One of yesterday’s posts featured a hero taking a French song and recording it in English. One of today’s posts features another hero taking an English song and recording it in French.
If I have a regret about this blog, it’s the fact that I wasn’t running it when I went along to see The Wedding Present earlier this year. It was immense.
David Gedge is now 46 years of age, but he still performs as energetically as he did when he was 26. Some hardcore fans might argue that it wasn’t really The Weddoes who went on tour in 2006 given that only one-quarter of the original band is still a member. Don’t be such musical snobs.
Similar to Lloyd Cole last week, the set was balanced with songs from right through the band’s very extensive recording career. The highlight was, without question. ‘Kennedy’ from Bizarro. I would bet that at least 200 middle-aged men – many of whom no longer fitted the t-shirts they were wearing, would have woken up the next morning wondering why they ached in places they hadn’t ached in for many a year. Well it’s your own fault for thinking it was 1989 all over again.
Everyone got a bonus at the end of the night. Dave made his way to the merchandising stall and signed everything put his way. I’ve now got a poster from the gig, with his scrawl, on the wall in my office at work.
I’m not ashamed to say I did buy a t-shirt that fits me….the man knows his market – there were more XL t-shirts on sale than I’d seen anywhere else. I wore it to The Young Knives gig the other week – someone came up and asked if the t-shirt was a wedding present or whether I was someone’s wedding present. It’s sad when the youth of today are so ignorant of their heritage.
I don’t think there’s been a somgwriter in my time who has been able to capture so many emotions in so many different ways. If you read my good friend W.A Fading‘s posting of the other day, you’ll see that a David Gedge song reduced him to tears in a cafe. He can get you that way. He can also make you smile a great deal. And don’t get me started about some of the inspirational cover versions he’s done over the years. Nor how good and hugely underrated Cinerama were.
The three songs I’m offering up cover different phases of The Wedding Present – and given they were much loved by John Peel (only The Fall recorded more Peel Sessions), I had to include a session version – one that improves on the original. And….my favourite record of 2005 is also here. Who needs new music when one of your favourite bands reforms and releases an absolute belter of an album?
Pourquoi Es Tu Devenue Si Raisonnable? – Cadeau De Mariage (mp3)
Heather (Peel Session) – The Wedding Present (mp3)
I’m From Further North Than You – The Wedding Present (mp3)