Mark Nicks of Cool Hand Luke posted a detailed blog today on Myspace.  Sitting down at a coffee shop in Nashville with his wife, apparently people he knew kept walking in and asking him what was up with the band.  This prompted Mark to send out the latest news.  In short, upcoming shows are planned near Nashville, but without a band.  Mark will perform old and new Cool Hand Luke songs and play the piano.  For various reasons, his recent bandmates have left the band.  Despite this, Mark says Cool Hand Luke is not done and he hopes to tour to areas where the band has not been recently.  Furthermore, Mark is working on new music.

Submitted by Mark Nicks of Cool Hand Luke (current album: The Balancing Act (Feb. 20) - Floodgate Records)

1. Keane - Under the Iron Sea

Keane has become one of my favorite bands. I don't geek out about too many bands, but this is one of the few. I bought this record the day it came out, bought the singles, downloaded the podcast, and all the other dorky stuff you do when you really, really like a band. I loved their last record "Hopes and Fears", and I love this one just as much. It's haunting at times and almost always beautiful and emotive. I think Tom sings like an angel. These guys inspire me because there is no flashy musicianship (there isn't even guitar), but they just write great songs.

We first sat down for an interview with Cool Hand Luke two years ago at our first GMA week appearance. Since then, we thought the band had died. Ecstatic to learn that they were heading to the studio this Spring for an expected Fall release of a new album, we sat down with Mark Nicks (vocals, drums, keys) again at GMA this year to discuss where they have been and where they are headed.

inReview: What has happened since we last met up two years ago?
Mark: Well a lot has happened. That was in 2004 and in November of 2004, we played our last show and we have not played since then. [Then] 2005 was a hard year for me because I kind of lost my sense of purpose and I did not know how to do anything but be in Cool Hand Luke. I learned a lot from it and God kind of showed me that my identity was very greatly intertwined with Cool Hand Luke. And it should have been more intertwined with Him.