Thursday, October 2, 1997
For Luna, life on tour loses touch with reality
MUSIC: Band entertains fans, keeps shows fresh by mixing up song
sets
By Vanessa VanderZanden
Daily Bruin Staff
Life on the road can be lonely. Especially when you find
yourself stuck in Columbus, Ohio, waiting for a gig. But at least
Justin Harwood, bassist for the pop band Luna, has discovered a
suitable off stage hobby.
"I like to go to thrift stores and pawn shops and stuff like
that," Harwood explains somberly. "You know, I don’t know that
there’s that much fun to be had in Columbus."
At least Harwood can take comfort in the fact that Luna will
likely continue to tour Japan and Australasia after their stay in
the states. Culminating their U.S. and Canadian stint on Sept. 30
when they played L.A.’s El Rey theater, Luna will undoubtedly leave
audiences hungry for more of the catchy, simplistic tunes which
sprinkle their fourth and newest album, "Pup Tent." Until then,
Harwood will continue to scope out secondhand stores for old
Polaroid cameras and the occasional pair of shoes.
"I don’t really like buying clothes because I’m so stayed in
what I actually feel comfortable in," Harwood says. "Coming from
New Zealand, you’re only allowed to have two pairs of jeans and a
T-shirt and a sweater and that’s it. So I prefer to buy
objects."
However, Harwood has changed his lifestyle somewhat since his
days as a Kiwi, opting instead for the fast-paced city life of New
York. Moving from the small town feel of New Zealand to the chaos
of one of the world’s largest metropolises, though, barely phased
the 32-year-old bass player. After all, he had already made an
earlier relocation to London, where he met lead singer Dean Wareham
during his four year stay.
"I was 20, living in the closet of my manager’s house," Harwood
sentimentally recalls. "It was like a storage room with his gear.
He had boxes for a single mattress. I was living on 15 pounds a
week, which was about 30 bucks, eating Bran Flakes and Pita Bread.
That was an experience."
After meeting Wareham, whose band, Galaxy 500, used the same
manager as Harwood’s band for several shows, Harwood jumped at the
chance to root himself in New York with a new group. Going on six
years of Luna success, Harwood would be the last to regret his
decision. Yet, with the recent switch to a new drummer and personal
relationship difficulties between himself and his wife, Harwood
knows too well the stress of his demanding art.
"If you’re making a record, then you’re totally out to lunch,"
Harwood soberly admits. "And of course, when you go on tour, it’s
like being back in the womb. You’re just traveling from hotel to
hotel and town to town and you don’t answer the phone and no one
comes over to the house. You totally lose touch with reality. Which
is great, but not so good for the people that care for you."
Leading such a life requires a strong commitment to the music
being created. Ironically for such a seemingly sad character as
Harwood, Luna’s sound comes off as boppy and sweet, causing many
critics to sight The Velvet Underground as a huge influence. This
comparison, however, somewhat rattles the band’s cage.
"After six years of being lumped in with The Velvet Underground,
it gets a little tiring," Harwood says. "I don’t mind being
compared to them because I think they’re a great band, but I think
it’s a little lazy to say that "Pup Tent" sounds like a Velvet
Underground record, and I think these days, we would probably like
it more if people started listening a little deeper."
Though their fourth album remains true to Luna’s straight-up
guitar rock sound, the band has achieved greater personal
development. This growth has arrested live audiences, who are
treated to songs played as close to their album recording as
possible. Such a performance strategy fits in with Luna’s overall
concept.
"We’re a little less conservative than we were, but we’re not
that outrageous," Harwood says of the band’s more adventurous
sound. "We’re all big fans of songwriting and simple structure and
really simple but effective songs, and that’s kind of where we try
to stay. Not like we have a manifesto or anything."
Yet, Luna will play different song sets from night to night, in
an attempt to keep shows fresh for themselves and fans. Such a ploy
may even manage to keep Harwood entertained in such places as
Columbus, Ohio. But when the music’s over and the thrift stores
close, Harwood finds still another way to keep himself amused.
"On the last Luna tour, the tour manager was a big basketball
fan and we used to get into town and drive down courts and pick up
games," Harwood recalls. "We did that in L.A. the last time. I
think it was at a school on Wilshire, maybe La Brea. Big school. We
had like three hours of some of the best basketball that I’ve ever
played. It was nuts getting completely destroyed by 16-year-olds.
Even though I’m old, I try my hardest. Because it goes away very
quickly in this life."