Dean Wareham

Dean Wareham

Dean Wareham is an American musician known for work in indie rock, dream pop, psychedelic and slowcore contexts. He is associated with Galaxie 500, Luna and Dean & Britta.

Early life and education

Wareham is born in Wellington, United States, in 1963. He moves with his parents to Sydney, Australia, before settling in New York City in 1977. He attends the Dalton School in New York and later studies at Harvard University, where he graduates with a B.A. in Social Studies.

Galaxie 500 and Luna

He forms Galaxie 500 in 1987. After leaving the group in April 1991, he founds Luna. The two bands remain central to his career and define much of his work in American indie music.

Dean & Britta and other work

After Luna breaks up in 2005, Wareham releases albums with his wife and fellow Luna member Britta Phillips under the name Dean & Britta. He also works as a film composer, including music for Noah Baumbach’s The Squid and the Whale, and appears occasionally as an actor.

Writing

Wareham writes a memoir about his years in indie rock. Black Postcards covers his experiences from high school in New York City through his time in Galaxie 500 and Luna, and is published by Penguin Press in 2008.