Luna: The Best Band You've Never Heard Of

Luna is one of those bands I don't remember discovering—rather, it just seems like I've always been listening to them. A few days ago I stumbled upon a copy of frontman Dean Wareham's memoir Black Postcards—which I had no idea even existed—and quickly became absorbed in the details of the cult figure's musical evolution: from his Glen Campbell-dominated New Zealand youth to discovery of New Wave, first shot at forming a band while attending Harvard, the rise and fall of Galaxie 500, an amazing 7-album-run with Luna, and plenty of personal turmoil and triumphs, including his love affair with bandmate Britta Phillips which produced the near-perfect L'Avventura. First to admit those ego-driven mistakes, Wareham offers up the truth behind his bands' music with detailed self-depricating humor and deadpan delivery. Here's a taste:

"We made an album called The Days Of Our Nights. Our fifth studio album, it is possibly the worst of the seven that Luna made. If you study rock-and-roll bands, I think that fifth album generally tends to suck. Maybe they all hate one another by this point. Maybe they need new ideas. Maybe they're trying new ideas. Whatever the reason, the fifth album is difficult."

Aside from the wealth of band insight, Wareham also recreates the inner-workings of the business side of the 1980's and 90's music scene with his own struggle to make a buck with both independent and major labels. The record companies are both shown at their greed-infused peak and inevitable fall from grace, and there seems to be no better source than Wareham, who has the numbers and lived-through-it experience to paint a vividly clear picture. For fans of Luna or rock music in general, there are few writers that depict the scene with as honest a touch.

Here's a soundtrack to the book, comprised of songs or albums specifically mentioned in the text.

Galaxie 500 - "Don't Let Our Youth Go To Waste (Jonathan Richman)" (from Peel Sessions)

Luna - "23 Minutes In Brussels" (from Penthouse)

Britta Phillips & Dean Wareham - "Ginger Snaps" (from L'Avventura)

Papas Fritas - "Girl" (from Buildings and Grounds)
Jorge Ben - "Mas Que Nada" (from Samba Esquema Novo)
Glen Campbell - "Mary In The Morning" (from Gentle On My Mind)