27 April 1976) is a Scottish singer, songwriter and cellist. She rose to prominence at age nineteen as a member of the indie pop band Belle & Sebastian, but left the group to pursue a solo career, first as The Gentle Waves ...
Josephine Foster
Josephine Foster is an American singer, songwriter, and musician from Colorado. She is known for her anachronistic voice and work that weaves older styles with the modern, escaping simple classification.
As a teenager Foster worked as a churc ...
,
Six Organs of Admittance
Six Organs of Admittance is the primary musical project of American guitarist Ben Chasny. Chasny's music is largely guitar-based and is often considered new folk; however, it includes obvious influences, marked by the use of drones, chimes, and ...
and
Taurpis Tula
Taurpis Tula is a Glasgow-based band currently comprising David Keenan, Heather Leigh Murray and Alex Neilson
Alex Neilson (born 22 September 1982) is an English drummer, percussionist and singer who is based in Glasgow but grew up in Leeds. ...
, as well as Directing Hand and Scatter, both of which he founded. Collaborating with other musicians, he has accompanied on tour several folk artists who have enjoyed a late rediscovery of their work, amongst them Scott Fagan,
Mike Heron
James Michael Heron (born 27 December 1942) is a Scottish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his work in the Incredible String Band in the 1960s and 1970s.
Career
Heron was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and attended th ...
and
Shirley Collins
Shirley Elizabeth Collins MBE (born 5 July 1935) is an English folk singer who was a significant contributor to the English Folk Revival of the 1960s and 1970s. She often performed and recorded with her sister Dolly, whose accompaniment on ...
. He also drummed on Collins's 2016 comeback album, '' Lodestar''.
In early 2007, Neilson left his position at Glasgow-based record shop and distribution company
Volcanic Tongue
Volcanic Tongue is a record shop, distribution company and record label located in Glasgow, Scotland. It specialises in underground music from the UK, US, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. They describe their remit as "free folk, psych, J ...
and joined
Will Oldham
Joseph Will Oldham (born January 15, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter and actor. From 1993 to 1997, he performed and recorded in collaboration with dozens of other musicians under variations of Palace (Palace, Palace Flophouse, Palace Br ...
for tour dates, having first played with him on a Scottish tour in April 2006. Neilson subsequently spending much of the year touring with Ben Reynolds (as Motor Ghost), with
David Keenan
David Keenan (born April 1971) is a Scottish writer and author of four novels. Career
He used to run the Glasgow record shop, distribution company and record label Volcanic Tongue.
Journalism
His work for ''The Wire'' (who he wrote for from ...
(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
Baby Dee (born 1953) is an American performance artist, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter from Cleveland, Ohio.
Early career
In the 1970s, Baby Dee began her musical career as a street performer, but soon decided to take work as an ...
- he is heard on Dee's ''Safe Inside The Day'' record - and
Current 93
Current 93 are an English experimental music group, working since the early 1980s in folk-based musical forms. The band was founded in 1982 by David Tibet, who has been Current 93's only constant member.
Background
Tibet has been the only const ...
, having already appeared on a handful of Current 93 releases. A new Oldham live album featuring Neilson was also released.
Neilson spent much of late 2008 and early 2009 concentrating on his band Trembling Bells. The band consisted of Neilson on drums and vocals, Lavinia Blackwall on lead vocals and guitar, Mike Hastings on guitar and Simon Shaw on bass. Their debut LP ''Carbeth'' was released on Honest Jon Records to widespread critical acclaim in the spring of 2009. Neilson also spent considerable time on tour with Ben Chasny and his Six Organs of Admittance live ensemble. Trembling Bells continued to tour and release records until their split in late 2018. Their final release, for the 2019 Record Store Day, is a split 10" with Neilson's solo project Alex Rex.
Neilson regularly drummed for American avant-garde musician
Jandek
Jandek is the musical alias of Houston, Texas based lo-fi folk singer Sterling Smith. Since 1978, Jandek has independently released over 45 albums without granting interviews or providing any biographical information, releasing on a self-made lab ...
. Four of these live performances have been released by Corwood Industries as ''
Glasgow Sunday
''Glasgow Sunday'' is the second of four albums released in 2005 by musician Jandek on Corwood Industries, as (0779). His 41st overall, it was recorded live on October 17, 2004 at The Arches, Glasgow, as part of the Instal festival. This was the ...
'', ''
Newcastle Sunday
''Newcastle Sunday'' is the 45th release by avant-folk/blues singer/songwriter Jandek, released by Corwood Industries. It is a recording of his second ever live performance, recorded at The Sage Gateshead, England.
Like 2005's ''Glasgow Sunda ...
'', ''
Glasgow Monday
''Glasgow Monday'' is the 47th release, third live album, and second-ever double album release, from avant-folk/blues singer/songwriter Jandek. It is his fifth release of the year (counting the DVD version of ''Glasgow Sunday'') and features ...
'' and ''Glasgow Friday'' on both CD and DVD. He continues to drum for Will Oldham (Bonnie "Prince" Billy), and has recorded and performed extensively with Scottish folk musician Alasdair Roberts on multiple tours and records.
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.
Neilson currently releases solo work under the name Alex Rex. His debut album, ''Vermillion'', came out in April 2017 on Tin Angel Records.
The second Alex Rex album ''Otterburn'' will be released in March 2019. It heavily deals with the sudden death of Alex's younger brother Alastair around the time of the release of ''Vermillion''. The album cover features a childhood photo of Alastair, Alex and their older brother Oliver. Two singles preceded the album, "Master" and "Latest Regret".
Select discography
Solo (Alex Rex)
*''Vermillion'', CD/LP (
Tin Angel Records
Tin Angel Records is a British independent record label.
History
Tin Angel Records has founded in 2007 with Devon Sproule's '' Keep Your Silver Shined''. The album received critical acclaim and led to Sproule appearing live on Later... with ...
Honest Jon's Records
Honest Jon's is a British independent record shop based on Portobello Road in Ladbroke Grove, London, operating since 1974. The shop is owned and run by Mark Ainley and Alan Scholefield, who took over from one of the original proprietors, "Hone ...
The Marble Downs
''The Marble Downs'' is an album by the Trembling Bells and Bonnie 'Prince' Billy. The album was released in 2012 by Honest Jon's Records in the UK. The album features vocals by Lavinia Blackwall of the Trembling Bells and Bonnie 'Prince' Billy.
...
'' with
Bonnie Prince Billy
Joseph Will Oldham (born January 15, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter and actor. From 1993 to 1997, he performed and recorded in collaboration with dozens of other musicians under variations of Palace (Palace, Palace Flophouse, Palace Br ...
, CD/LP (Honest Jon's Records, 2012)
*''The Sovereign Self'', CD/LP (Tin Angel Records, 2015)
*''Wide Majestic Aire'', CD/LP EP (Tin Angel Records, 2016)
*''Dungeness'', CD/LP (Tin Angel Records, 2018)
*''I am the King'' with Alex Rex, 10" LP (Tin Angel Records, Record Store Day 2019)
Ashtray Navigations
Ashtray Navigations is an English experimental music group centred upon Phil Todd and active since 1991. Colloquially referred to as "Ash Nav", the group operates out of Todd's home in Stoke-on-Trent, from which he also ran the record labels ...
*''The Love That Whirrs'', CD (Last Visible Dog, 2005)
*''To Get Beyond Nihilism By Revaluing Combat'', CD-R (Hypnagogia, 2005)
Current 93
Current 93 are an English experimental music group, working since the early 1980s in folk-based musical forms. The band was founded in 1982 by David Tibet, who has been Current 93's only constant member.
Background
Tibet has been the only const ...
* ''Birth Canal Blues Live'', CD (
Coptic Cat
Coptic may refer to:
Afro-Asia
* Copts, an ethnoreligious group mainly in the area of modern Egypt but also in Sudan and Libya
* Coptic language, a Northern Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Egypt until at least the 17th century
* Coptic alphabet ...
, 2008)
* ''
Aleph at Hallucinatory Mountain
''Aleph at Hallucinatory Mountain'' is a studio album by the British experimental band Current 93, released in May 2009 on Coptic Cat Records. "''Aleph at Hallucinatory Mountain''" ''Allmusic''. Retrieved July 11, 2009.
After collaborating with ...
Directing Hand
Director may refer to:
Literature
* ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine
* ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker
* ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty
Music
* Director (band), an Irish rock band
* ''D ...
*''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)
Jandek
Jandek is the musical alias of Houston, Texas based lo-fi folk singer Sterling Smith. Since 1978, Jandek has independently released over 45 albums without granting interviews or providing any biographical information, releasing on a self-made lab ...
* ''
Glasgow Sunday
''Glasgow Sunday'' is the second of four albums released in 2005 by musician Jandek on Corwood Industries, as (0779). His 41st overall, it was recorded live on October 17, 2004 at The Arches, Glasgow, as part of the Instal festival. This was the ...
,'' CD/DVD (Corwood Industries, 2005)
* ''
Newcastle Sunday
''Newcastle Sunday'' is the 45th release by avant-folk/blues singer/songwriter Jandek, released by Corwood Industries. It is a recording of his second ever live performance, recorded at The Sage Gateshead, England.
Like 2005's ''Glasgow Sunda ...
'', CD/DVD (Corwood Industries, 2006)
* ''
Glasgow Monday
''Glasgow Monday'' is the 47th release, third live album, and second-ever double album release, from avant-folk/blues singer/songwriter Jandek. It is his fifth release of the year (counting the DVD version of ''Glasgow Sunday'') and features ...
'', CD/DVD (Corwood Industries, 2006)
* ''Glasgow Friday'', CD/DVD (Corwood Industries, 2008)
* ''Where Do You Go From Here'', CD (Corwood Industries, 2011)
Tight Meat Duo/Trio
*''Vanishing Fist'', CD ( Bo’Weavil, 2007)
*''Tight Meat Duo'', 8" (Altvinyl, 2007)
*''Ganges Letdown'', CD-R (No label, 2007)
Richard Youngs
Richard Youngs is an English musician based in Glasgow since the early 1990s. His catalogue of solo and collaborative work formally begins with ''Advent'', first issued in 1990. He plays many instruments, most commonly choosing the guitar, but ...
& Alex Neilson
*''Ourselves'', CD (
VHF Records
VHF Records is an American record label, known for their extensive work with several major experimental artists. The label is based in the Washington, DC suburb of Fairfax, Va., and it initially focused on indie and experimental bands from that reg ...
, 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)