A Head Full of Wishes

Luna’s second album Bewitched is getting a vinyl repress courtesy of Gotta Groove Records - head over to their web site to grab yourself a copy.

The album was originally released only on CD but in 2012 Gotta Groove Records released it on vinyl for the first time - and in the originally planned sleeve that had been replaced at the last minute by Elektra. The 2012 release was limited to 1500 copies so it is long overdue a repress.

Grab your copy over here for $25

Damon & Naomi’s online store has a new topaz T-shirt with the Galaxie 500 Eclipse design and it looks rather lovely - topaz it seems is blue (although Googling what colour is topaz just made things more confusing) - luckily Naomi posted a pic on her Instagram to help me out:

Head on over there to grab one for $20.00.

Now… I wear my band T-shirts mostly in black, and occasionally in white - but I make exceptions for Galaxie 500 ones - although I resisted until Naomi encouraged me to try an orange one … and then an antique gold one (which I’ve become very attached to)…

But… if you prefer to stick with rock tradition they’re also available black!

Back in March 2009 Dean & Britta played a low-key (and sparesely attended) show for Worcester College Consortium students at The Grind at Clark University, shortly after Matt sent me a recording of the show (and a pictures of the setlist) - he said…

The sound is not perfect, as I was front and center and just had the recorder sitting in a bag, but it is certainly listenable.

I’d have to say that actually the sound is much better than “listenable” (especially considering it was “sitting in a bag”); the setlist was a lovely mix of Dean & Britta (and 13 Most Beautiful), Luna and Galaxie 500; and the atmosphere seemed beautifully relaxed.

And Bewitched has a trumpet … which always gives me chills!

Enjoy…

If you prefer you can download the whole show zipped up over here.

Just came across another video from Luna’s soundcheck before their show in Santander in 2017 - I think I didn’t share this because of the rather careless camerawork - but … it’s nice to hear a live Friends…

• Previously I shared a video of them soundchecking Dylan’s Most Of The Time

A New York Times article 5 Notes From a Quiet Year: How Music Survived the Pandemic contains a piece from Damon talking about how the inate social nature of musicians led them to take advantage of the pandemic to form the Union of Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW) when it became clear just how much of an impact the pandemic was having on musicians income.

Britta has contributed bass and vocals to the track Spacewoman on the new EP from Slow Arrow.

The whole of Echoes is a spacey/dreamy synth-driven gem and worth throwing some of your pennies at.

As it should have been Tom Rapp’s 74th birthday today’s artefact is a recording of Damon & Naomi at the first Terrastock festival in Providence, RI in 1997

The cassette was recorded by Tom and he sent it to me unannouced shortly after the show - he also joins the duo on stage for a fantastic cover of Bob Dylan’s I Shall Be Released. That track (more professionally recorded) was released on a Terrastock tribute CD - but there’s always something a bit special about an audience recording so…

… here’s the full show to download - it’s a treat.

Dean & Britta have just started a Patreon account where fans can support them financially in return for monthly rewards. Each month the duo will be publishing unreleased music, chapters from an audiobook and early access to news and merchandise.

There are currently two tiers of membership:

Found myself watching this again last night and it’s a treat. A fantastic multi-camera video of Dean Wareham playing Today at The Chapel in San Francsico back in July 2017 from the excellent 3.Cameras.and.a.Microphone YouTube channel

Happy Bandcamp Friday! For today’s celebration I’ve reduced prices of the two Galaxie 500 tribute albums I released in 2019 and 2020!

On Fire 30

All the deluxe editions of On Fire 30 are now sold out but the CD only edition can be had for just £2 (plus postage) - the album was released on the 30th anniversary of Galaxie 500’s masterpeice second album On Fire and contains a track-by-track tribute (inlcuding the Blue Thunder EP).

14 tracks by a range of great artists from around the world including the wonderful Britta Phillips covering Leave The Planet, legendary Robert Scott of The Bats playing Tell Me, fab Frnech pop band Vacance’s first ever release with a cover of Strange and much more - and all for just £2!

Buy On Fire 30 on CD for £2 (plus postage)

This Music Is Ours

The follow up to On Fire 30 was a track-for-track remake of Galaxie 500’s final album This Is Our Music - there are just 12 copies left of this and these are now available for just £5 + postage!

includes badges, stickers, postcards and a booklet of art and words. Another great album with splendid covers from around the world - Melbourne’s Annual Leaf do a brilliant cover of Spook, Miguel M. Matallín from Valencia does a beautiful Way Up High and so much more - and all for just a fiver!

Buy This Music Is Ours on CDR for £5 (plus postage)