It was a chance meeting in a children's playground that achieved what the world's best entertainment lawyers and record company executives hadn't been able to manage to put back together one of the most influential acts of the 90s at the moment everyone wanted more 90s. The D:Ream team of Alan Mackenzie and Pete Cunnah were back.
As the only band that ever really brought together indie, pop and dance, D:Ream also created a double-platinum-selling anthem so powerful it not only got to the top of the charts but helped sweep away two decades of Conservative rule, bringing in New Labour on a wave of Cool Britannia and optimism. That particular bubble may have burst but if there was ever a need for more optimism that time is now.
The pair first met when Pete moved from Ireland to London, having been on the brink of a record deal with U2's Mother Records, with his old indie band, Tie The Boy. Disillusioned and working in a media company, it was on a big night out to legendary club The Brain in Soho that he was introduced to the uplifting house that was sweeping the clubs and the euphoria that went with it. "I'd spent seven years cutting my teeth on production and arrangement, learning everything I needed to learn about indie rock then found myself standing in a club having a Road to Damascus conversation into dance music" says Pete. "I could see the colour of the music, feel the frequencies, I could actually see love going around the room". Then a girl I was working with went, "He does music and he DJs. You should get together".
Alan turned up at Pete's place in West London with a packet of Jammie Dodgers, listened to what he had and musical history started to write itself. I said, "Well, you need to add this beat for 32 bars, if you want people to be able to dance to it," says Alan.
D:Ream had a UK number 1 hit with "Things Can Only Get Better" in 1994 as well as eight more Top 40 hits from three albums, two of which made the Top 5.
The new album is exactly what D:Ream fans have been waiting for since that very first smash hit. "We want to make people feel good," says Pete.
D:Ream's third single I Used To Believe In Love is taken from the album Open Hearts, Open Minds.
Release Date: 22nd October.
Watch the video here...
DJ
An interview is coming soon!