Party: The Wedding Present

Party: The Wedding Present

The Wedding Present was born in Leeds, in the UK, in 1985 with the release of the debut single GO OUT AND GET EM’ BOY! and the band’s first album, GEORGE BEST, followed a couple of years later. With the early releases on their own label, the band acquired a reputation for bittersweet, breathtakingly honest love songs immersed in whirlwind guitars, so it was quite extraordinary that they decided to explore traditional Eastern European folk music for their major label debut on RCA Records in 1989 with UKRAINSKI VISTUPI V JOHNA PEELA. However, this was soon to be followed by the more traditionally incendiary BIZARRO, which featured their first hit single KENNEDY.

The band’s next step was to enlist the aid of the noise-mongering [and, at that point, relatively unknown] sound engineer Steve Albini. The resulting SEAMONSTERS, recorded in the snowy wilds of Minnesota in just 11 days, suggested a more thoughtful Wedding Present.

A unique plan was hatched in 1992. By the end of that year, The Wedding Present had released twelve 7” singles, one per month, and equalled Elvis Presley's 35-year-old record for "most hits in one year". A gang of impressive names, including Ian Broudie [The Lightning Seeds] and legendary Rolling Stones producer Jimmy Miller collaborated on the industry-challenging project, ultimately to be compiled on the two HIT PARADE LPs.

1994’s WATUSI, produced by Steve Fisk [a prime mover in the celebrated avant-garde scene of Seattle] whisked the band off into yet another new area with its lo-fi pop, three-part a capella harmonies and Waikiki-ready surf strains. The band returned to a more familiar sound in 1995 with the car themed MINI, in which Gedge cloaked his tales of love and lust with automobile symbolism.

The next album, SATURNALIA, was recorded in the studio owned by The Cocteau Twins and released in 1996 to the usual flurry of critical approval, but it was shortly after this point that Gedge started work on a solo project, CINERAMA. A fittingly titled outfit, Cinerama indulged Gedge's love of film music from John Barry to Ennio Morricone... via Blaxploitation and The Ventures! Cinerama went on to record three stunning studio albums, VA VA VOOM, DISCO VOLANTE and TORINO.

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