The Wedding Present

The Wedding Present

The Wedding Present are an English indie rock group from Leeds, active from 1985 to the present. They form around vocalist and guitarist David Gedge, who remains the only constant member across the band’s history. Their line-up changes frequently, but their core early formation includes Gedge, bassist Keith Gregory, guitarist Peter Solowka and drummer Shaun Charman.

Origins and early releases

The band grows out of The Lost Pandas, which break up in 1984 after guitarist Michael Duane is dismissed and drummer Jaz Rigby leaves in protest. Gedge and Gregory continue under the new name The Wedding Present, chosen by Gedge in reference to one of his favourite bands, The Birthday Party. Solowka joins on guitar, and after several drummers are tried, Shaun Charman becomes the band’s drummer.

The group tours clubs and bars while preparing its first single, Go Out and Get ’Em, Boy!, which appears on their own Reception Records label with distribution through Red Rhino. Reception also issues singles by This Poison! and Cud. Two more singles do well on the independent charts, and BBC radio DJ John Peel begins supporting the band, inviting them to sessions that start a long association.

Albums and style

The Wedding Present decline offers from independent and major labels and continue to release their material themselves until later signing with RCA. Their debut album, George Best (1987), is named after the Northern Irish footballer. The record is remixed by the band and engineer Steve Lyon after disagreements with producer Chris Allison. It gains critical praise and is associated with the C86 or “shambling” scene, a label the band rejects, although they do appear on the original C86 compilation.

Musically, the early material is fast-paced indie rock influenced by The Fall, Buzzcocks and The Go-Betweens. The debut album combines driving rhythm guitars with lyrics centred largely on love, lust, heartbreak and revenge, with occasional social and political themes in songs such as “All This and More” and “All About Eve”. The early singles and radio sessions are later compiled on Tommy (1985–1987).

Charman leaves early in 1988 and Simon Smith takes over on drums for Bizarro (1989), which is well received by the music press. Around the same period, the group records Ukrainian and Russian folk material for Peel sessions, prompted by Solowka’s interest in a Ukrainian tune. For these recordings they bring in singer and violinist Len Liggins and mandolin player Roman Remeynes. Gedge temporarily limits himself to rhythm guitar and arrangement work. When Red Rhino enters receivership, the planned release of these tracks does not proceed, and Reception is closed before the band signs to RCA. Solowka, Liggins and Remeynes later leave to focus on the Ukrainian material as The Ukrainians.

Seamonsters, the third studio album, is recorded in ten days in 1991 by Steve Albini at Pachyderm Studio in Cannon Falls, Minnesota. Albini has already recorded the EPs Brassneck and 3 Songs, and the album has a rougher, harsher sound than the first two records.

Singles, chart success and later line-ups

After Solowka’s departure, Paul Dorrington joins. In 1992 the band releases a single each month, and each one reaches the UK Top 40 before being gathered together with their B-sides. The group matches Elvis Presley’s record for the most Top 40 singles in a single year.

Keith Gregory leaves in 1993 and Darren Belk replaces him on bass. The band follows its record-breaking run with Watusi in 1994. Dorrington then leaves, Belk moves to guitar, and the group briefly continues as a trio before Jayne Lockey joins. The mini-album Mini appears in 1996, followed by Saturnalia later the same year, after Simon Cleave joins on guitar.

After a gig in January 1997, Gedge puts the Wedding Present name on hold and performs as Cinerama. He revives The Wedding Present in 2004 while recording a new Cinerama album. A new Wedding Present single appears in November 2004, followed by an album in 2005. That line-up includes Gedge, Cleave, bassist Terry de Castro and drummer Kari Paavola. Paavola does not tour and leaves, with Simon Pearson and then Graeme Ramsey following on drums. Cleave leaves in 2006, returns in 2009, and is later replaced again in the same year after illness. Ramsey switches from drums to guitar, Charlie Layton takes over on drums, and later Terry de Castro leaves and Pepe le Moko joins on bass.

After recording the band’s eighth studio album, Valentina, Ramsey departs and Patrick Alexander joins on drums. In 2013 the line-up changes again, with Jen Schwartz on bass and Geoff Maddock on guitar.

Members and classification

The Wedding Present’s documented members include Shaun Charman, Peter Solowka, Keith Gregory, Simon Smith, Paul Dorrington, Darren Belk, Hugh Kelly, Jayne Lockey, Kari Paavola, Simon Cleave, Terry de Castro, David Gedge, Melanie Howard, The Legendary Len Liggins and Simon Pearson. The group is associated with c86, indie rock and post-punk, and is also described through the tags indie, alternative and indie pop.