Luke MacNeil profile picture

Luke MacNeil

As rock star as a folk musician can be.

About Me

Buy Here's one for Sanity on iTunes!
Buy Here's one for Sanity on Napster!
Buy Here's one for Sanity from CDBaby!
Buy Here's one for Sanity from Luke!

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Alternate tunings and classical finger style training lend a hand in creating a style for Luke MacNeil that is truly powerful and unique. His songs are filled with breathtaking emotional vocals and unconventional musical twists.
"Music is my life, it is who I am. At 15 when I was bashing my head to bands like Slayer and Pantera, I could have never imagined I would grow to play and enjoy the works J.S. Bach.. Music makes me feel, and its my responsibility to see that it makes my audience feel something as well."
Beginning his musical journey at a young age, Luke has crafted a style for himself that infuses many different genres. An early interest in Death Metal gave way to a use of interesting chord forms and scales. After being exposed to some local musicians at open mics, he became infatuated with finger style guitar technique and alternate tunings. Dissatisfied with the tone of distorted guitar, he has now taken an acoustic role.
The acoustic guitar vibrates... it just vibrates more. I like to feel the chords ring through my bones. My family have played country for all of my life. Some of those old songs have become a part of me.. and I think that might be one of the reasons that I love the sound of an acoustic guitar so much. I found that with the electric stuff, I spent too much time fiddling with the knobs and foot switches... searching for the tone that was me.. I finally found it when I turned the amplifiers off
Frequently Featuring at open mics and coffee houses around the Metro west area, the expansiveness of the musical world has really sunken in. From Blues, to Death Metal, over to Rock, and now Folk, Luke has evolved and developed for himself a style that is truly unique.
I've played in bands, and had a great time, but I've found that what works best for me is performing solo. I like to play with people, but not so much all together. The nights that I really enjoy are the ones where we sit around in a circle, and trade songs back and forth. In the round. It's intimate.. It brings the performers closer together, and the audience closer to us.
Luke has recently released his first solo album entitled Here's one for Sanity. The album is a collection of original songs and some covers of the songs that he believes the world should hear. A pleasant mix of instrumental finger style pieces, descriptive sonic imagery, and testosterone.
Like anything else, its been a journey. What started out in the back yard, has brought me to open mics, feature slots at reputable venues, and the release of a full length commercial album. The next step for me is the street. My hero's played on the streets and in the subways... there's something to that. There is something in those performers that is captivating.. and I intend to follow their footsteps.
It gets confusing updating my gigs in more than one place, so until I find a better way to embed my calender here, you can check out all my upcomming gigs by clicking on this link to my google calender.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 3/8/2005
Band Website: lukemacneil.com
Band Members: Luke MacNeil
Influences: Peter Mulvey, Ryan Fitzsimmons, Me and the Kid, Jeffery Foucault, Purple Onion, John Gerard, Poets, Chris Smither, Scott Weiland, Maynard James Keenan, Chris Cornell, Bob Dylan, Jeff Buckley, Opeth, Damien Rice, Dream Theater, Rush, Jethro Tull, - Life.
Sounds Like: Damien Rice, John Gerard, Peter Mulvey, Martin Sexton, Greg Brown, Tom Waits, Radiohead, Stone Temple Pilots, Thom York, Cake, David Gray, James Blunt, Elliot Smith, Ben Folds, The Beatles, Everclear, Oasis, Jeffrey Foucault, Ellis Paul, Paul Simon, Alice in Chains, Layne Staley, Chris Cornell, Josh Groban, Sublime, Blind Melon, Perl Jam, Pink Floyd, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Josh Ritter, Jason Myles Goss, Bob Dylan, Amos Lee, Ani Difranco, A Perfect Circle, Audioslave, Ben Harper, Chris Smither, Dave Matthews, Deftones, Ella Fitzgerald, Eric Clapton, Five for Fighting, Godsmack, Hank Williams, Incubus, Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz, Jeff Buckley, Jerry Cantrell, Jim Croce, John Mayer, Johnny Cash, Kris Delmhorst, Laurance Juber, Leonard Cohen, Mad Season, Nickleback, Nirvana, Norah Jones, Porcupine Tree, Rush, Ryan Adams, The Cardinals, Simon and Garfunkle, Soundgarden, System of a Down, Tantric, Tenacious D, Tool, Tracy Chapman, Travis, Uncle Tupelo, The White Stripes, Wilco
Record Label: Mental Evolution Productions
Type of Label: None

My Blog

Made finalist in the 2007 Worcester Music Awards.

It seems as though your nominations have got me on the finalist list for "Best Solo Act" in the 2007 Worcester Music Awards! Thank You!Although, In order to come home with the trophy, I need your vote...
Posted by Luke MacNeil on Thu, 01 Mar 2007 02:16:00 PST

Under Covers Availaible on iTunes

My new record "Under Covers" has finally been activated on iTunes. This album is all covers of songs that I love. They have changed me as a writer, and as a person.... With the exception of the tool s...
Posted by Luke MacNeil on Fri, 15 Dec 2006 06:16:00 PST

Milford Daily News - Back to Basics

In an age where music and technology are becoming increasingly more connected, local singer/songwriter Luke MacNeil is committed to staying ahead of the curve. The 23-year-old Milford resident plan...
Posted by Luke MacNeil on Thu, 16 Nov 2006 03:34:00 PST

Boston Globe Article - Songwriter took years to find his inner voice.

Songwriter took years to find his inner voiceBy Denise Taylor | October 5, 2006The ``singer" part of becoming a singer/songwriter was the hitch for Luke MacNeil. He could play guitar, he could write...
Posted by Luke MacNeil on Thu, 05 Oct 2006 11:50:00 PST

CD - Luke MacNeils Heres One For Sanity burns bright

-From Pulse Magazine - September 06CD - Luke MacNeils Heres One For Sanity burns brightBy Bobby HankinsonIt should come as no surprise that 23-year old singer-songwriter and Milford native Luke MacNei...
Posted by Luke MacNeil on Fri, 01 Sep 2006 02:29:00 PST

Ramblings of a white kid from Milford

I want a love like a stain that won't fade.That changes like the moon in the autnum sky.Like a sunday moring backroad ride.through the woods until theres no turns left to make.I want a love to get cau...
Posted by Luke MacNeil on Thu, 04 May 2006 08:34:00 PST

Punky Brewster

I wanted to have crazy monkey sex with Margot from Punky Brewster up in that treehouse they had when I was a kid... Am I alone in this?
Posted by Luke MacNeil on Wed, 03 May 2006 09:53:00 PST

Check out this event: John Gerard and Luke MacNeil at Meldiva

Hosted By: Luke MacNeilWhen: Saturday May 13, 2006 at 8:00 PMWhere: Meldiva Coffee House22 East Central StreetFranklin , MA 02038USDescription: Luke MacNeil Click Here To View Event...
Posted by Luke MacNeil on Fri, 28 Apr 2006 05:38:00 PST

I am not a smoker

But I'm smoking.Somebody told me that at the Red Door Coffee House.He quit smoking because he realized... he was not a smoker.. He was just smoking. I was a smoker, then I wasn't, and now I'm smoking ...
Posted by Luke MacNeil on Thu, 27 Apr 2006 09:29:00 PST

Female Vocalists

Would any female vocalists like to work together on some of the Damien Rice tunes? I'd really like to start practicing singing in harmony, and I love what Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan do.. Drop me a...
Posted by Luke MacNeil on Fri, 21 Apr 2006 07:50:00 PST