"Our record was released today ... in Europe," joked Luna bassist Justin Harwood from the stage at Wednesday's sold-out show at New York's Bowery Ballroom. "Whatever!" shouted someone from the balcony. To most of the fans in attendance, the idea of Luna -- one of the most respected and consistent bands on college radio since they delivered Lunapark in 1992 -- getting dropped from Elektra Records was inconceivable. Yet only two weeks ago, just before their latest album, The Days of Our Nights, was set for release, the band was let go.

Elektra's decision to drop the band comes at a rather unusual time. Not only had the advance copies of Days been sent out for review, the band had just been given the much-heralded honor of making Rolling Stone's "150 Essential Recordings of the '90s" list for their 1995 release, Penthouse. Their contract had also recently been renewed with the label, and only three weeks ago, the quartet played Belle & Sebastian's indie rock festival, the Bowlie Weekender, alongside revered acts like Mercury Rev and the Flaming Lips, in Camber Sands, England. In recent times, Luna seemed more like a band on the cusp than one about to be jilted.

"I'm ambivalent," said frontman Dean Wareham from his downtown digs two days after the show. "In the short term it's annoying, but there are certainly positive aspects to it. Elektra is not the same label that we signed to, that's certainly true. And, frankly, it's something of a miracle that we lasted as long as we did." The band was reportedly asked to remix some of the tracks on the album before Elektra was prepared to ship Days to stores, and was also asked to put a cover of Guns n' Roses' "Sweet Child O' Mine," which was initially intended as a B-side, on the finished album. The band acquiesced to all of these requests, but to no avail.

Fortunately, the group had a split deal for Days, and its Beggar's Banquet European release is showing good numbers. According to Wareham, the single, "Superfreaky Memories," which the band debuted at the Bowery Ballroom show, "is getting more radio play than we ever have." For now, the group is focusing on Europe, where the band has always enjoyed success. They plan to play a few festivals this summer while shopping the finished product around to other Stateside labels.

"I think it's the best Luna record," insists Wareham of Days. Sales of their last release, Pup Tent, were less than impressive, which Wareham attributes to a lack of label support. "We didn't understand what happened with the last record. We were supposed to do another tour of the states, and then [Elektra] pulled the plug on us," he said. A source from the label who requested anonymity assured that the split was not done with dry eyes. "We're definitely going to miss them," the source said. "There are some genuine Luna fans at the label -- everyone here loved them." Whatever their fate, Wareham is optimistic about Luna's future. "Maybe now we can find a label where people are actually enthusiastic about the band."

HEIDI SHERMAN
(May 7, 1999)