Whoa. Weird Happening #2.

luke preparing to rock
Originally uploaded by doogin.

I just found myself on Flickr. (I'm pretty sure it's me.) I added this guy as one of my contacts 'cause he likes Luke Temple, too, but I wasn't expecting to find a picture of myself. I was at that show. I'm on the right. I think I'm the one between the guy on the far right edge of the shot and the guy to his left. And Genevieve is the blurry face that's facing the camera. Small world. P.S. Why do both of my weird happenings involve Luke Temple? That makes it even weirder. I haven't even been listening to him that much lately...

Holy Moly.

Let me preface this by saying, a few of you know I talk about this Danish band named Kashmir quite a bit. I mean, they are in my list of my top ten favorite bands of all time. No doubt.

So on the way to the Mercury Lounge last night to see Luke Temple play (marvelous show, by the way), I spotted two of the guys in--you guessed it--Kashmir. I grabbed the arm of the lead singer. (Poor guy. Think I spooked him.) I talked to the lead singer. (His name's Kasper.) Lexia proceeded to tell them that I have a picture of them as my screensaver. Simply not true. They are my wallpaper. I can't explain what this whole meeting means to me. I mean, picture Lexia meeting Jimmy Fallon. That's about on par.

So the lead singer was really nice. I couldn't quite figure out the other guy. I think he's the bassist. And they were with another guy, the one that is mixing their new album over here. The Engineer Guy asked Lexia, "How are you?"
Lexia answered, "I'm sorry I can't hear you. I'm sick and my ears are full."
"I said, 'How are you?'"
"Oh! I'm great, thanks!"
(I don't know if that's exactly how the converstaion went, because I was busy talking to the lead singer of Kashmir.) Just thought that that was a pretty funny conversation to have with a complete and utter stranger.


As I just mentioned, the Luke Temple show was "marvelous." It was. His vocals are amazing. He has a definite Chris Martin quality to him. Both vocally and physically. I think most of the guys in the band live or have lived in New York, and this was the last stop of their tour. It seemed a little like a birthday party for someone I didn't know that I was crashing, unbeknownst to me. Everybody seemed to know everybody else. I bought the new LP. Okay, Genevieve bought it. (IOU$10, G.) I'm listening to it right now. (Of course I am, and will be for the next month or so.) I'm listening to a song about "leaving Old New York behind." (A song I'm sure my folks would welcome coming from my vocal chords.)

My Friend* is on the Radio!

Today I was driving along in my automobile, listening to Georgia State's radio (88.5), and I heard Luke Temple on the radio! As many of you know, I've been a fan of Luke's for a while -- I've referenced him on my blog several times.

*Okay, so he's not exactly a friend of mine, but he is an acquaintance, a friend-of-a-friend; we know a lot of the same people. In the world of up-and-coming famous people, he counts as a friend by proxy, and because of the fact that I've been listening to his stuff since he released his EP a few years ago. So friend, he is.

Then, later on yesterday afternoon, I checked to see what Daytrotter was up to, and... you guessed it -- Luke's the topic of conversation. Check it out. (There are free downloads.)

He has a new album out that I haven't heard in entirety yet. But the songs I've heard are pretty unique (which is always a welcome quality these days, right?).

Weird.

Okay, just a random story/comment/post.

I just started listening to my Luke Temple CD, and in the first song, there's a little intro. While the intro was playing, I turned my head to look out the window because I heard a noise. By the time I realized it had started raining, no -- at the exact millisecond that it registered in my mind that it was raining -- Luke sang the first line of the first song. "I hear it's raining..."

I love when that kind of thing happens. Like, I don't know, if you say a random word like, umm, "feet" at the exact same time that the guy on the radio does.

Sorry. Random. I'm weird.

My Birthday's Next Week

smilin git
Originally uploaded by doogin.

I'd like Mr. Luke Temple for my birthday, please.

I mean, I'd like for him to play in Atlanta, or my living room, for my birthday. Geez, get your mind out of the gutter.

Update

I've been MIA since last Wednesday when I turned in all of my assignments. I've done a lot of things I've been wanting to do. I have pictures of some of the things I've done over the past week, but they're on my computer and my wireless card's not working. So I'm using Sara's computer.

So I'll just list some of the things and give pictures later. (All of the pictures are on my flickr account.)

Over the last week, I:

• Updated my flickr account. I finally broke down and upgraded to a pro account so that I have more storage space on there. So all of my Ireland photos are up. Along with pictures of our apartment, my plants, and my trip to Cheaha (in Alabama).
• Watched a lot of Sara's DVDs -- and not just DVDs -- miniseries. (I've got to get 'em all in before school starts.) I've mostly stuck to the period pieces: Wives and Daughters, North and South, Berkeley Square, etc.
• Went hiking at Cheaha (the day after I turned in all of my assignments). I really needed the fresh air.
• Bought the July issue of Mojo which came with a CD called "Revolver Reloaded" -- The Beatles' Revolver covered by various bands including everyone's favorite... Luke Temple covering Dr. Robert.
• Read a lot of Kierkegaard.
• Joined Netflix. And watched my first three movies: Bloody Sunday, This is My Father, and The Matchmaker. All films with Irish content. (If you want to bawl your eyes out, watch This is My Father. Even I cried.)
• Got A's in both of my summer classes.
• Went to a soccer game. Atlanta has a professional soccer team (in the USL) called the Atlanta Silverbacks. A group of us went to a game last Friday. It was a lot of fun. It's a really small, new stadium and we sat right behind the makeshift "drum corps." These guys were all of the rejects from high school (I know that's mean, but you should've seen them.) They must've been into Dungeons and Dragons. Had to be. But they definitely made the game more, um, interesting. There were a few hot players, too. One of the guys is from Ireland. (That's right, I looked up their stats.) AND, he's played for Luton, Genevieve. Thought that was pretty cool.
  

Point is, I'm already getting bored. It's too hot to do much outside unless you're in the water. (Hmm, maybe I'll go to the lake this week.) Give me some ideas, people. I have 20 days to fill. What can I do? You can only check your email so many times in a day... (By the way, I welcome any and all personal emails and/or phone calls.)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Apparently, today is Valentine's Day. And here is a little compilation of diddies I like to call..."Tongue-Tied: The Anatomy of a Make-out Session II" (not to be confused with the first installment).

(I haven't worked on the order of these songs, so they're in no particular order right now.)

1. Louis Armstrong: A Kiss to Build a Dream On
2. Clem Snide: Close the Door
3. Ella Fitzgerald: Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love)
4. Sufjan Stevens: Casimir Pulaski Day
5. Robert Stillman: Love Theme
6. *Aqualung: You Turn Me Around
7. Jeff Buckley: Hallelujah
8. *Jack Johnson: Banana Pancakes (or Better Together)
9. Sigur Ros: Glosoli
10. Bob Marley: Is this Love?
11. *Nick Drake: Pink Moon
12. Luke Temple: Get Deep, Get Close

* These artists also appear on the first edition, however the songs have been changed.

I'd be interested to hear if these songs actually work for anybody today.

My Newest Project

I spent entirely too long compiling a bunch of songs today. Like three hours or so. I went on NPR's website and downloaded about 15 songs to my desktop only to find that I can't burn them onto a CD or anything. I thought I was being smart, trying to beat the system. I should have known that there are smarter people out there that block people like me from beating the system. But at least I have 'em on my computer now.

This compilation is a singer/songwriter compilation. Possibly one of the saddest compilations I've ever, umm, compiled. It's also maybe one of the best. But you can decide for yourself. C'mon, you know it's going to be kind of...introspective if Elliot Smith and Jeff Buckley are included in it.

I don't care if you don't listen to this kind of music or if you've never heard of even one of these people or bands. These songs have no genres or barriers. I mean, you could listen to Pat Green (Parker) or Amy Grant and still like these songs. Not that any of these songs resemble Pat Green or Amy Grant. They don't. Sorry.

Elliot Smith: "Let's Get Lost"
Clem Snide: "All Green"
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole: "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World"
Sufjan Stevens: "Godbird"
Sufjan Stevens: "All Good Naysayers, Speak Up or Forever Hold Your Peace"
R.E.M.: "At My Most Beautiful"
Bright Eyes: "Lua"
Wilco: "I am Trying to Break Your Heart"
Rob Stillman: "The Dance"
The Kings of Convenience: "Homesick"
Luke Temple: "Make Right With You"
Jeff Buckley: "Hallelujah" This link takes you to the homepage. Click on mediaplayer/jeffbuckley/media:audio-albums/grace and it's track #6. I know that's compliated, but this is the most awesome cover of the Leonard Cohen song I have EVER heard.

I can't find links for some of the ones that I have, so I haven't posted them. I've got some Richard Buckner, Damien Rice, Iron and Wine, James Mercer, Travis and stuff. I realize that I should have some folks like Rufus Wainwright, Teddy Thompson, and Ryan Adams on here. And I also realize that some of the ones that I've listed aren't technically singer/songwriters but more like bands, but how is that defined exactly? Granted, there is no singing on one song, so he's just a songwriter...but it's a hazy line.

And, nope, no Aqualung. If you want to add links or suggestions that would awesome.

If you only listen to one or two of these, listen to the Jeff Buckley song and "Godbird" by Sufjan Stevens. They are amazing.

I've been at this stinking computer for WAY too many hours today. My frontal lobe is sizzling. I quit.

Bea-u-ti-ful

So I stumbled upon this band from Louisville, Kentucky. They are amazing. I love 'em. I love 'em. And they have a great website too that streams music. Their name is Foxhole. Check them out here.

Also, if you're in the mood to listen while you work or surf the 'net (do people still say that?), go to this website. They've got some good tunes on their radio, too. (This is where I heard of Foxhole.) Make sure you listen to Luke Temple, the first song. Good stuff, good stuff. I'll be seeing him play Friday night at the Mercury Lounge, so those two of you who read this should join me if you can. $10. You might want to skip the second song. Not a fan. But don't let it deter you from listening to the next few songs. Anyway, I'll stop dictating and let you listen for yourself.