‘To Be or Not to Be’ is an 11 min documentary Directed by Jing Chen, the 11-minute “conversation” takes its title from one of the songs from Hurley’s 1994 album Reha.

He describes meeting the documentary makers as “wonderful serendipity”, saying they approached him while he was out busking in Auckland. “As we were working on it, I was amazed at how they were able to understand where I was coming from.”

The full story is featured in the Stuff entertainment section just last week.

Veteran Kiwi musician Luke Hurley the focus of a new short documentary

“The documentary also allows Hurley to pay tribute to the influence of his father Donagh. “He was very unusual. He had this whole middle-class cred because he was a surgeon but, at the same time, he was often heard to say that if he had had a choice he would rather have been a painter. I was very fortunate to have been brought up by someone who said, ‘if you want to be a musician Luke, go ahead and do it’.”

Hurley says he’s excited that, after more than 40 years, his father’s manuscripts are just about ready for publication, while he’s nearly finished his own latest acoustic album, which, he says, was “recorded in a shed in the middle of a field with a friend of mine”.

To Be Or Not To Be will debut as part of the Documentary Edge Film Festival’s shorts programme The Launchpad on Saturday, May 12 at 2.30pm at Wellington’s Roxy Cinema. It will also screen during the Auckland-leg of the festival on June 2. For more information, see docedge.nz

Got invited to play five songs live on my fav station* with Steve Upston engineering and Jessie asking me a few questions. And my New Years resolution is to answer emails and show great-attitude regarding support from all of you. Thank you again.

* was played at 2:30pm on Dec 15th afternoons on RNZ. See NZlive link or direct podcast here if the player below isn’t visible. 

The first song played was “The Sound”. John Renbourn of Pentangle was name-checked as an early influence. New unrecorded song “Before the War“ from a poem by an Iranian refugee. “Japanese Overdrive” and“Albatross“and “Kings Cross” on Steve Barkman 12 string, Fender Strat and a 6 string ( Tacoma.)

I get to play a few songs any requests? Preliminary to the show i was asked a few questions

Q: Do I make a living?

A: Well – it’s by the grace of God I survive at all and I have had big help from family and friends

Just read a book called ECO MAN by Malcolm Rands. In it he says some key things like … stay close to the ones who helped you get there and invite them along for the ride. Be passionate about what you are doing and it will stick out a mile coz passion is lacking in the corporate dominated world.

Condense what you do into a short statement. In his case it was to make cleaning products WITHOUT THE NASTY CHEMICALS.

VOILA!

When I read that a little light turned on in my head. THAT’S WHAT WE NEED IN THE MEDIA. We need a media with no nasty viruses.

Isn’t that what the world needs in entertainment as well? To be able to watch a movie with your loved ones and be assured that it isn’t going to be full of spiritually hazardous materials? From things that make you feel alienated from love and kindness.

IT’S AMAZING WHAT WE TOLERATE

The excuse is the worn out cliche that it’s what we want.

SURE IT IS

It’s what sells?

Believing in me is hard sometimes coz I fluctuate between over confident to downright “what is the point” and am decidedly stubborn sticking to something that is in a cloud of unknowing than on solid ground.  However it might be our time i.e. those of us who trust the clouds.

Take blockchain. For instance.  Don’t worry. I don’t have any tips but here is a lead from an expert who said “A good place to start to learn about blockchain and crypto .. it is important that you educate yourself to avoid FOMO which the world seems to be experiencing at the moment.”

Problem is I don’t know what FOMO Is (Ed: Fear of missing out.)

What about blockchain blogs?and music streaming? Jason wrote in 2015 “in the case of music it could mean that Apple, Spotify and the others who add little value to the music web will be removed from the equation.”” about the Imogen Heap experiment.

For an update on that have a look at Mycelia for Music or Blockchain Could Help Musicians Make Money Again.

It’s such a pain putting sooooooooooooooooooooooooo much energy into writing and recording songs and to discover that a the system is setup for a small elite. It’s probably time for little guys like me to disaffiliate from the industry gate keepers and find our own way thru and be part of an indie blockchain system.

Anything would be better than the current revenue gathering merchants as they only focus on pleasing their favourite Ponzi Bands.  Ha ha

The BC will change the whole world and musicians will have a viable system to get a fair deal.  Let’s try it.  If you want to use my music just write to me and I will give you a place in my blockchain.  Early subscribers will get a super deal.

Seriously
Let’s do it!i am happy to be the white mouse in the chain. Want to be in the gang? Let’s talk!
Write to me here. lukehurleymusic @ gmail com.   We need programmers and supporters.