A veteran musician, Ness was one of the founders of the reggae group the Twelve Tribes of Israel in the 1970s, and started a band called Unity in 1975.
[3] Named after Ness' long-awaited first album, From Street to Sky screened on Māori Television in August 2007[4] and at the New Zealand Film Festival in 2008.
'From Street To Sky is an interesting and touching look at a caring rebel, a formidable protester, and talented musician whose songs reflect a life devoted to unity and compassion.'
NZ Herald, July 2008[5] In 2008, Ness featured with his son Che Fu in the documentary Children of the Revolution about the children of political activists in New Zealand which also included Māori activist Tame Iti, Māori Party Member of Parliament Hone Harawira, Green Party Member of Parliament Sue Bradford and anti-apartheid leader John Minto.
In 2011, Ness and Che Fu were featured in Sons from Afar, a documentary for Māori TV in which they travelled to their homeland of Mutalau, Niue for the first time together.