Jon Lukas Woodenman
40 YEARS ON ....the pop music legend that is Jon Lukas Woodenman has at long last been recognized as the son of his mother country Malta and nominated for his hand print at Bay Street on November 28, 2010.
jon lukas woodenman formerly known as jon lukas remembered in Maltese music history for achieving the first ever successful overseas pop chart placer in various foreign territories and first ever Maltese artiste major worldwide record company signing in 1970. An era in Malta with just REDIFFUSION radio no internet nor media connection abroad other than pre-paying for an overseas phone call booking to go out a couple of days later, heralded by a telegram at the destination. When, Radio Luxemburg for Europe was the equivalent of today's MTV. Radio Luxemburg played Can't Afford to Lose twice nightly for a month's period with odd plays for a year or so after.An era where there was no future in Malta and if one dreamt of becoming a pop star abroad, one would become a classic contender for the local mental institution. Click here for vintage photographs: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=29803&id=722243161
Known for his evergreen classic called: Can’t afford to Lose Released on EMI COLUMBIA label in 1970, an era when a song had a verse, chorus, hook line and a message, still played on RADIO stations to date and sang word for word by the public forty years on from the date of its recording at EMI Abbey Rd. Studios London UK. Same studio room, mikes and session musicians being used by THE BEATLES at that time near the band’s break up, the b side Can't Make you Mine written by Paul McCartney's brother Peter McCartney (Mc Gear) of THE SCAFFOLD at a phase when Elton John was still doing backing vocals for that band. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-xj6Q8C0D8 Can't Afford to Lose reached the No.1 chart spot in Lebanon for a full month, holdin' back the Beatles' single The Long and Winding Road from that No 1 spot. Tours in Lebanon, Abu Dhabi, Damascus, Iran, Bahrain and the rest of the Emirates followed for some time after. Billing with (NOT supporting) major artistes as Googoosh, Gilbert Becaud, Johnny Halliday, Mal, Modugno, Patti Bravo and Bob Geldof, Midge Ure, Bannanarama, Lisa Stansfield, Level 42, Sir Bob Geldof and other US soul and Arab home names. The song also touched the British top 50 charts climbing to the 40's plus other European territories.
1980s jon lukas woodenman formed a close personal friendship with Marvin Gaye during Marvin’s disturbing life period, pre his hit album SEXUAL HEALING. There are unfinished productions amongst other stuff transpired through this period of friendship prior to Marvin's unfortunate death.
1993s near Malta Euro 2nd. placer winning entry called Zommni u Ghannaqni / Love we Share which was later picked for production by BIDDU of Kung fu Fighting production fame. This is the first time in his career that he sang in Maltese, which opened up inside of jon a deep wide feeling of belonging. LOVE WE SHARE http://twiturm.com/b8gyp LOVE WE SHARE Maltese version called ZOMMNI u GHANNAQNI http://twiturm.com/b8gyp
1998 found him in the web charts of peoplesound.com (pre myspace indie band site) for the whole month of August with MY TIME with his then alternative band called WOODENMAN. (hence the name add since) MY TIME http://twiturm.com/8vpkm
Things quietened down after that due to his near fatal cardiac arrest and the post recovery. 2007 was presented with an EFFIGY AWARD in Marbella Spain through ONDA CERO Radio / ABC Network Radio USA with tracks called: FAR AWAY http://twiturm.com/n92b6 and BETTER MAN http://twiturm.com/mhx66
Throughout this thirty-five year period jon lukas woodenman was based in UK and on a mountain in Spain. He rarely visited his beautiful Island of Malta and when jon did, it was for very short periods.
Early 2009 found him back in Malta beside his mother's lingering deathbed.
During this period, in 2009 continuing into 2010, he featured as music guru on Malta's cool hit talent show called ID on ONE TV. jon, also started his distinctive cutting edge radio show on ONE RADIO, called woodenman's jukebox, repeated recorded editions of which now go out on air each Monday at 20.45 hrs Malta time and also uploaded to facebook - woodenman's jukebox group page where they stand indefinitely for you to listen on-demand with all other previous show editions found on the group page wall. Welcome to join this woodenman's jukebox on facebook group. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=119931810577&ref=ts
He visited the Island to record seasons ahead for these shows on one long blast basis. He does these in the English language not because he has forgotten his mother language but because he can express himself better in pop terms and so as his foreign fans can understand his work whilst attracting foreignors to Malta media sites and Malta itself.
Then later Adrian Saliba of REWIND PRODUCTIONS had commissioned him to write ONE 4 U for Malta Eurosong 2010. http://www.facebook.com/pages/ONE-4-U-Fan-Page/275914705048?ref=ts
In August 2010 a personal tribute by Winter Moods (Malta's biggest band of its music history) was given to woodenman during their 10.000 audience attended concert. (an attendance first, for the size of this small Island)
Unfortunately, earlier on this year woodenman was diagnosed lung cancer positive and only now is he slowly recovering from a part lung cut out operation and a gruellin' four month chemotherapy course. He has now reached the start stage of the high 5 year cancer situation. CANCER UPDATE link: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?saved&¬e_id=154668304562472&id=13212079403
Listen to his PERSONAL music from http://www.reverbnation.com/jonlukaswoodenman
Listen to his tracks free stream or download from http://www.broadjam.com/jonlukas