Procrastination...

Okay so It's been a while since I lasted updated, and I figured as I'm doing everything in my power to put of my latest assignment I figured I'd fill you in on my recent life.

Here goes:
It's been pretty casual , I've just enjoyed being home for a christmas and having a chance to slow down and spend a lot of time with my true friends. The friends I have back home really are the greatest. We had a huge amount of time just sitting in pubs at complete peace with the world. I think there really is nothing better than enjoying good food and good drink with close mates. we certainly did. not to mention the guys from First Sunday.

I think one of the best parts of being home was also being with the family. I feel I should spend a lot more time letting them know how much I like them. me and abby had a lot of fun too. I think she enjoys not being an only child all the time.

I also got even closer to a few good mates like will and reece, and feel we're still getting tighter as mates. me and will had a lot of good discussions about music and God and there's even plans in the pipeline to write a musical with Becki and Ben. I'm also working on an E.P for both Will and Reece.

In terms of me, I'm having a little break from my own music. I think it's nice to appreciate what you've made and just yourself have time off.

I really like angels. Christina my friend called it a big mix between Jimi Hendrix and G-love, with a bit of Joshua Radin and Jack Johnson. I really couldn't ask for more, that's a big compliment for me :). and of course knowing me, I am secretly working on some recordings in my "rest and relax" period :). so keep an eye out ;).

All the best and God bless. Luke x

Wallet

Okay so it's been a while since i've posted an update. However, something interesting has happened in my life - yesterday I lost my wallet :/. Now this wouldn't bother me if it weren't for the massive inconvenience. This is because I have so far today: called both the pubs that we went to, visited them both on foot, investigated the path taken on the journey home in case I dropped it (numerous times) and rang both police stations. On top of this I have applied for a new: driving license, student card and bank card.

See what I mean by inconvenience?

However, today is new years eve, and if there's one thing i've been reminded of by this whole incident, its that so many great things have happened or have been discovered by me in the last year, and they're all much more important than a silly wallet.

Have an excellent new year guys. make it a fantastic one. x

HERE IT IS...

Okay so today is the day. The new Album is finally out. Its called Angels and its available at www.lukehammond.bandcamp.com for download of £4 and will be on iTunes about the time of Christmas and same for spotify and napster.. I hope you can massively enjoy it, it was a pleasure to record, and go listen!

GOOD MOOD.

Okay firstly I would like to apologise for my bad mood yesterday...
my baddd.

But secondly and most importantly I managed to blag SIX HOURS in the studio today. I didn't even stop for lunch. I nearly died by the time I ate a half 4ish. :S. but what it means is that the album maybe be back on track for its earlier release. Its gonna be tight. I'll keep you posted.

also, I release I didn't post the icicle from the other day on my previous post. There are two reasons for this, firstly I couldn't get a good one because my window only opens a few inches towards the room and secondly i couldn't get the picture to sit in the right place in the blog for some reason. It kept going to the top. Also it pretty much doubled in size the second day. It was amazing. about 2 inches in diameter at the top. But anyway I will post in the next post I promise.

In other news, I have now rearranged my room so it looks much bigger and I can lie down on the floor which pleases me greatly as its one of my great hobbies and i could happily waste hours doing it. or lying on the floor on youtube or the internet. also what this means is that when I'm bored (which happens alot at university), i have many more walls to bounce this a ball against for hours. unfortunately it means that eventually my laptop, guitar, speakers, amps, and any other remotely delicate thing will of course end up broken. but totally worth it. on the plus side I am actually a seriously tidy person so hopefully i'll have packed away the mugs from my endless tea consumption before I break anything. I will explain about my mugs in the next post with the icicle. my mugs are my life <3. no joke. they are awesome.

much love, luke xxx

BAD MOOD.

Okay so I'm in a massively bad mood today. The university promised this morning despite the frankly pathetic amount of snow, that despite all classes cancelled, the FMAS (faculty of media, arts and society) facilities would remain open. Including the studios.

After yesterdays disastrous blow, there was a minute chance that I could still get the album out and on itunes before christmas if I worked my butt of today and over the next few days.

However they have since published on the university website that this would no longer be the case and that all buildings including FMAS would be locked by 5:30. My studio booking time, as yesterday, was 5pm till 8pm. GREAT.

what this basically means is that there is pretty much no chance now that the album can be out before Christmas, and further to that, won't be out till at least February. This is for several reasons: firstly, because of the need to book studios so far in advance replacement slots for next week will be pretty much impossible, secondly, I'm scheduled to go home on the 13th which is 10 days from now, go back on the 3rd of January then have loads of university work hand ins , and thirdly, I only have just under half of the album completed. and its not even the strongest half.

Further to this, it takes about a month for the music to get on itunes from the time of submission.

there's a minute possibility I might be able to borrow the studio at my old school when I'm at home, although I would feel extremely bad about doing so and the quality wont be as good, or that I will release what I've got done come December the 13th, at least to my bandcamp and you guys can let me know what you think of it.

Sorry, if any of you guys were looking foward to it. My apologies. I tried my hardest.

my bandcamp btw is www.lukehammond.bandcamp.com

Snow Angels.

Okay so today it's snowing. which is all very interesting and very pretty and white.

The problem is it's a bit annoying because I wanted to be in the studios today... and uni is shut. Still, I might get the opportunity later so for now I'm gonna make good on my promise to tell you about the new album, and then ** just noticed a HUGE icicle outside my window :O**

WOAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
ITS AWESOME.(I shall upload in a picture)

Oh yeh the Album...

It's called Angels. I Think I've called it this for two reasons really, the first is that the opening track is called angel of the south which you have all heard (see below if you haven't, feel free to comment). But mostly because of the last track, which is a kind of rejigged version of a poem my mum used to tell me. It goes like this

"Angels around me,
Above and below,
Keep me safe, Wherever I go"

and yes, I used to get it when I was scared at night. very cute I know ;).

as for the rest of the album theres about 9 tracks in total. I've definitely been against really long albums for a long time now. I think anything above 11 is usually too many. It's not because I'm trying to be different or anything I'm not really into that, Its just that I think an album of 12 or 14 tracks plus tends to have a few songs that are really weak and I prefer to put out an album where every single song is perfect. Key cases in point:

Dark Side Of the Moon - Pink Floyd - 9 tracks
Wish you were here - 5 tracks
Damien Rice - O - 10 tracks
Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie - 11 tracks

Further to that I think people (myself included) get bored of a really long album. Its better to keep them hanging and wanting more than to give them to much. better yet, give them the right amount to so they feel completely satisfied :)

I love the new album. Its a lot more chilled and more mature. I think its the writer coming out in me. It appreciates dynamics a lot more (It can go from and bellow to a whisper in the space of a second!). The old album was very much about having to be the best performer. having the greatest guitar solo and the best attitude. This album is more reflective, Its more Damien Rice and a little less Thin Lizzy. Don't get me wrong I love the old album and I love the things I was doing then this is just a bit different. The Guitar playing is more understated. Its elegant but feels it doesn't have to prove anything. which I love about it. It doesnt have to be the most epic thing anyones ever heard. It can just be itself. and in being so it has become TRUELY epic.

In closing, I love this album and I hope it can do for you what it does for me. I'll let you let me know. Its flipping fantastic. I hope you enjoy it.

Only a short wait now. ;)


God Bless and Peace Out.

Who Am I?

Hello people of the internet :).
Today I though i'd tell you a little about me. so here are some of my favourite things.

Food
Drinks
Air
God
Music
Guitars
Singing
Producing
The Bible

Favourite Bands:
Thin Lizzy
The Who
Pink Floyd
Eagles

Singer/Songwriters:
Damien Rice
Jack Johnson
William Fitzsimmons

Guitarists:
Eric Clapton
John Mayer
Newton Faulkner
Keb Mo

Foods:
anything thats great, honest cooking and full of flavours :).

Cold Drinks:
ORANGE JUICE.
Water
Various Squashes

Hot Drinks:
Tea and Coffee

Alcoholic Beverages:
Jamesons
Morgans Spiced

Bible Passages:
Too many too mention but i like anything that tells me how awesome and mindblowing God is :)

Favourite Passtime?:
Producing my music :) and indeed anyone elses, Youtubing, listening to CDs whilst facebooking and watching tv

Favourite TV shows?:
I love comedy panel shows so stuff like Buzzcocks, Q.I, Have I got News For You Stuff like that. Live at the Appollo, How I Met Your Mother

HOPE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU KNOW ME A BIT BETTER NOW :).
MUCH LOVE LUKE :).