I was saddened and stunned to read of the death of Neck’s main man, Leeson O’Keeffe, earlier this week. I knew Leeson was in hospital, but I was convinced he would be on the road to recovery and beat whatever ailment he had. Leeson was a larger-than-life character who came up through life the hard way yet, despite all adversity, loved life. Leeson was among the most enthusiastic people I ever met, especially regarding his band Neck, the Celtic punk scene, and being Irish.

I think I first met Leeson in 2000 or 2001 (it had to be before May 2001 when I started Shite’n’Onions ‘cos I nicked the name of the beloved zine from a Neck instrumental). I had read about Neck, a new Irish band from London playing in Boston and promptly headed down to McGanns Pub by North Station to check’em out. Suitably impressed, I chatted with Leeson after the gig and hit it off with him (then again, who didn’t hit it off with Leeson). I remember telling him about other bands out there doing similar stuff to Neck, like Flogging Molly and the Real McKenzies, and he promised to check them out. I got to see Neck multiple times in the 2000s when the band would come over stateside – McGanns again, The Burren just after September 11th, an ear-splitting afternoon gig in the basement of The Kells pub in Allston and gigs at Dee Dees and the Beachcomber in Quincy.

My first adventure into putting out a CD was with Neck when I had 100 copies of Necked (A Few Odds From The Oul’ Sods!) pressed up and sold on the band’s behalf. Leeson was an enthusiastic contributor to the first Shite’n’Onions CD (introducing me to Brian Blood, who mastered it) and graciously headlined the CD release party for volume two in Connolly’s in Times Square.

Leeson was one of the founders of the Celtic punk scene. Always an original and never a follower. I don’t think Neck ever got a fair shake at making it, and I blame that on being based in the UK. If Neck had come out of the US, they would have been picked up by a big indie label with resources and a willingness to push them like Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly. Despite this, Neck fought the good fight, and Leeson was always enthusiastic about playing with and hanging out with The Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly. Neck’s releases were easily as good as anything Flogging Molly or Dropkick Murphys put out, and especially, Sod’em and Begorrah, which in 2010 I ranked the #3 best Celtic-punk release of all time – ” The world’s most definite Celtic-punk band, their most definite CD.”

My condolences to Leeson’s daughter and son, Lakota & Conor, whom he greatly loved.

Rest In Peace, Leeson, Slán agus beannacht