Kiwi turned Aussie turned Yankee, like other members of Luna, Dean's background covers an impressive cross-section of the English-speaking world. Formed Galaxie 500 in 1987, writing and recording classic songs like Blue Thunder and Fourth of July, and then in 1991 formed Luna: the songs were still distinctively Dean's, but with a proper band behind him the music was a bit more beefy. This was generally a good thing, but not always.