Dean and Britta
Encyclopedia
Dean & Britta is a musical duo consisting of Dean Wareham
and Britta Phillips
, both former members of Luna
. Wareham had formed Luna in 1991 after leaving his first band, Galaxie 500
. Phillips joined Luna in 2000, replacing bassist Justin Harwood
.
(T. Rex
, David Bowie
) and was released on Jetset Records
in 2003 under the name "Britta Phillips & Dean Wareham." After hearing the album, Peter Kember
(a.k.a. Sonic Boom of Spacemen 3
, Spectrum, & E.A.R.) fell in love with it and did a remix mini LP entitled "Sonic Souvenirs" (also on Jetset Records).
After Luna broke up in 2005, Dean & Britta spent the next year working on film scores (most notably Noah Baumbach
's movie,
The Squid and the Whale
), and promoting the documentary film of Luna's farewell tour Tell Me Do You Miss Me. They were married during the recording of their album Back Numbers (also produced by Tony Visconti), and simplified their name to "Dean & Britta". Back Numbers was released on Rounder Records
in February 2007 followed by a limited edition EP, "Words You Used To Say". In 2006 Dean and Britta did a Take-Away Show video session shot by Vincent Moon
.
In 2008, Dean & Britta covered The Cure
's "Friday I'm In Love" for American Laundromat Records
tribute compilation "Just Like Heaven - a tribute to The Cure".
Dean Wareham
Dean Wareham is an American musician, who formed the band Galaxie 500 in 1987. Born in Wellington, New Zealand, Wareham moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia, before settling in New York City in 1977. Wareham attended high school at Dalton School in New York, and then attended Harvard...
and Britta Phillips
Britta Phillips
Britta Phillips is an American musician, songwriter, actress and voice actor. She is best known as the singing voice of the title character of Jem and as one half of the duo Dean and Britta, with her husband Dean Wareham...
, both former members of Luna
Luna (band)
Luna was a dream pop/indie pop band formed in 1991 by Dean Wareham after the breakup of Galaxie 500, with Stanley Demeski and Justin Harwood...
. Wareham had formed Luna in 1991 after leaving his first band, Galaxie 500
Galaxie 500
Galaxie 500 was an American alternative rock band that formed in 1987 and split up in 1991 after releasing three albums.-History:Guitarist Dean Wareham, drummer Damon Krukowski and bassist Naomi Yang had met at the Dalton School in New York City in 1981, but began playing together during their time...
. Phillips joined Luna in 2000, replacing bassist Justin Harwood
Justin Harwood
Justin Harwood is a New Zealand-born bass guitarist, notable for his work with several indie rock bands of the 1980s and 1990s, The Chills, Luna, and Tuatara...
.
History
Their first album started out as a Wareham solo project, but when he heard Phillips' demos, he asked her to join him. "L'Avventura" was produced by Tony ViscontiTony Visconti
Anthony Edward Visconti is an American record producer and sometimes a musician or singer.Since the late 1960s, he has worked with an array of performers; his lengthiest involvement with any artist is with David Bowie: intermittently from Bowie's 1969 album Space Oddity to 2003's Reality, Visconti...
(T. Rex
T. Rex (band)
T. Rex were a British rock band, formed in 1967 by singer/songwriter and guitarist Marc Bolan. The band formed as Tyrannosaurus Rex, releasing four folk albums under the name...
, David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
) and was released on Jetset Records
Jetset Records
Jetset Records was a New York-based indie rock record label. The label has released a variety of independent bands, including Firewater, Sun Kil Moon and Mogwai.-Roster:*16 Horsepower*Arab Strap*Black Box Recorder*Dean and Britta*Congo Norvell...
in 2003 under the name "Britta Phillips & Dean Wareham." After hearing the album, Peter Kember
Peter Kember
Peter Kember is a British musician and producer, more usually known as Sonic Boom, and was a founding member of alternative rock band Spacemen 3....
(a.k.a. Sonic Boom of Spacemen 3
Spacemen 3
Spacemen 3 were an English alternative rock band, formed in 1982 in Rugby, Warwickshire by Peter Kember and Jason Pierce. Their music was "colorfully mind-altering, but not in the sense of the acid rock of the '60s; instead, the band developed its own minimalistic psychedelia"...
, Spectrum, & E.A.R.) fell in love with it and did a remix mini LP entitled "Sonic Souvenirs" (also on Jetset Records).
After Luna broke up in 2005, Dean & Britta spent the next year working on film scores (most notably Noah Baumbach
Noah Baumbach
Noah Baumbach is an American writer, director and independent filmmaker.-Background and education:Baumbach was born in Brooklyn, New York City, the son of novelist/film critic Jonathan Baumbach and Village Voice critic Georgia Brown. He graduated from Brooklyn's Midwood High School in 1987 and ...
's movie,
The Squid and the Whale
The Squid and the Whale
The Squid and the Whale is a 2005 American drama film written and directed by Noah Baumbach and produced by Wes Anderson. It tells the semi-autobiographical story of two boys in Brooklyn dealing with their parents' divorce in the 1980s. The film is named after a giant squid and sperm whale diorama...
), and promoting the documentary film of Luna's farewell tour Tell Me Do You Miss Me. They were married during the recording of their album Back Numbers (also produced by Tony Visconti), and simplified their name to "Dean & Britta". Back Numbers was released on Rounder Records
Rounder Records
Rounder Records, originally of Cambridge, Massachusetts, but now based in Burlington, Massachusetts, is a record label founded in 1970 by Ken Irwin, Bill Nowlin and Marian Leighton-Levy, while all three were still university students...
in February 2007 followed by a limited edition EP, "Words You Used To Say". In 2006 Dean and Britta did a Take-Away Show video session shot by Vincent Moon
Vincent Moon
Vincent Moon is an independent filmmaker from Paris mainly known for his field work music videos of indie rock related musicians as well as some notable mainstream artists like Tom Jones, R.E.M. or Arcade Fire. Besides making music videos he also makes experimental films and documentaries...
.
In 2008, Dean & Britta covered The Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
's "Friday I'm In Love" for American Laundromat Records
American Laundromat Records
American Laundromat Records is an indie label based in Mystic, CT.The label has produced several tribute albums, including Dig For Fire - a tribute to PIXIES, Cinnamon Girl - Women Artists Cover Neil Young, and High School Reunion - A Tribute to Those Great 80's Films...
tribute compilation "Just Like Heaven - a tribute to The Cure".
Albums
- L'AvventuraL'Avventura (album)L'Avventura is the debut album by Dean & Britta, released in 2003 and originally credited to "Britta Phillips & Dean Wareham". It was produced by Tony Visconti L'Avventura is the debut album by Dean & Britta, released in 2003 and originally credited to "Britta Phillips & Dean Wareham". It was...
(2003) - Back NumbersBack NumbersBack Numbers is the second album by Dean & Britta, released in 2007.- Track listing :All tracks by Dean & Britta] except were noted# "Singer Sing" - 4:15# "Words You Used to Say" - 4:21# "Wait for Me" - 3:40...
(2007) - 13 Most Beautiful: Songs for Andy Warhol's Screen Tests (2010)