Formed in New York City in 1992, Luna has fallen prey to the traditional mantra of, "It's hard to keep a rock band together," according to frontman Dean Wareham. The band was originally named Luna 2 and featured ex-Chills bassist Justin Harwood and former Feelies drummer Stanley Demeski alongside Wareham.
But after fate shuffled the cards, Wareham found himself with almost an entirely new lineup of Britta Phillips (known for her voice-over as Jem from Jem and the Holograms) on bass, Sean Eden (a former student at the N.C. School of the Arts and member of Luna since 1994) on guitar and Lee Wall (who just finished recording The Weeds of Eden with bandmate Eden) on drums.
Even with all the changes, Wareham said, Luna is still going strong, especially with Romantica out on the racks. "Most of the reviews I read were positive," he said. The album has been billed as classic Luna with its down-tempo grooves and dark, syrupy vocals. But it lacks the lyrical depth of previous albums such as Penthouse and Bewitched.
However, the show at Cat's Cradle, a place Wareham said the band always plays while on tour, most likely will not be found lacking, as the band has been praised for its live work on 2001's Luna Live. Recorded jointly at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C., and at the Knitting Factory in New York, the album was hailed for capturing the true Luna spirit.
That spirit, Wareham said, is a combination of influences ranging from Blondie to the Sex Pistols to even Elvis Presley. "If I could hear him play one of my songs, that would be nice," Wareham said.
The Cradle marks the last stop on Luna's tour before the band heads back home to New York for a two-night stint at the Bowery Ballroom. But before hopping back on the tour bus for the long ride northward, Wareham said the band might try to visit friends in the area and perhaps even get in a little rest and relaxation.
"I may try to play a little golf," he said.
The Arts & Entertainment Editor can be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu.
