He'll be joined by bassist Phillips and drummer Anthony Lamarca for the sets of Galaxie 500 songs at Bodega and the Kings Arms. That memorable show was at the magnificent Wellington Town Hall, but he's looking forward to returning to play much smaller venues in Wellington and Auckland. It was in this guise Wareham finally played in his birth town of Wellington at the 2010 Festival of the Arts, performing 13 Most Beautiful: Songs For Andy Warhol's Screen Tests. Since then he and wife Britta Phillips have been performing as Dean and Britta. Although they didn't make huge waves at the time, it was enough of a shock that the internal pressure took its toll, ultimately leading to the band's short lifespan.Īfterwards, Wareham formed New York quartet Luna, who recorded seven albums before disbanding in 2005. And if you put a record out there that's good, it kind of gets around.'Īs Wareham relates, pretty soon Galaxie 500 were gaining plaudits in the UK weekly music press and touring in Europe. But you had some strong opinions about what's good and what isn't and you make a record. 'I don't think we were particularly ambitious in 1988 you couldn't be ambitious. 'You look back and think all these records sound unique, although it's obvious what our influences were,' Wareham considers. The albums had already been reissued in 1997, and he's not entirely sure why they're garnering more interest this time around, but thinks it has something to do with Galaxie 500's influence coming to bear in recent years. We make all the decisions together.'Īnd that includes by Wareham himself, who has reassessed Today (1988), Aurora (1989) and This Is Our Music (1990) in light of their reissue on Domino Records. Naomi does all the artwork, and Damon in a way functions as the manager. 'But that's good - there's no reason for us to talk on the phone,' he reflects. So while Wareham is visiting New Zealand to play their songs on the back of Galaxie 500's three albums being re-released, all his communication with bassist Naomi Yang and drummer Damon Krukowski is via email. Of course the man who once fronted Galaxie 500 has long since fallen out of love with that notion, and with the other members of that band. 'That's what drives the formation of new bands: you've got to think like you're inventing the wheel.' 'You're young and opinionated and cocky and very excited to be making something new together,' he elaborates. 'Starting a band with your friends is like falling in love,' Dean Wareham wrote in his fascinating, candid memoir Black Postcards. Now the 48-year-old returns to play songs from his first band, Galaxie 500. Last year, Dean Wareham finally played in his birth town of Wellington.

Black postcards a memoir