Alex Neilson (born 22 September 1982) is an English drummer, percussionist and singer who is based in Glasgow but grew up in Leeds.
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, Alastair Galbraith, Isobel Campbell, Ben Reynolds, Matt Valentine, Tanakh, Josephine Foster, Six Organs of Admittance and Taurpis Tula, 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, Nick Garrie, Mike Heron and Shirley Collins.
Neilson subsequently spending much of the year touring 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 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.
[5][6] Alex Rex's third solo album, Andromeda, was released just a short time afterwards, in 2020, with Paradise following in 2021 on London-based Neolithic Recordings.