Luna

Luna are a New York band formed in 1991 by singer/guitarist Dean Wareham after the breakup of Galaxie 500.

A Luna Timeline:

1992. Dean Wareham recruits Justin Harwood (ex-Chills) on bass and Stanley Demeski (ex-Feelies) on drums to record Lunapark for Elektra Records. After completing the album, the band places an ad in the Village Voice and thus discovers guitarist Sean Eden. Eden, who is Canadian by birth and a trained actor, plays lead guitar on the excellent Indian Summer EP (aka the Slide EP).

1993. The band records their second album, Bewitched, featuring “California,” “Tiger Lily” and “Friendly Advice" and with a guest appearance from the Velvet Underground’s Sterling Morrison.

1995 Luna’s classic third album, Penthouse (1995) is recorded in New York City, featuring guests Tom Verlaine (Television) and Laetitia Sadier (Stereolab). The band signs to Beggar’s Banquet in Europe. Rolling Stone calls the album “one of the essential recordings of the ‘90s.”

1996 Stanley Demeski departs and Lee Wall takes over on drums. Lee had worked at RPM studios where Luna frequently recorded, and his name was put forward by his friend Sean Eden. The two had crossed paths at North Carolina School of the Arts (Wall studying music theory and Eden the thespian arts). In 1997 the band records Pup Tent, their fourth album for Elektra, again with producer Pat McCarthy.

1998 Luna recorded their fifth album The Days of Our Nights, produced by Paul Kimble (Grant Lee Buffalo).

1999 Justin Harwood moves back to his home country (New Zealand), and is replaced on bass by Britta Phillips, ex of Ultrababyfat and known to some as the singing voice of the cartoon character Jem.

2000 finding themselves between contracts, the band quickly records a live album — Luna Live! for the Arena Rock label.

2002 the band sign to Jetset Records, record Romantica, co-produced by Gene Holder (DB’s) and Dave Fridmann (Mercury Rev). Romantica was followed by the mini-LP Close Cover Before Striking.

2004 Luna record their Rendezvous album in Brooklyn, NY. Produced by Bryce Goggin with minimal overdubs, it captures the band more-or-less live.

2005 After a farewell tour, on February 28 the band play their last show at New York’s Bowery Ballroom.

2015 Captured Tracks plans release of vinyl box set comprising Luna’s five albums recorded for Elektra and a bonus LP of rarities.

After ten years away, the band announces a commemorative world tour. The lineup is the exact ’99-’05 group: Dean Wareham and Sean Eden on guitar, Lee Wall on drums, and Britta Phillips (now married to Mr Wareham) on bass.

2016 the band start recording an album of covers at Palmetto Recording in Los Angeles, with Jason Quever (Papercuts) co-producing. After completing the covers, and at Sean Eden’s request, they add extra studio time to write and record an EP of new instrumental tracks.

2017 Double Feature Records in partnership with Pledge Music will release the band’s first new material since 2004, the covers LP A Sentimental Education and instrumental EP A Place of Greater Safety.

At their best, it’s hard to believe there is any other kind of music besides this simple, graceful, chiming chug — the Guardian

Dean Wareham has an unlikely quiver of a voice that, for whatever ungodly reason, sounds as if he’s survived something his music alludes to but never gives away — Jerry Stahl

One of indie rocks’ most beloved live acts — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone