My record collection
#058: Dean Wareham - Luna demos

Dean Wareham’s first post-Galaxie 500 demos have a bit of a release history… I guess more than most demos, but this was the first time they had been collected and released in a physical form, and an absolute beauty of a package it is.

Dean Wareham - Luna Demos

The LP was released in 2018 by Portuguese indie Lux Records in a limited edition of just 200 copies on clear vinyl, and 400 on black vinyl, all individually numbered. My copy is a clear vinyl and numbered 200/200.

The LP contains five tracks recorded at Fun City, an alternative version of I Can’t Wait with a drum machine instead of Hamish Kilgour, and an acoustic version of Smile that had previously been on the What Else Do You Do? Shimmy Disc comp that was recorded and released before, and therefore contributed to, the break-up of Galaxie 500.

Here’s a quick summary of the history of the songs on Luna Demos:

• Anesthesia and I Can’t Wait (with Hamish Kilgour on drums) was released in 1992 as a Dean Wareham solo single.
• Smile (as mentioned above) was previously released on the rather wonderful What Else Do You Do? compilation (but more on that later in the series… twice)
• In June 2015 the five Fun City demos were released as a digital only release on Bandcamp with all the proceeds going to help Terry Tolkin with medical bills. Terry passed away in January 2022.
• The five Fun City tracks have subsequently been released on the deluxe edition of Luna’s Lunapark released by Run Out Groove in February 2023.

This is the only release where you can hear the drum machine demo of I Can’t Wait.

• Catalogue Number: AHFOW 12/026
• Artist: Dean Wareham
• Title: Luna Demos
• Notes: Clear vinyl #200 of 200
• Packaging: Card sleeve with a lovely collection of photos of Dean by Michael Levine.
• Format: LP
• Bought from Norman Records for £23.99 + postage.
• The demos went AWOL from Bandcamp around the time they were nabbed for the Lunapark deluxe reissue.