Luke Tan
Encyclopedia
Luke Tan alias Michael Luchtan is a country singer and songwriter. His songs are generally on the topics of life and death, the sadness of separation, and the despair of misfits. He criticizes society for hypocrisy and materialism. One of his songs was selected by Neil Young
for a compilation of anti-war songs. In 2007 he released a serialized multi-media project over the internet in association with the street newspaper
Street Roots called Ghosts In The Flophouse. He is currently the lead singer songwriter for the Portland based country band Floods.
and grew up in Georgia
. He studied computer science at the University of Georgia
, in Athens. While there, he began playing with local and visiting artists such as Sacred Geometry. During his PhD studies, Luchtan moved to Lexington, Georgia
. His first performance was for the local American Legion
post, where he sang old country songs. He then began performing under the name Racecar at local venues. Some works have also been released under the name of My Alien Ways.
In the Summer of 2004, he left his job as a Programming Specialist in Bioinformatics
for the Kissinger Research Group at the University of Georgia to dedicate his life to his music and ideals.
In 2006, he sold the farm in Lexington, Georgia
and released a series of original content podcasts called "Stubbornly Curious" as he traveled across the United States in an RV.
His song "Revolution or Suicide", was made part of Neil Young
's compilation "Living With War Today", a selection of war protest songs.http://www.neilyoung.com/lwwtoday/lwwsongspage.html .
Most recently, he created a weekly podcast in conjunction with the Portland Radio Authority called Altered Sound, which takes found sounds, alters, and arranges them in an experimental manner. It ran for eight episodes.
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
for a compilation of anti-war songs. In 2007 he released a serialized multi-media project over the internet in association with the street newspaper
Street newspaper
Street newspapers are newspapers or magazines sold by homeless or poor individuals and produced mainly to support these populations. Most such newspapers primarily provide coverage about homelessness and poverty-related issues, and seek to strengthen social networks within homeless communities...
Street Roots called Ghosts In The Flophouse. He is currently the lead singer songwriter for the Portland based country band Floods.
Biography
Michael Luchtan was born in 1977 in ArkansasArkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
and grew up in Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. He studied computer science at the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
, in Athens. While there, he began playing with local and visiting artists such as Sacred Geometry. During his PhD studies, Luchtan moved to Lexington, Georgia
Lexington, Georgia
Lexington is a city in Oglethorpe County, Georgia, United States. The population was 239 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Oglethorpe County...
. His first performance was for the local American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
post, where he sang old country songs. He then began performing under the name Racecar at local venues. Some works have also been released under the name of My Alien Ways.
In the Summer of 2004, he left his job as a Programming Specialist in Bioinformatics
Bioinformatics
Bioinformatics is the application of computer science and information technology to the field of biology and medicine. Bioinformatics deals with algorithms, databases and information systems, web technologies, artificial intelligence and soft computing, information and computation theory, software...
for the Kissinger Research Group at the University of Georgia to dedicate his life to his music and ideals.
In 2006, he sold the farm in Lexington, Georgia
Lexington, Georgia
Lexington is a city in Oglethorpe County, Georgia, United States. The population was 239 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Oglethorpe County...
and released a series of original content podcasts called "Stubbornly Curious" as he traveled across the United States in an RV.
His song "Revolution or Suicide", was made part of Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
's compilation "Living With War Today", a selection of war protest songs.http://www.neilyoung.com/lwwtoday/lwwsongspage.html .
Most recently, he created a weekly podcast in conjunction with the Portland Radio Authority called Altered Sound, which takes found sounds, alters, and arranges them in an experimental manner. It ran for eight episodes.
Discography
- 10 Sad Songs, 2004 (released under the Racecar moniker)
- Country Gold, 2004 (released under the Racecar moniker)
- Life is But a Wheel, 2005
- The Suicide King, 2005
- Untitled, 2005
- Forgotten Transmissions #1, 2006 Podcast release
- Return Of The Wandering Jew, 2006 Podcast release
- Stubbornly Curious no. 3, 2006 Podcast release
- Revolution Or Suicide, 2006 Podcast release