Luke Concannon 29/1/10
Dear friends
Well it’s been a year since we last spoke. And what a year. A deep adventure, time of turbulence, healing, sadness and resurgence for both John and I, and the FDM family. And it goes on! John and I went walking and talking through the deep wet snow of the Peak district the weekend before last. It was great after our years of busyness, sleep deprivation, excitement and stress to have a walk and a talk for a weekend like the old friends we are.
I explained to him that through out 2009 I had been thinking about Nizlopi and the future and LIFE!!!! And that after many wild meanderings and much confusion I feel I must go on, on my own from here. That my dream is now to do another project, not Nizlopi, and to build a new life. So…this is good bye from Nizlopi. We are no more! Wow, there you go I said it. Scary as it is.
We had a good weekend of walking and talking after this, and though this may not have been Johns central vision, there did feel something right and true about it. We have done great work together of which we are proud, and extremely grateful, to all the hours, sweat, gifts, and anguish put in by our friends, family, and colleagues, we have all invested a lot. And I feel that many people have had a good dance, a damn good time and been touched and inspired through this music. We have just had a hell of a tough few years since JCB broke, and the stress and focus it has put on our differences as a band and label have been huge. We weathered these. And we now find our selves looking at a calmer horizon wondering where we are headed for now.
Thank you to everyone who has come to our shows, and sent messages of love and support, to all of you who believe in us. We believe in you too! And John and I still believe in each other and all we have done, but it’s time to move on, in this very short life, because we both have work to do that we can’t seem to fully help each other do together at this time. We wish you great Joy and luck in your projects. We will let you know through www.nizlopi.com and www.myspace.com/nizlopi about what projects John and I are doing. Great music will be occurring. And this does unfortunately mean that we wont be able to play any special events you may ask us to play.
Oh what a time what a world in crisis
Being made out of volcanic speed
A time of greed and need
Of deep fissures between us all
And these flowers of hope amid the rubbish heap
The deep strange story in our troubled chests that seems to shine a light on a possible future
I know we can make it to the world we envisage
And to not do so is weak and leaves us all desolate
So lets go there together forever singing
That laughter is in us all for the giving
We’ve gotta keep going to where we know we’re bound
Straight on brothers straight on sisters!
Love
Luke X
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FDM wanted to pass along part of Luke’s adventures from his current travels. Recently he [and his Brazilian friend Valentine] were detained for 8 hours by Israeli security as they tried to cross the border. He told us that he plans to return to the UK at the end of October for a few days. Then he goes to the farm house in Normandy to “finish up these travelling songs" We’re just glad he’s safe . . . here's the extract . . .
Tine and I sang our way across the Syrian Boarder. Loved Alepo and Damascus. And then sang our way through The Israeli boarder. All though this particular crossing took around 8 hours! We got off the bus on arrival at the Israeli boarder and I gave the big fella with a machine gun a big smile. He frowned for a second and then smiled right back. A guy came from behind him wearing a secret service style ear piece and said 'im the head of security please come with me' (Was it the smile I had given?) I put my hand out to shake his which he reluctantly took. They ushered Tine and I in to 2 different areas where we could not see each other. And I was questioned by 2 different Security guys. Whilst waiting between questionings the Big machine gun guy came in and said 'I was trying to look all tough with my gun but you broke me with your smile, you and your friend are very special!' Then they took me to a booth where I was searched. They took our luggage to another area to be searched. While the rock hard security guard standing with me explained that we had been unlucky today and this would take time!
All our possessions were searched twice and swabbed. Whilst this was going on some staff asked me to play and it felt good to sing in the cold, tense atmosphere of the boarder. The security had a smile, the cleaners too. Then in to a room to be questioned by a lady who wouldn't tell me her name or job title. I was watched and occasionally cross examined by her colegue. They Wanted to know everything, every place I had stayed on my trip, who I knew in the country, why I paused before answering X question! etc etc etc.
Then Tine was questioned. Then different offices with our passports. Me praying they let us in. Questioned by another guy! And then miracle we were in!
The soldiers are all 18ish and very bored. And whilst we waited for our bus they asked us for a song. We belted out some new songs and soon had a session going. A circle of Arab Taxi drivers and Israeli soldiers! Singing together. It was quite a first experience of Israel/Palestine.
And Here In the Holy land I have been: Picking olives with Palestinian farmers in the west Bank as part of an international presence when they pick in areas near setlements-In these areas they are at risk of violent attack from Settlers and the army-But with Internationals their it is much less likely. It's Great to be with good activists in the reality and sweetness of Palestine. Writing a song with A hebrew rapper. And Looking round the old city.
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Luke is currently in Jerusalem on the last leg of his epic journey - he is having an amazing time!
He plans to return to Leamington for a couple of days at the end of September, pick up his guitar [he's been travelling with his 'baby guitar'] and head for his friend's place in Normandy and "finish the songs he's been working on whilst on the road".
More Nizlopi news to follow shortly......
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Luke's Poem and Sabbatical Year
Hello All
As you may know we are off on Sabbatical this year. We are both going through big changes, and have wanted a lot of things about our artistic/professional/and private lives to change for some time. John and I will be meeting up in January 2010 to decide what our work together in the future will be, and we will post an item on all of our web sites telling you our plans as soon as we know. We will also send this to our mailing list. In the mean time I was reflecting the other day about all the things I am thankful for about what we have done as Nizlopi. And what came to me strongly are the high times of writing, rehearsing, feeling a song come, travelling with my friend/friends, and the very high times of playing gigs. I wrote this poem about that high place:
From watching our heroes
That god helps musicians light fires in the darkness
Old fires and new fires that warm your very core
From an ancient beautiful place
When you are up there and the whole world is flowing through you
When everyone is connected and singing
John on fire with giving
The great chasm opening at your feet
Vertigo like Bono said
When you are giving your story to a room and a place and a time
And the stars seem to be glistening on the streets of the town:
The dreams we all have
The love of loving
The voice from the heart
And when you feel the courage to say what you most want to:
“I love you, we should be standing up for the poor, and for what we believe in”
When the whole river of soul is awash amongst you
Your friend, God, and the community of that place
And you then, spent from a life of giving
Are born away by the singing crowd to be kissed by beautiful women
Then you know you’re singing folk hip-hop.
We've just added a German date to Nizlopi's upcoming gigs!
It's in Köln at MTC on December 5th. For more details check out this site, and to book tickets click here
.
We're really excited about this, it's going to be Nizlopi's last european gig before their indefinite hiatus. Hopefully we'll see you there!
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A Message From Luke - Here We Come Y'all
Dear All
Here we are on the tour bus headed for our first date on our Last nights On Tour.
We are driving to Fibbers in York. Incredibly our first proper York gig. We will be playing all over the UK and Ireland in the next six weeks so come on down. Click here for a list of dates and to book.
The new CD Looking For Answers is finished. Tori Treasure is the artist, and Michael Eden the Designer. We think it’s one of the best covers we’ve had. What do you reckon? This CD has two new songs we recorded earlier in the month, which we are really proud of. And three incredible dance re-mixes of Make it happen songs. Which are very good fun to dance to. Looking For Answers is only available from the gigs on this tour.
We are recording every night on this tour. And we hope we will be able to release the recordings at some point as official bootlegs. So please come along and scream and hear your self on a live album.
We love this being on the road lark. Getting out of some travel lodge at 10am feeling like death and looking on to some mighty Scottish hillside. Cracking up laughing on our way back home from gigs with tiredness and relief. Going mental on stage and hearing what new music happens.
And Hears a poem I wrote the other day
Love is a profound abounding misdemeanor
And you need to understand the earth if your ever gonna heal her
See the beauty in every child
Fired from their mother all singing with a file
To break the chains of debt and misogyny
This is for the Birch, Oak, Ash and Mahogany
I’m the ghost of Keynes destroying Chicago school economies
And I’m so focused on life that death will never ever bother me
See you at a show or somewhere. We love you for supporting us. Thank you.
Luke x
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Dakar, ‘A Dangerous Voyage’, and ‘Last Nights On Tour’ – The Nizlopi Video Podcast Channel
The latest podcast is now available on the Nizlopi Video Podcast Channel, and it’s all about the upcoming ’Last Nights On Tour’ UK tour (see above for the dates), and a recently broadcast BBC World Service play called ‘A Dangerous Voyage’ which deals with the same subject matter as Nizlopi’s song ‘Last Night In Dakar’. You can watch Luke talking about the play, his own experiences in Africa which inspired ‘…Dakar’, and hear excerpts from Luke’s never before heard recordings with fellow musicians abroad.
Subscribe to the Nizlopi Video Podcast Channel now via iTunes and you’ll be able to see…
- The Make It Happen animations
- Tour highlights from the last few years
- In-depth interviews with Luke and JP about the past, present and future
- rare gems like ‘I’ll Be Brave’
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Last Nights On Tour – Huge announcement about Nizlopi UK & Ireland tour October and November 2008 – TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
Nizlopi are touring the UK again in October and November! And this tour is gonna be a particularly special one…
After 1500+ worldwide shows, a chart conquering number 1, two studio albums and one ‘Mini Album’ and musical adventures to just about every corner of the planet the band have decided its time to take a break. Nizlopi will NOT be performing any shows, anywhere in 2009 but will be spending the year “writing, traveling, learning and getting inspired” so this really is one of the last chances to get to see Nizlopi live for some time.
Luke says:“The ‘Make It Happen’ tour was wonderful for us, from Brighton to Inverness and Norwich to Galway - we had inspiring shows and incredible receptions. We knew we wanted to do this again in the autumn so here we come. This tour will be a celebration of the last 17 years of Nizlopi, touring, writing recording and shaking shit up. We’ll be playing in classic intimate venues and going for broke with the music we love”. New songs will be showcased on this tour, and new releases will be available over the coming year so watch this……computer.
So here’s all the dates and the links to your tickets. Come and join us for the last shows for a long time, we’d love to see you:
OCTOBER
7th - Fibbers, YORK TICKETS
9th - Ruby Lounge, MANCHESTER TICKETS
11th - Arts Centre, KENDAL TICKETS
14th - Cabaret Voltaire, EDINBURGH TICKETS
15th - Uni. Union, SHEFFIELD TICKETS
17th - Auntie Annie’s, BELFAST TICKETS
19th - Roisin Dubh, GALWAY TICKETS
20th - Whelans, DUBLIN TICKETS
21st - Cyprus Avenue, CORK TICKETS
23rd - Warwick Arts Centre, COVENTRY TICKETS
24th - Talking Heads, SOUTHAMPTON TICKETS
29th - The Stables, MILTON KEYNES TICKETS
NOVEMBER
2nd - Thekla, BRISTOL TICKETS
3rd - Brudenell Social Club, LEEDS TICKETS
4th - Telfords Warehouse, CHESTER TICKETS
6th - Clwb Ifor Bach, CARDIFF TICKETS
11th - The Railway, WINCHESTER TICKETS
12th - ULU, LONDON TICKETS
For more info click on the LIVE button
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Make It Happen is out now - woo! Come and have a listen
Make It Happen has arrived, and we’re hugely excited to finally be sharing the album with you folks. You can get all 15 tracks of musical soul food on CD or as a download from all good record shops via Nizlopi.com/shop. Folks are already letting us know they’re enjoying it, thankyou loads and loads for the support, we need all the help we can get to keep making this music.
WANT TO LISTEN TO ALBUM TRACKS?
WITHOUT YOU & DROP YOUR GUARD on our MySpace player
START BEGINNING & LOVE IS nizlopi.com promo videos
LAST NIGHT IN DAKAR, ENGLAND UPRISE, I'M ALIVE AGAIN on YouTube
Nizlopi live EP released on iTunes - hear it on our MySpace player
iTunes have recorded a special Nizlopi live EP which is available now from here and features live versions of 4 new album tracks performed in London in February, one of which, Last Night In Dakar, can be previewed now on our MySpace player at the top of the page. Definitely worth getting your hands on so you can bring the awesome Nizlopi live experience into your home.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Come and join the party and spread the sounds on Facebook
If you search for ‘Nizlopi’ on the front page of Facebook you’ll find Luke and John’s personal page (as ’Nizlopi Concannon-Parker' where you can add Nizlopi as your friend. We’ve just this minute set up a group called ’Help us tell the world about Nizlopi and Make It Happen’ and invited all our Facebook friends to join and we’re nearly into triple figures already, we’re a community, love it!
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO SPREAD ‘MAKE IT HAPPEN’! PLEASE HELP US BY
- Inviting your Facebook friends to join the group and give Niz a try
- Coming along to the group and saying hi in the chat threads
- Sharing your Nizlopi pictures with us
- Posting your requests for songs you want to hear at gigs
We’re dead grateful for every bit of help you folks give us, it keeps us going as a band
Demand that Nizlopi come and play a gig on your doorstep next!
Remember that you can use our demand button in the top left hand corner of this page to request that Nizlopi come and play near you. We book all our tours with help from your advice, keep letting us know where you want us to come next :-)