Artists
The Wedding Present
Hometown: Leeds, England
With 18 Top 40 hit singles in the UK, The Wedding Present proves that you can refuse the play the industry’s game and still have great success. The band was born in 1985 when David Lewis Gedge delivered 500 records in a suitcase to the distribution company - it was The Wedding Present’s debut single Go Out and Get ‘Em Boy! That pioneering spirit represents the band’s philosophy then just as much as now. Their debut LP, George Best, named for the popular soccer star, was self-released on their own Reception Records (1987). Throngs of loyal fans followed and the band won the praise and patronage of influential DJ John Peel.
With their early releases The Wedding Present acquired a reputation for bittersweet, breathtakingly honest love songs. The next phase is defined by the band’s work with producer Steve Albini and represents a more thoughtful group (Bizarro, 1989; Seamonsters, 1991). The next year found the band releases twelve straight singles, one each month, and rekindled interest in the ultimate pop music format – the 7” single. The two-volume compilation Hit Parade followed. In the late 90s, Gedge indulged his love of film music with Cinerama and released multiple albums under that moniker from 1997 – 2002. The project ended with Gedge’s split from girlfriend (and Cinerama collaborator), Sally Murrell and a move from his long-time home in Leeds to Seattle, Washington.
Singer/songwriter Gedge, the only constant member in the band's tumultuous history, continues to define the bands sound, to this day.