Dean Wareham (born 1 August 1963) is an American

musician A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who w ...

and actor who formed the band Galaxie 500 in 1987. He left Galaxie 500 in April 1991 and founded the band Luna. Since Luna's breakup in 2005, Wareham has released albums with fellow Luna bandmate (and wife)

Britta Phillips Britta Phillips (born June 11, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and actress. Phillips' music career spans more than 30 years. She came to prominence in the mid-1980s as the singing voice of the title character ...

(see Dean and Britta). They also work as film composers, notably on the

Noah Baumbach Noah Baumbach () (born September 3, 1969) is an American film director and screenwriter. He is known for making witty and intellectual comedies set in New York City and has often been compared to writer-directors such as Woody Allen and Whit St ...

films ''

The Squid and the Whale ''The Squid and the Whale'' is a 2005 American independent comedy-drama film written and directed by Noah Baumbach and produced by Wes Anderson. It tells the semi-autobiographical story of two boys in Brooklyn dealing with their parents' divor ...

'' and '' Mistress America''. He released a self-titled album in 2014 and reformed Luna in 2015.

Early life

Born in

Wellington, New Zealand Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...

, Wareham is the son of John Wareham, author, and Margaret Wareham (née Owles). His family moved to Sydney, Australia, before settling in New York City in 1977. Wareham attended the Dalton School in New York and

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

, graduating with a B.A. in social studies. He has three siblings, including Louise Wareham, a novelist.

Galaxie 500

Guitarist Wareham, drummer

Damon Krukowski Damon Krukowski (born September 6, 1963) is an American musician, poet and writer. He was a member of the dreampop band Galaxie 500 and the psychedelic rock band Magic Hour, and is half of the psychedelic folk duo Damon and Naomi. He is also ...

and bassist

Naomi Yang Naomi Yang (born September 15, 1964) is an American musician, graphic designer, photographer and filmmaker. She was a member of the dreampop band Galaxie 500, psychedelic rock band Magic Hour and is half of the psychedelic folk duo Damon and ...

began playing together as Galaxie 500 in 1987, after their time as students at

. The band's name comes from a Ford car of the 1960s, the Ford Galaxie 500. Galaxie 500's records were released in the US and UK on the independent

Rough Trade Rough Trade may refer to: *Rough Trade Records, a record label * Rough Trade (shops), London record stores *Rough Trade (band), a Canadian new wave rock band * "Rough Trade" (''American Dad!''), an episode of ''American Dad!'' *Rough trade (slang), ...

label and went out of print upon Rough Trade's demise. Galaxie 500's entire catalog, along with a box set including singles, EPs and rarities was reissued during the 1990s by

Rykodisc Rykodisc is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, operating as a unit of WMG's Independent Label Group and is distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance. History Claiming to be the first CD-only independent record la ...

. Galaxie 500 leveraged fairly minimal instrumental technique with intense atmospherics provided by producer Mark Kramer, and their distinctive sound bore an influence beyond the small audience for their independently released albums. The sound and the increasingly loyal audience grew with each release until Wareham quit the band in 1991. To mark twenty years since the release of the Galaxie 500 albums, Wareham embarked on his Dean Wareham Plays Galaxie 500 tour. Notably absent were Krukowski and Yang.

Luna

Luna was a

dream pop Dream pop (also typeset as dreampop) is a subgenre of alternative rock and neo-psychedelia that emphasizes atmosphere and sonic texture as much as pop melody. Common characteristics include breathy vocals, dense productions, and effects such as ...

indie pop Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and su ...

band Wareham formed in 1991 after the breakup of Galaxie 500, with Stanley Demeski and Justin Harwood (Demeski also in The Feelies and Harwood formerly of

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...

band

The Chills The Chills are a New Zealand rock band that formed in Dunedin in 1980. The band is essentially the continuing project of singer/songwriter Martin Phillipps, who is the group's sole constant member. For a time in the 1990s, the act was billed ...

). The original lineup was expanded with the addition of guitarist Sean Eden for their second album, 1994's ''Bewitched''. Lee Wall replaced Demeski on drums in time for 1997's ''Pup Tent,'' and Britta Phillips of Belltower (also known as the singing voice of animated character Jem) joined when bassist Justin Harwood departed in 2000. Phillips and Wareham eventually became romantically involved and married. They now release records under the moniker "Dean & Britta". In 1992, Wareham signed a demo deal with Elektra Records' A&R VP Terry Tolkin and recorded a number of tracks with

Mercury Rev Mercury Rev is an American indie rock band formed in 1989 in Buffalo, New York.
Original personnel were Justin Harwood, whom Dean had met while Justin was playing with

and they recruited drummer Byron Guthrie. The trio recorded some more demos (produced by

Dave Fridmann David Lawrence Fridmann is an American record producer and musician. Career From 1990 onwards he co-produced most releases by Mercury Rev and The Flaming Lips. Other bands he has worked with include Weezer, Saxon Shore, Neon Indian, Wolf Ga ...

) and played a couple of live dates augmented by Mercury Rev guitarist Grasshopper (Sean Mackowiak). Guthrie was then replaced by former Feelies drummer Stanley Demeski and this lineup recorded the first album ''

Lunapark Luna Park is a name shared by dozens of currently operating and defunct amusement parks. They are named after, and partly based on, the first Luna Park, which opened in 1903 during the heyday of large Coney Island parks. Luna parks are small-sc ...

'', produced by Fred Maher and released by Elektra under the name Luna² to avoid confusion with a

new-age music New-age is a genre of music intended to create artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism. It is used by listeners for yoga, massage, meditation, and reading as a method of stress management to bring about a state of ecstasy rather than ...

ian who was already using the name Luna (later an agreement was reached which allowed the band to use the name Luna). In the summer of 1993 the band was the supporting act for the reformed

Velvet Underground Weave details visible on a purple-colored velvet fabric Velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric in which the cut threads are evenly distributed, with a short pile, giving it a distinctive soft feel. By extension, the word ''velvety'' means " ...

on their European tour after which they set about recording their second album. ''Bewitched'' was recorded in New York City and co-produced by the band with Victor Van-Vugt. Velvet Underground guitarist

Sterling Morrison Holmes Sterling Morrison Jr. (August 29, 1942 – August 30, 1995) was an American guitarist, best known as one of the founding members of the rock group the Velvet Underground, usually playing electric guitar, occasionally bass guitar, and ...

played guitar on two tracks. The album was released in 1994. Luna's third album, ''Penthouse'' (1995), was named one of the essential of the 1990s by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine. ''Penthouse'' was co-produced by Mario Salvati and Pat McCarthy in New York, and features guests

Tom Verlaine Tom Verlaine (born Thomas Miller, December 13, 1949) is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter, best known as the frontman of the New York City rock band Television. Biography Verlaine was born Thomas Miller in Denville, New Jersey and ...

(

Television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication Media (communication), medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of Transmission (telecommunications), television tra ...

) and Laetitia Sadier (

Stereolab Stereolab are an Anglo-French avant-pop band formed in London in 1990. Led by the songwriting team of Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier, the group's music combines influences from krautrock, lounge and 1960s pop music, often incorporating a re ...

). While remaining on Elektra Records in the U.S., the band was signed to Beggar's Banquet for the rest of the world. In 1997, Lee Wall replaced Stanley Demeski on drums, and the band recorded'' Pup Tent'', their fourth album for Elektra, produced by Pat McCarthy. In 1998, Luna recorded their fifth album,'' The Days of Our Nights'', produced by Paul Kimble (Grant Lee Buffalo). The album was released in the U.S. on Jericho Records and on Beggar's Banquet internationally. In December 1999, Harwood retired to New Zealand, and was replaced on bass by Britta Phillips. The band released ''Luna Live! ''in 2000 on the Arena Rock label, and then signed to Jetset Records, for whom they recorded two more studio albums, ''Romantica ''(2002), co-produced by Gene Holder (DB's) and Dave Fridmann (Mercury Rev), and ''Rendezvous ''(2004), produced by Bryce Goggin. The band announced plans to break up in 2004, and played a final concert at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City on 28 February 2005. However, in 2015 the band returned, toured the world and released new material in 2017 - the LP ''A Sentimental Education'' and the EP ''A Place of Greater Safety.''

Dean and Britta

Dean & Britta is a musical duo consisting of Wareham and

, former Luna bassist. After Luna broke up in 2005, the pair spent the following year working on film scores, including one for

's movie ''

'', and promoting the documentary film of Luna's farewell tour ''Tell Me Do You Miss Me''. They were married during the recording of their album '' Back Numbers'', produced by

Tony Visconti Anthony Edward Visconti (born April 24, 1944) is an American record producer, musician and singer. Since the late 1960s, he has worked with an array of performers. His first hit single was T. Rex's " Ride a White Swan" in 1970, the first of many ...

, and simplified their name to "Dean & Britta". ''Back Numbers'' was released on Rounder Records in February 2007, followed by a limited edition EP, "Words You Used To Say".

Solo work

Wareham released the EP, ''Emancipated Hearts'', under his own name in late 2013, which was followed by the self-titled album '' Dean Wareham'' in March 2014. October 2018 saw the release of ''Dean Wareham Vs. Cheval Sombre'' - a collection of western-themed songs featuring Wareham and singer-songwriter Cheval Sombre. In 2021, Wareham released ''I Have Nothing to Say to the Mayor of L.A.'', the first full album of new songs since his eponymous 2014 solo album. The album features 8 brand new original compositions, plus covers of songs by Scott Walker and Lazy Smoke.

Book

Wareham has written a memoir about his years in indie rock. The book recounts his experiences in music and otherwise, from high school in New York City in the 1970s through his years in Galaxie 500 and Luna and his divorce. Titled ''Black Postcards'', it was published by Penguin Press in March, 2008.

References

External links

Dean Wareham Official WebsiteLuna Official WebsiteDean Wareham on avclub.comInterview with Dean Wareham on Crikey.com.au
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wareham, Dean 1963 births Living people Musicians from New York City Harvard College alumni Musicians from Wellington Dalton School alumni Luna (1990s American band) members