All posts by Luke

About Luke

Luke Hurley guitarist and singer songwriter from New Zealand.

Photo shows me and Mr Moon - John Davy sometime in the 80's

Everything is already Ok album

music, Song Stories

Hope you enjoy this new one. (some notes on each of the tracks.)

07 walk in the light has a chorus about how .. everything is already OK…

This being the phrase a father used to encourage his daughter with in her times of trouble and woe and this phrase continues to be an enduring source of comfort and meaning not only for her but for us also yes? It’s gonna go viral!

She would stop by when I was busking and sit beside me writing her diary. A ruby in the dust who passed on a diamond.

03. Almost Anything was written in Avenal St Invercargill (the New York of the ice wall) after a house concert back in about 1985…. It was organised brilliantly by brother Paul who is just the greatest promoter.

Of late he has taken to saving the world on fb batting for the the greening of the whole earth…… So much better when he organised gatherings of blissful conviviality. One friend calling by is worth more than a million thumbs up on fb.

It was a great setting and as always the support was generous and hearty. The love of many was not distracted.  There’s nothing to compare with a convivial house concert.  It’s a rare event on account of people being ever busier these days and subjected to intense pressure and many distractions.. isolating us and making the day to day pressured and confusing.

It’s not acceptable.

Luke and Mr Moon, John Davy in 80's.

Almost Anything means a lot to me as it captures the atmosphere of that wonderful night. I wrote all night and was greeted by dawn and a gem of a song.

The words… The music… Everything about it was simply a gift from the most high.

Probably my most reassuring message. God bless the spirit it was given to me in my prayer is that it brings a ray of sunshine into the hearts of those who need some gentle reminder that life is steeped with love and hope and kindness.

Photo shows me and Mr Moon – John Davey sometime in the 80’s about the time I wrote “Almost Anything”. John lives in Christchurch now. His company is called Boots on the Ground.

01. This song (River) found it’s first expression at a gig I did for TedX 2012 in the Aotea Cnr Auckland. Thanks Jason and Vaughn for getting that gig for me. It was literally 15 minutes of fame followed by a hasty return to the dirty old city streets.

Two other songs from this slot are still awaiting release. River is about seeing an actual river as a metaphor for the unbroken circle of life itself. From cloud out of sky to river to sea up through sky again and back to the river.

I was writing it’s first incarnation right on stage in front of more than two thousand very attentive people. Check it out

02. Facebook. O my. What can you say? It’s invasive, heartless and profoundly distracting. A perfect example of encirclement by mainstream of a once free internet given to us by kind loving people – who warned us not to use it for commercial gain. They even stipulated writing everything lowercase.

I am believing for a change for the better.
Imagine if Zucks teamed up with Electric Jesus?

06. . I had visions of Steve Jobs looking for the perfect components to make his marvel. Gorilla glass was promised. Unbreakable screens. Yeah right.
It’s one heck of an amazing dehumaniser and yet handy as……..
Convenience in heartlessness at a price we can’t afford.
Still
I want one. Ha ha

Happy Isles! There is even a soap named after this song of mine. (the raw by Jess)
Love the way we live in islands trying to abide y continental Metropolitan vibes

The above says what I mean here. It was the last thing I did on my south island tour. Here we are in Motueka talking about being an island pretending to be a continental metro polygon. Ha ha

05. This one’s about unconditional love on after pay. Ha ha

Enough said for now. Please support https://lukehurley.bandcamp.com/ where you can hear my sounds for free but a donation would be even better

God bless. Please let me know if you have a convivial event you need me for…..
My number is 021 0259 2919

Email. Happyislesnz@gmail.com. I need to play.
Be good.
God bless

Before the War

Listening party for Before the War

news

We hope you can tune in our listening party on bandcamp on Monday night NZ time.
Its 8pm NZ / 6PM Australia. Can try to do other times for US / EU listeners if there is some interest.

We play the album through and talk about songs etc.
This is an online event on bandcamp. It would be great if you can tune in for a listen.

Your invite here Please RSVP if you can.

Before the War is a new album 15th album is a series. All 15 are free to listen to on bandcamp and here too.

PS Update: Thanks everyone who logged in to say hello at the listening party. Thanks also to those who have bought a copy of the album already. The first 6 people to buy copies were in Canada, the US, NZ, Italy, Sweden and Germany.

(Eds note: Not everyone downloads the album so not everyone shows up on the supporters list. It is possible to leave the album on bandcamp and just stream it from there using that app or you can download and add it to your other music libraries.)

Most of those people tuned in plus a few more for the first listening party. Extra credits to “rumoursofglory” for getting up at 4am and the person or people in Italy – thanks again. It was great hearing from you all and planning the next one soon .

If you missed the listening party there is a plan to do more for this album and possibly some of the others too. Which other albums should be featured next? – let me know please. Listen to the whole album below.

Shayne Carter Dead People book

Dunedin music month

news

Writing to you from Taste Nature in Dunedin. Good place to discover great food and good company and ideal for blog writing.

Tomorrow playing at the inch bar it’s like a real Irish pub…. genuine conviviality personified which is rare in these days of nothing but www. The Inch Bar is near the Botanic Gardens in North Dunedin.

I still reckon an old fashioned newsletter like this is relevant in a sea of mainstream alternatives like instagram…

Shayne Carter 2Shayne Carter Dead People book

Been reading this book by Shayne Carter. ‘Dead People I Have Known.’ The front cover photo on the book comes from the She Speeds video in 1987 (John Collie.) ISBN 9781776562213. The book came out in 2019.

Powerful writing “We’ve all been young and stupid”.

He writes real good. You gotta check it out.

If you are in or near Dunedin or have friends there do come to the gig at Inch Bar tomorrow night. Phone me on 021 025 9219 if you have space for a house concert or an event you would like to do.

May is music month in NZ but really every month is music month and book month.

 

 

The Scene - Arrowtown preview

South Island Tour continues

news, tour

Suffice it to say the Arrowtown gig went very well and we are planning another one so if you would like a ticket to it let me know. Here is what Leanne Malcolm wrote on March 29, 2024. Stop, Luke and listen (link below) and the first couple of paragraphs here

Singer-songwriter Luke Hurley’s feeling optimistic, which surprises him.

The Auckland-based muso’s preparing for a weekend gig at Arrowtown’s The Fork and Tap and says getting older’s had a positive influence on his music and state of mind.

The 66-year-old’s slipped under the commercial radar his entire musical life — he seems unfazed by once being labelled ‘‘one of New Zealand’s great unknown musicians’’.

He first became known as a busker and still enjoys street performing, but likens it to taking a ‘‘cold plunge’’.

‘‘Often times I feel shy or embarrassed about it, but if a musician wants to cheer themselves up, they should take the cold plunge and busk and find there’s kindness not cruelty in an audience.

‘‘It never fails to amaze me how much I misread people.

‘‘You see a distasteful expression, but you never know what’s going on in that person’s life.’’

He quotes Shakespeare to make his point: ‘‘There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face.’’

Anyways in the prelude to that gig a very prominent journalist in Queenstown walked into Bean Around The World Cafe Queenstown where the two Craig’s and me were having a pensive dish of coffee. Journalist had only two things to say.

“Three musicians” he says.
Then he looks at me with a twinkle in his eye and says
“One has been”.
And he was right but Indian Craig pointed out that my career never has been better as this article written by another prominent journalist can attest to…

Read the full Scene review over here.

One thing you could do for us. Would really appreciate support for my recordings spanning back  more than 40 years. If you can spare the time go to my site www.lukehurley.co.nz and have a listen for free to 14 albums.

Any you like and decide to buy so much the better…. It’s not like Spotify as the artist gets most of the koha. It’s an app called band camp. It’s good news for musicians as it’s the kindest music seller online.

As we are looking for work between theses gigs GOLDEN Bear (Nelson) 12 April from 6pm.

The Gantry Port Chalmers 29 April  Got the name wrong. Actualkly called The Galley is at 36 George St in Port Chalmers and used to be called Santosha. Call me for ticket 021 0259 2919

Ruby Bay Store (Nelson) 25th May

Anything on a date in the gaps between these gigs and we will be there with tubular bells on. Just call me and book 021 0259 2919  do it.

We like little gigs…… Anything under 300000

Since we signed out of Taylor Swifts tour we have plenty of dates to fill but hurry.
It has been great talking to you. Don’t hesitate to contact us 021 0259 2919 if you need some great is was and has been inimitable music. OK?

Chris Benjies makes these stunning chess sets (see below). If you want one gis a call. I believe in his work. He’s an expert writer and woodist.

 

Arrowtown and More (John Dodd)

Arrowtown and More

news, Song Stories

This time away has been awesome. Got to pitch a song called “Before The War” to the director of a neo western being shot in Arrowtown. As a result of this we got a gig coming up at the Fork and Tap Arrowtown on March 30.

The day before pitching the song Craig offered me a spot in Queenstown where we met a German lady who was touched by my song “The Bridge” dedicated to my late brother Chris. She was moved to tears because the song reminded her of her tragic loss…her father passed away under similar circumstances at the same age within a few weeks of my brothers passing. There is a silver lining to the cloud as the song concerns a recognition not only of the tragedy but also the transition into the mystery…..the original recording times out at 9.28 which is about the time of night it happened.

I will write more on this when the song is released. I recorded it long before Chris passed away. Why am I telling you this? Because it astonished me that the song predates his passing and for years I could not understand what the song was about. One friend after hearing the original studio recording of the as yet unreleased song told me I am lucky to have been given a sign like this.

Tuatara Invercargill was a 🏆 and we again were congratulated by the bar manager. The secret was finding the sweet spot and turning up hours early to get warmed up and invite friends to be the white mouse in the experimental pre gig performance/warm-up . It went well and gave us great confidence in the pre gig melding into the gig itself. I am told that this is a key to getting a better main performance ……there’s no doubt that it is and in more ways than one.

The next stage was Dunedin playing in a house by the sea. We didn’t need to plug in as the acoustics were great. During this visit we also visited Lee and his amazing family. Absolutely beautiful venue he’s making at the hobby farm.

Cedar House the place that Lee returned to its former glory. It was built by the guy who set up the Otago medical school a century or more ago. A lovely place to stay

And the next gig is at a highly esteemed venue in Mapua called The Ruby Bay Store this Saturday from 7pm. Be there or be square.

Many thanks if you read this far and don’t forget to listen to the albums linked to www.lukehurley.co.nz and call me 021 0259 2919 if you can suggest any spontaneous gigs we can do anywhere anytime no matter how big. Got it? Good!

God bless ya’all
Luke

Cedar House the place that Lee returned to its former glory. It was built by the guy who set up the Otago medical school a century or more ago. A lovely place to stay

Main picture is John Dodd – the guy who kindly agreed to play on Make Room way back in the day. Was Midge Marsdens wingman and head of the music department at a high-school in Dunedin. Here we are at 7 Balmac in Dunedin. Great Cafe…superb hospitality.