On the 26th of October The Wedding Present are appearing at the O2 Academy in Bournemouth. The Wedding Present have had eighteen UK Top 40 hit singles… not bad for a band that has, from its inception, stubbornly refused to play the record industry’s game. With their early releases, The Wedding Present acquired a reputation for bittersweet, breathtakingly honest love songs immersed in whirlwind guitars. With albums that became a quintessential part of the late 1980’s and early 90’s indie music scene, they have become iconic to many across Europe and North America. The albums that launched their name and ethos were ‘George Best’ and ‘Bizarro’ both of which have been celebrated with 20th anniversary tours. This tour though celebrates ‘Seamonsters’ their third album and also includes tracks from their eighth studio album released in March 2012, ‘Valentina’ as well as other favourites.
Renowned for their live performances, we would advocate seeing them and you can as they begin their tour of the UK this week. If you cannot make it, here is what you are missing: The Wedding Present: Live in Texas 2012
Dorset Eye caught up with David Gedge, their founder and lead singer whilst touring across Europe and he kindly agreed to be interviewed. The interview includes questions from locally based fans.
John Peel stated that ‘The boy Gedge has written some of the best love songs of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Era. You may dispute this, but I’m right and you’re wrong!’ – John Peel
The Interview
1. Which Wedding Present or Cinerama track is your favourite?
That’s impossible to answer for so many reasons! They’re all my babies, for a start, so I have an attachment to each and every one of them, ha, ha. Plus there are about 250 to choose from! But, most of all, it kind of depends on my mood, because they’re all so varied. But I’m glad we’re doing Click Click in the current set again… and Deer Caught In The Headlights is always exciting to play, too…
2. You are a hard working musician! How have you managed to keep The Wedding Present going for 30 odd years whilst also working on other projects and having a family life?
The simple answer is that I haven’t! The only other project I’ve worked on is Cinerama and that was only when The Wedding Present was ‘on hold’. And I haven’t had a family life. Practically everything I do is connected to The Wedding Present or Cinerama in one way or another… to the detriment of having a ‘normal’ life, if I’m honest…
3. After all these years of brilliant music, what’s your favourite album?
Thank you, but, again, I really can’t say… although during our current tour I’ve found performing Seamonsters to be pretty special. It’s taken me by surprise, actually. It’s quite intense, and it holds together very well as a collection… it’s bigger than the sum of its parts, I think I’m trying to say. When we’re playing it, I almost feel like I’m playing a role in some weird film…
4. Will you be doing ‘Hit Parade’ as part of the album tour?
It’s currently being discussed! I don’t see why not… I’m incredibly proud of that series of singles and I have grown to love the process of looking back and re-evaluating earlier Wedding Present recordings.
5. The Wedding Present broke through during the end of ‘New Wave’ and post punk. Do you find it more challenging now playing your music and attracting new followers?
Playing music isn’t any more challenging today, no. In some ways I think it’s probably easier because I’m more experienced at it, now. But I’ve always found it a challenge, to be honest! I find it quite difficult. As for trying to attract new followers… I’ve never really attempted to do that… apart from on Twitter!
6. As the only original member, is it difficult having to regularly say ‘goodbye’?
It is, yes… because you spend so much time in each other’s close company that you form strong bonds that I, personally, don’t keep up when people have left because I simply don’t have the time. But then it’s always enjoyable having new people join, too… to see what new ideas and opinions that they bring to the table. So it’s ‘swings and roundabouts’, to be honest! I will say, though, that our current lineup is one of the best, if not the best, ever.
7. I have seen the band a number of times, and although they have all been great, it is the intimacy of the small gigs that stands out. Which do you prefer, and why?
Of course I do prefer the more intimate concerts, as a rule, as long as the production levels are of an appropriate standard… and the stage is big enough! Some of the smaller venues can be quite challenging in these respects!
8. You regularly play the south of England—Bournemouth, Salisbury, and Plymouth spring to mind from my experience. However, other northern bands are not quite so accommodating. Why is playing these towns and venues so important to you?
It’s not! I am happy and enthusiastic to play… or attempt to play… in any town to which we’ve been invited, to be honest! Audiences are different everywhere—between north and south, Europe and North America, Australia and Asia. It all adds to the fun…
9. Is ‘Bewitched’ a tribute to Elizabeth Montgomery, or an’ imaginary moment gone’? Or shouldn’t I ask?
I don’t usually discuss my lyrics, but, yes, ‘Bewitched’ was one of my favourite TV programmes growing up… and I did think Elizabeth Montgomery was breathtakingly gorgeous… so I suppose you could say it’s kind of a tribute, yeah! The lyrics have no connection to the show whatsoever, however. Why did her ridiculous husband continually want to stop her from using her powers, though? I’d love to have a witch as a wife!
10. Would you play ‘No ‘at the Bournemouth gig please?
Not this time, ha, ha… although, coincidentally, we’ve just been discussing bringing that one back for some 2013 dates that are being organised.
11. You have chosen to include covers on albums or as B-sides (both The Wedding Present and Cinerama) with Steve Harley’s ‘Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)’ and Julee Cruise’s ‘Falling’ but two. How do you choose them, and why?
I have found covering the work of other artists incredibly helpful over the years. It allows you to explore how other people write and arrange, and often you can then incorporate those techniques into your own work. There are no real criteria for choosing… most of them come from random suggestions, actually… but my personal favourites have been the ones that end up sounding nothing like the original.
12. Did you prefer the Leeds of the 1980’s or the Leeds of today?
I don’t really know the Leeds of today because I’ve not lived there for a decade.
13. What band didn’t you see but wished you had?
I suppose that would probably have to be The Velvet Underground in the late 1960s… the perfect combination of evocative lyrics and thrilling music… and then they go and throw in Nico for some sexy Scandinavian cool!
14. When you interview new members for the band, have you any must-nots?
This isn’t going to sound very ‘rock ‘n’ roll’, but the main thing is that I ask they not do anything that might impair the work we do. So… for instance, you wouldn’t want someone having their American work permit revoked because they did something illegal on a US tour… stuff like that. But the people we tend to work with aren’t stupid… they’re aware that
15. Are you pleased with ‘Valentina’ and have you any new projects in mind?
I’m enormously pleased with Valentina, yes… I think it is a very well-made Wedding Present album with a collection of good songs and which has its own personality. And that’s as much as I can ever ask for, I think! As for the future… I think the current Wedding Present line-up is one of the best ever… if not the best. It’s certainly the rockiest! And there are lots of ideas floating around for new songs and stuff, so I’m looking forward to getting stuck into those next year. And then there’s my other ‘new project’, of course… the fantastic Wedding Present comic book Tales From The Wedding Present illustrated by Lee Thacker. I love working on that, and I hope to continue that series into 2013, too.
Thank you to all those who sent in questions and, of course, to David Gedge for answering them. See you on tour!
For more info about The Wedding Present: Scopitones
