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Former Luna and Galaxie 500 frontman Dean Wareham and his plus-one, Britta Phillips, live out their wildest Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra dreams at the Mod Club (722 College), which should more than compensate for Keren Ann’s presence on the bill Saturday (February 9). $16. 416-870-8000.
How did the Variations remix EP – celeb producers revising their favourite tracks from last year’s Back Numbers (Zoe/Rounder) album – come about?
The choice of remixers came down to who we knew and who we could afford.
Tony Visconti of T. Rex, Thin Lizzy and David Bowie fame contributes an outtake. Did he share any studio tales?
Actually, while we were working, Bowie walked in through the back door, and as much as I wanted to ask him to sing on a track, I was too shocked to make my mouth work. Evidently, he lives just a block or two away. David told us about recording in Jamaica, where they had this really good groove but couldn’t figure out the right lyrics.
What was it like to meet Lee Hazlewood?
He had a small house near the Orlando airport, and only one gold record on the wall: Billy Ray Cyrus’s Some Gave All. I think having his song These Boots Are Made For Walkin’ on it paid for the house. What I remember most about Lee is that he had a great way of speaking in aphorisms. Every sentence that came out of him was funny somehow.
What makes a song a good cover?
We tend to shy away from famous songs or things we feel are perfect just the way they are, because I’d hate to take something good and ruin it. We once tried covering Led Zeppelin’s Dancing Days in Luna, which was a really bad idea. We didn’t release it.
What can we expect from your memoir, Black Postcards, due in March?
Some people might be surprised to read about what actually happens on the road when you’re in a band, but I wanted it to be an accurate account. And if you’re honest, you’re bound to offend somebody.
