Luka Bloom facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Luka Bloom
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Bloom performing in 2008
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kevin Barry Moore |
| Born | 23 May 1955 Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland |
| Genres | Folk |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1969–present |
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Luka Bloom, born Kevin Barry Moore on May 23, 1955, is an Irish folk singer and songwriter. He is known for his unique guitar style and heartfelt songs. Luka is also the younger brother of famous folk singer Christy Moore.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Kevin Barry Moore was born in Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland. His parents, Andy Moore and Nancy Power, had a big family. Kevin was the youngest of six children.
He went to primary school at Patrician Brothers. Later, he studied at Newbridge College. In college, he formed a band called Aes Triplex. His brother Andy and a school friend were also in the band.
Kevin then went to college in Limerick. But he left after two years to follow his dream. He wanted to become a professional musician.
Starting as Barry Moore
In 1969, when he was just 14, Barry Moore started touring. He opened shows for his older brother, Christy, in England. Barry spent all his free time practicing and writing songs.
In 1976, his brother Christy recorded one of Barry's songs. It was called "Wave up to the Shore." In 1977, Barry toured Germany and England. He was part of a group called Inchiquin.
First Albums and New Style
In 1978, Barry Moore released his first album. It was named Treaty Stone. He usually played guitar by picking the strings with his fingers. But in 1979, he got tendinitis. This is a painful condition that affects tendons.
Because of this, he had to learn a new way to play. He started using a plectrum, also known as a guitar pick. This changed his guitar style. That same year, he moved to Groningen in the Netherlands.
In 1980, he recorded his second album there. It was called In Groningen. Two years later, in 1982, he released No Heroes. All the songs on this album were written by Barry himself.
From 1983 to 1986, Barry was the lead singer for a band. They were called Red Square and were based in Dublin. During this time, in 1984, his son Robbie was born.
Becoming Luka Bloom
In 1987, Barry Moore moved to the United States. This is when he started using his new stage name: "Luka Bloom." He picked "Luka" from a song by Suzanne Vega. "Bloom" came from a character in a book by James Joyce called Ulysses.
At first, he lived and performed in Washington D.C. Then, in late 1987, he moved to New York City. The next year, he released his first album as Luka Bloom. However, this album was later taken off the market.
Growing as a Musician
In 1990, Bloom released his album Riverside. It included the song "The Man Is Alive." This album was recorded in New York. The songs on it shared his experiences of living and playing music in the city.
In 1991, Bloom went back to Dublin. He recorded The Acoustic Motorbike there. This album featured a cover song. It was a version of "I Need Love" by LL Cool J. Rolling Stone magazine reviewed it. They said it was interesting for a folk rocker to cover a rap song. They noted that trying new things keeps music exciting.
In 1993, Bloom returned to Ireland again. He recorded the album Turf with producer Brian Masterson. They wanted to capture the feeling of a live show. So, they recorded it in front of an audience. The audience was asked to stay very quiet.
In 1998, Bloom released Salty Heaven. This album was inspired by his return to Ireland.
Unique Guitar Style and Cover Songs
Luka Bloom's early albums showed his energetic guitar playing. It was sometimes called "stadium rock for the bedroom." A good example is "Delirious," the first song on Riverside. He also loved to perform thoughtful cover songs. He still enjoys doing this today.
He had already covered "I Need Love" by LL Cool J. He also covered "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis Presley. Both of these were on The Acoustic Motorbike album.
In 2000, he released Keeper of the Flame. This album was full of cover versions. It included songs like "Dancing Queen" by ABBA. It also had "Natural Mystic" by Bob Marley. And "Throw Your Arms Around Me" by the Hunters and Collectors.
Later Works and Collaborations
In 2004, Bloom released a short acoustic album. It was called Before Sleep Comes. He recorded it while getting better from tendinitis. He said the album was made "to help bring you closer to sleep."
In 2005, Bloom released Innocence. Some songs on this album showed a new interest. He explored music from Eastern European Romany culture and other world music. On this album, Bloom played classical guitar. This gave the songs a different sound. Before, he mostly used steel-string guitars.
In 2007, Bloom released Tribe. This was a team-up with musician Simon O'Reilly. Simon made the music. Then he sent the recordings to Bloom. Bloom added the lyrics and sang the songs.
In February 2008, Bloom released a DVD. It was called The Man is Alive. It had videos filmed in Dublin and at his home. It also included a question and answer session with fans. There was a documentary called My Name is Luka. A CD of music from his performances was also part of the package.
In September 2008, Bloom released Eleven Songs. This album had more instruments than his previous works. This gave it a special sound in his collection of music.
Discography
Albums
- Treaty Stone (1978, as Barry Moore)
- In Groningen (1980, as Barry Moore, with Eamon Murray)
- No Heroes (1982, as Barry Moore)
- Luka Bloom (1988, withdrawn)
- Riverside (1990)
- The Acoustic Motorbike (1992)
- Turf (1994)
- Salty Heaven (1998)
- Keeper of the Flame (2000)
- The Barry Moore Years (2001, compilation)
- Between the Mountain and the Moon (2001)
- Amsterdam (2003, live)
- Before Sleep Comes (2004)
- Innocence (2005)
- Tribe (2007)
- The Platinum Collection (2007, compilation)
- The Man Is Alive (2008, CD/DVDs)
- Eleven Songs (2008)
- Dreams in America (2010)
- This New Morning (2012)
- Head & Heart (2014)
- Frugalisto (2016)
- Refuge (2017)
- Breathe (2018, Meditation with Trea Heapes)
- Sometimes I Fly - Live in Bremen 2001 (2018)
- Live at De Roma (2020)
- Bittersweet Crimson (2020)
- Out of the Blue (2021, instrumental)
- Wave Up To The Shore (2022, Triple CD, 50 Songs 50 Years)
Images for kids
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Bloom performing in 2008
