Skunkhour To Celebrate 30 Years Of ‘Up To Our Necks In It’ With National Tour

Skunkhour will mark three decades since the release of one of Australia’s most enduring funk-rock singles with the Up To Our Necks In It national tour this October and November. The tour celebrates the 1995 breakthrough hit Up To Our Necks In It, a track that helped Skunkhour break from the Sydney underground into national recognition.

Alongside the single, the shows will highlight key moments from their career and feature a few surprises.

Kicking off on the Central Coast on 24 October, the band will hit Newcastle, Byron Bay, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Frankston and Melbourne before wrapping in Adelaide on 15 November.

Originally appearing on their 1995 album Feed (ARIA peak #21), Up To Our Necks In It stood apart from the darker sound of the rest of the record. The song’s blend of spoken-word rap verses and soaring melodies gained traction across triple j, ABC, community and even commercial FM radio.

The single went on to feature in triple j’s Hottest 100 and was picked up overseas by the influential UK label Acid Jazz Records, appearing on their Totally Wired compilation series. To this day, it remains Skunkhour’s most streamed track on Spotify and their biggest crowd favourite live.

The band recall the song’s beginnings with a sense of fate. Guitarist Warwick Scott dreamt the main riff, brought it to rehearsal, and the rest flowed effortlessly. Lyrics were adapted from a poem, and within hours the band had created one of the most unique singles of the decade. “It was one of those blessed moments in a band when everything seems to get plucked from the ether and things just write themselves,” they say.

Formed in the early 90s, Skunkhour arrived during a musical climate dominated by grunge, rave culture and the early rise of hip hop. While many bands stayed within genre lines, Skunkhour forged a hybrid style, blending funk, acid jazz, alternative rock, rap, brass and grooves.

This eclecticism quickly made them a cult drawcard. They appeared at major festivals, toured with INXS and the Beastie Boys, and built a loyal fanbase that has followed them through disbandment, reformation, and new releases.

Over the years, Skunkhour have weathered lineup changes. Keyboardist Paul Searles departed when the band reformed around 2010, replaced by Al Goodman. In 2022, drummer Michael Sutherland was succeeded by Carlos Adura (The Strides, Tim Finn, The Beautiful Girls), revitalising the rhythm section and returning the group to a heavy soul-funk groove.

“We’ve been through our trials and tribulations like anyone,” the band say, “but the new lineup has brought fresh energy, and our shows are more powerful than ever.”

While 2025 is dedicated to celebrating Up To Our Necks In It, Skunkhour have hinted that more new music could arrive in the near future. Their most recent recordings include the Parts of the Sun EP and the single Rain on Me.

In the meantime, fans can expect a celebratory setlist leaning on the funkier side of their catalogue, reworks of classics, and a selection of more recent songs.

“We’ve noticed younger generations coming to our shows now,” the band say. “It’s a total blast to see the music connect across decades.”

Skunkhour – Discography
• Skunkhour (1993)
• Feed (1995)
• Chin Chin (1997)
• The Go (2001)

Skunkhour – Up To Our Necks In It (For 30 Years) Tour Dates
• FRI 24 OCT – Everglades, Woy Woy NSW (18+)
• SAT 25 OCT – King Street Bandroom, Newcastle NSW (All Ages)
• THUR 30 OCT – The Northern, Byron Bay NSW (18+)
• FRI 31 OCT – Burleigh Town Hotel, Burleigh Heads QLD (18+)
• SAT 1 NOV – The Triffid, Brisbane QLD (18+) – [Moshtix]
• THUR 13 NOV – Pelly Bar, Frankston VIC (18+)
• FRI 14 NOV – Corner Hotel, Melbourne VIC (18+)
• SAT 15 NOV – The Gov, Adelaide SA (18+)

Tickets are on sale now via skunkhour.com.au.

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Tagged as: 90s, alternative, Australia, indie, rock, skunkhour