D:Ream - seminal dance actPlays: House
Forming twenty years ago and creating some of the most memorable tracks of the nineties, D:Ream, one of the UK's seminal dance acts, are back.
Most known for their iconic tracks ‘UR The Best Thing’, ‘Things Can Only Get Better’ and their remixes of Duran Duran, Baby June and EMF, the band went on a hiatus in 1997 but have since reunited, recording a brand new album. ‘In Memory Of…’ sees their trademark uplifting sound fusing with more modern guitar led, synth pop.
Peter and Al met at London’s Brain Club in 1990 where Al was resident DJ. Bonding over music the duo began writing tracks eventually bringing in further members to help perform live. Notably physician Brian Cox, who has since returned to record keyboards for three tracks on the new album. After releasing UR The Best Thing on their own label it gained the accolade of 'Essential Tune Of The Year' in 1992 by Peter Tong. With such a strong dj support and after many memorable live performances the majors were circling and they signed with Warner Brothers. The rest, as they say, is history.
Recalling their heyday, singer Peter Cunnah said, “I knew we’d made it the first time we went on Top of the Pops to perform ‘UR The Best Thing’! It was obviously a huge deal for us as that show was an institution. It was the measure of success at the time. From there it just got crazy!”
From that Top of the Pops performance D:Ream went on to ride a wave of success throughout the 90s. “I have so many great memories from those times,” recalls Peter. “Getting a Brit nomination, performing at Manchester Apollo in the Spring or ‘95 and, of course, getting to number 1 with ‘Things Can Only Get Better’ are just a few that stand out in my mind.”
‘Things Can Only Get Better’, the song that in many ways helped to define the 90s, gained further notoriety and brought D:Ream back to the forefront of UK pop music as the theme song for successful New Labour campaign. “Performing at the Royal Festival Hall on election night in 1997 was another highlight of ours from those times.”
At the tail end of 1997, D:Ream decided to call it a day. “By this point it seemed like we’d achieved a hell of lot. I could see a change coming in the UK music scene and opted to take an indefinite hiatus,” Peter explained. In the intervening years, Peter and Al never strayed too far away from music, with Peter featuring on Chicane’s 2003 track ‘Love on the Run’ and Al producing and remixing tracks for various artists and DJs, including Helicopter & The Tyrell Corporation.
After a chance meeting in 2009, the duo made plans to get back into the studio and back out on tour. “We, quite literally, bumped into one another in a park a couple of years ago, having not been in contact for a good few years. It was great getting back in touch with Al and chatting like we used to. We agreed the band had never fulfilled it’s potential and it felt like there was still some unfinished business to take care of!”
The result was ‘In Memory Of…’, an album that straddles the sound that D:Ream always made, with a new sense of urgency and authenticity, born from their natural musicianship and flair for production. The forthcoming single ‘Gods In The Making’, for example, is a stomping synth-led anthem, with crunching guitars and a classic D:Ream hook.
Definitely most at home on the live circuit, D:Ream are gearing up for their first UK tour in over a decade. “After so many years away, we’re excited about getting out there again playing the past and, hopefully, future favourites,” adds Al.
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