When the Smiths stepped down from their precious perch in 1987, the Wedding Present was conveniently poised to fill the cultural void. After all, with one fewer mopey, jangly British band out there, there were legions of goofy, sensitive fellows in black T-shirts looking for someone new to emulate. Dave Gedge, along with a cast of unloyal bandmates that has turned over several times since the band’s inception, fixed that problem right up. His artful swagger and catchy songs were the perfect pleasure for the self-obsessed. The Wedding Present disbanded in 1997, then reunited last December to play a tribute show to the late John Peel. Now it looks like the band is on yet again, and this Valentine’s Day present to long-suffering fans tells tales that cross the water, as Gedge takes inspiration from his days in Seattle and then journeys back to the old sod.
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