The Wedding Present
When it comes to pop pioneers, it's hard to ignore the CV of The Wedding Present frontman David Gedge.
A year shy of his 50th birthday, he's still innovating and throwing in the odd career move curveball.
This year has seen him perform a concert sans guitar, backed by the
swing merchants the BBC Big Band, organise his own music festival in Brighton and host the JD Set – a month-long showcase of rising bands.
This should not come as a surprise though, as Gedge has previous.
In 1992, The Wedding Present released a single a month, equalling Elvis's 35-year-old record for most hits in one year, rekindling interest in that ultimate pop format, the seven inch single, and leading the NME to describe the band as "casually revolutionary
and underhandedly unique".
And when Gedge & Co signed to major label RCA, their first release was a recording of Ukrainian folk music.
But behind the brave moves and a determination to play the music business his way, Gedge's songwriting is the key to his longevity.
Long-time champion John Peel once said of him: "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."
Riding a wave of critical acclaim doesn't weigh heavy on Gedge's shoulders, though, as he seems to knock out singles and albums that demonstrate that, unlike the likes of Oasis, he gets better with age.
But is he scared his golden touch for a killer guitar hook and lyrical dissection of heartbreak, love and sex will one day desert him?
"It sounds a bit arrogant, but I have never had that fear," he said.
"My writing has improved, it's like any skill, the more you do it the better it gets.
"I look at our debut LP George Best, which is 20-odd years old now, and think 'oh God, I'd never do those things now, this song's a bit clichd, this bit's too long and this chorus, what was I thinking?
"It's like a craft and you hone it. I'm not going to churn it out for the sake of it.
"I would be first to know if things weren't up to scratch and if that
kept happening I would want to pack it in.
"In that respect, I don't really fit in with the music business, I don't
have the same mentality of a lot of people who work in it."
With 18 top 40 hit singles to his name, Gedge is doing something right and he's picked up his fair share of celebrity fans over the years.
He's been a regular fixture on Jonathan Ross's Radio 2 Saturday morning show, and can count Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe among his fans.
And even a certain A-list celeb turned out to see the band when touring America's east coast last year.
"To be honest, I didn't know what Keanu Reeves looked like," admits Gedge.
"I know of famous people but don't always recognise them in the flesh.
"I was at the merchandise stand and just walking off when some bloke said 'you know that's Keanu Reeves over there, don't you?' and I said 'really?' so I went back and had a chat with him.
"There were half a dozen paparazzi photographers outside snapping through the window and filming.
"It was a bit surreal and of course, flattering."
Thier gig at The Roadmender may not attract the likes of Reeves,
but after its temporary closure Gedge is just glad it's open again.
"I would be very sad if we lost another historic venue," said Gedge "We've played the Roadmender a few times over the years.
"These venues are the lifeblood of music.
"We've noticed our ticket sales have gone down a bit over the last year.
"It's a gamble promoting as you still have to pay the bands, even if nobody comes to the gigs.
"But for musicians it's a doubleedged sword, there's less money to be made from albums because the record industry is dying basically, and bands are starting to edge up ticket prices to try and get more income from that. But that's stopping people going."
True to trend-bucking form, though, Gedge has secured a deal with car giant GM Motors for a Wedding Present track to be used on a television commercial heralding the rebirth of the recession-hit firm.
Making money as a result of the recession – Gedge is again, the
exception to the norm.
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