Luke Walton Band Blog

I was sitting in my living room when my phone started buzzing. I checked it, figuring one of my friends wanted to hang out, and was surprised to see a text from an unknown number with a different area code then mine. I opened the text and saw the message:

            Unknown person (5:31): Hey danny

I was in a playful mood, so I decided to roll wit it.

            Me (7:12): Hey!
            Unknown person (7:19): Watcha doin
            Me (7:26): Bout to dance

The conversation ended there. I assumed they’d figured out that they had the wrong number at that point. Luckily… they weren’t that smart. The next day I heard from this unknown person one more time:

            Unknown person (1:49): Hey Danny (:
            Me (6:20): hello :)
            Me (6:22): Sorry it took me sooooo long to txt back! I was eating   
                             Chinese food! YUMMM lolz
            Unknown person (6:37): Ok its ok ha(:
            Me (6:38): So wats up wit u? Hows life (:
            Unknown Person (6:39): Just coming home from the mall and im        
                                                    great how about you(:
            Me (6:41): I’m doing great. Did u buy me anything… ? (:
            Unknown person (6:41): Haha good. Um no but you can have me
                                                   haha
            Me (6:45): Hahaha… What’s ur name again?
            Unknown person (6:45): Rachel
            Me (6:46): Oh thanks. Sorry forgot. But I like the present idea ;)
            Rachel (6:46): Hahaha its okay(: and good
            Me (6:49): So let’s talk. What’s your favorite color?
            Rachel (6:49): Turquoise and yours?
            Me (6:50): Mauve. What’s ur fave kinda food?
            Rachel (6:51): Thats cool. Lasagna(: wats yours?
            Me (6:53): Well I’m vegan. So I like a good plate of tofu and organic
                             veggies. I miss bacon tho…
            Rachel (6:54): Aww well that sounds good(:
            Me (6:55): Wanna grab some vegan food sometime!!
            Rachel (6:56): Fo sho
            Me (6:57): Kewl baybay. So what u doing theesse dayz? Tell me
                             some stuff
            Rachel (6:58): Just basketball ice skating and hanging out(: wat
                                   about you
            Me (7:01): Doing a lot of football, dance, and I’m gettin a little into
                             yoga.
            Rachel (7:01): Really? Thats good(:
            Me (7:03): So when do u wanna go on that date?
            Rachel (7:03): Thats up to you(: im free anytime
            Me (7:05): Cool let’s go with sunday. 7pm? And I’ve been thinking
                             about shaving my head. Any thoughts? (:
            Rachel (7:06): Tomorrow? Where? And no you look good right now
                                    but either way youll still be hot
            Me (7:07): How would u describe meeeeeeeee?
            Rachel (7:08): Sexy sweet adorable muscular pretty much
                                   everything
            Me (7:10): Thats girly baby sweet. How do u think I would describe
                             youuuuuuuu?
            Rachel (7:10): You tell me(:
            Me (7:12): Tall, blonde, with a beauty mark. Always wearing
                             Hollister, always smiling even though you have braces.
            Rachel (7:12): Wat?
            Me (7:14): Just joking! You’re…. Short, brunette, sans beauty
                             marks, always wearing abercrombe, and never smiling
                             because you never got braces?
            Rachel (7:15): Danny lol your suppose to describe rachel not
                                   someone else lol
            Me (7:19): Hahaha! Why don’t you just decribe yourself. To be
                            honest I have no idea who u are. But u sound
                            awesome!!!
            Rachel (7:19): ): that makes me sad
            Me (7:20): Kidding!
            Rachel (7:20): okay
            Me (7:23): Listen I’m about to go into a Nativity scene. I’ll see you
                            at school?
            Rachel (7:23): Haha wat:
            Me (7:25): How old ru again?
            Rachel (7:25): 14
            Me (7:28): Well I’m 29. I think you might have the wrong Danny. 
                            This is Daniel Wilkes.
            Rachel (7:28): This isnt danny diaz?
            Me (7:29): Wow. This is embarrasing. Nope. I’m Danny Wilkes.
            Rachel (7:30): Haha opps im very sorry! I thought nevermind sorry
            Me (7:32): No I’m sorry!! So I guess we’re not on for Sunday then
                            haha
            Rachel (7:32): Haha nope. (: ha okay ima go now cause a 29year
                                   old is probably going to get annoyed with me lol bye
            Me (7:33): Haha bye! Good luck with Danny Diaz!
            Rachel (7:33): thanks

So I was doing the casual “ego search,” and happened to stumble upon a random bio written by someone who took the time to make me a last.fm page. I read it and died laughing. Thank you whoever did this. However, I sadly won’t be able to live up to these expectations…

Here’s the exact bio:

“Luke Walton brings a very Homeward Bound feel to the speakers. He takes you beyond 7th Heaven and past 8th Heaven straight up into 9th Heaven(and he does it with unparalleled ease and a grace that can only be attributed to God Almighty). With his humble low voice and incestuous lyrics he brings a sweet lullaby for all the heartbroken insomniacs of yesteryear. The style is all his own and he knows he can’t be perfect but he sure can try. If he was color he would be gold— pure gold. Wrapped in satin and fine linens resting on the hillsides of San Juan. In short… He’s a killer queen, gunpowder, turpentine, dynamite with a laser beam, guaranteed to blow your mind. Anytime!”

Original link: http://www.last.fm/music/Luke+Walton

[Before you go any further, flip on the song “If You’re Gone” by Matchbox Twenty. It’s what I listened to while writing this. For some reason, I interpret the lyrics a little differently than what Rob Thomas intended. Regardless, I think the overall feel of the song sets a perfect mood. If you don’t own the tune, just click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eVR2jWHcLM]

Honesty.

Most of the artists I’ve known of have kept a sort of veil between who they really are and their “public” life. But, personally, what I’ve loved about all of the social networking sites (Twitter particularly) is that they bring you closer to the honest reality of the artist’s personality. I think that the whole Web 2.0 thing, in its truest form, is meant to reveal a greater depth within the artist-listener continuum. And I’m going to try to do just that.

I came home this week. I’d been away the University of So Cal for about three months and I hadn’t really seen my friends/family for that entire time. It seems apt that this is the week of Thanksgiving.

I still can’t believe the perfection of what I have here. My family is so supportive, my friends have immeasurable depth and compassion, and my hometown is incredibly beautiful. The definition of home has been so fully summed up in this last week that it kinda freaks me out that I have to leave this place again.

Here’s the interesting part: I know that the only way for me to become a good man and a good musician is to step away from this… as perfect as it may be.

While I’m here, I’m nothing but happy, nothing but content. While on the outside of my bubble, I write more, practice more, and work harder.

I may not be a Buddhist, but I really resonate with some of the stories and messages within the religion. My situation reminds me kind of Siddhartha Buddha’s situation at the beginning of his journey to enlightenment. And although I don’t think I’m anywhere as cool as Buddha, I notice that there’s a really important message underlying his early life and eventual departure.

Born as a prince, Buddha was totally sheltered from any and all evil in the world, and handed three palaces filled with rich people stuff. His existence at that point was in a word, comfortable. When he eventually began to experience the world as it was, he saw for the first time the sick and the dying. After this, he was inspired to leave his home, his riches, and his family to create his own life. When he did this, something incredible happened: he began meditating, working hard, experiencing the world, and, eventually, he attained enlightenment.

While my goal to become a great musician may be slightly less noble, I think the methods toward gaining this “sacred knowledge” are pretty damn similar. In my major, I’m working with great professors, collaborating with incredible musicians, and intensely practicing my own form of meditation: songwriting.

By leaving the perfection of my home, I think I take a giant step in the right direction, as hard as that may be.

But don’t worry family, unlike Buddha, I’ll still be coming home to visit quite a bit.

Honest,
Luke

P.S. I wrote a song. It’s called “Stay The Same.” It pretty much sums this little blog post into a song. I hope to show it to you sometime soon. :)