Josef K another obvious precursor.
― Colonel Poo, Thursday, 13 September 2007 15:37 (sixteen years ago) link
Not to mention the Lost Pandas
― Mark G, Thursday, 13 September 2007 15:41 (sixteen years ago) link
i wasn't being entirely serious.
― grimly fiendish, Thursday, 13 September 2007 15:48 (sixteen years ago) link
(although gedge is god.)
_Seamonsters_ still remains the best through and through thing they ever did, but I'm obsessed enough to get things like the American-only compilation of singles and tracks and things from 1989 to 1991
-- Ned Raggett, Monday, September 4, 2000 12:00 AM (7 years ago) Bookmark Link
yes! the Singles 1989-1991 compilation, especially the first disc, is my favorite Weddoes to play these days, bar none, though i like everything up to (and including) Watusi pretty well.
― stephen, Thursday, 13 September 2007 16:06 (sixteen years ago) link
And lest us not forget : The only band to have 12 brand new hits in one year! Take that, Elvis Presley!
― Mark G, Thursday, 13 September 2007 16:08 (sixteen years ago) link
For every Seamonsters there's a Mini; for every 'Fleshworld' there's a dodgy cover-version.
-- alex thomson, Monday, September 4, 2000 12:00 AM (7 years ago) Bookmark Link
you can't be serious! a few of those Hit Parade singles were actually improvements on the originals, and the rest not bad at all -- and Mini is fucking great, too!
― stephen, Thursday, 13 September 2007 16:08 (sixteen years ago) link
I don't understand the human race sometimes
― Tom D., Thursday, 13 September 2007 16:10 (sixteen years ago) link
xpost
"mini" is about the only thing of theirs i don't have. you're right about the covers, certainly: their version of "falling" is absolutely staggering. proto-isis post-metal wonder.
heheheh, though: alext and i listened to a lot of weddoes in the mid to late 1990s.
― grimly fiendish, Thursday, 13 September 2007 16:11 (sixteen years ago) link
I think all of Mini is on the second singles comp (1995-1997 or something)
― Colonel Poo, Thursday, 13 September 2007 16:14 (sixteen years ago) link
but I'm obsessed enough to get things like the American-only compilation of singles and tracks and things from 1989 to 1991
Oh that was from 7 years ago. Fuck it anyway.
― Colonel Poo, Thursday, 13 September 2007 16:15 (sixteen years ago) link
If God is a grim northerner mumbling a monologue through clenched teeth about not getting shagged then please direct me to the Bathory section.
― everything, Thursday, 13 September 2007 16:22 (sixteen years ago) link
is there any album with a similar lyrical concept as Seamonsters?
could someone point me there? thanks.
― Steve Shasta, Monday, 1 October 2007 23:22 (sixteen years ago) link
Is there going to be a fancy 2-CD anniversary issue of _George Best_?
― Mr. Odd, Monday, 1 October 2007 23:31 (sixteen years ago) link
elucidate slightly?
― grimly fiendish, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 11:31 (sixteen years ago) link
i had a 40-something tech teacher who loved them. which was weird 'cause most of those guys just listened to genesis or whatever.
― max r, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 11:46 (sixteen years ago) link
Seamonsters has become my favourite Wedding Present album. back in the day i would've said Bizarro no question. i don't think i like Bizarro any less, but i have definitely come to appreciate Seamonsters more. there's a sinister edge to it that doesn't feature on their other records and doesn't really seem appropriate for the band, except that it works so well in practice.
― Roberto Spiralli, Saturday, 9 August 2008 06:46 (fifteen years ago) link
Not sure what this means exactly, but, probably because it was released around the same time and all that, I've always thought of Rid of Me being Seamonsters' sister album. Especially as ROM's title track and "Dalliance" pull the same slow-burn/explode trick. Both recorded by Steve Albini, of course, but even so, they seem to have been on the same page, sharing the same intensity.
― DavidM, Saturday, 9 August 2008 07:44 (fifteen years ago) link
ooooh i like that comparison, i definitely see the resemblance. hadn't thought of that before!
― stephen, Saturday, 9 August 2008 16:51 (fifteen years ago) link
Damnit why didn't someone TELL me they'd covered Gang of Four's "I Found That Essence Rare"??? Why didn't someone tell me???
― It's hrd bein a man, livn' in a garbage pai (Bimble Is Still More Goth Than You), Monday, 27 October 2008 04:33 (fifteen years ago) link
Love to see Ewing's explanatory thread start.
Dr C!!
Now this one's a no-brainer. Dud, dud, dud. Hopeless. Why? For a start they released too much stuff and Gedge was clearly too much in love with the idea of making records to bother with the tiresome detail of you know, putting a decent band together, sounding good, or having something to say - all that irksome stuff. He always struck me as the kind of guy who kept press clippings of all their reviews and had a spare room with all 'the Weddoes' back catalogue carefully archived in dust-proof sleeves. Is he really like that? I don't know or care. The fact is that his records conjour up that image and I hate it. No sex, no spontaneity, no rock n'roll. And a tinny half-arsed guitar sound.... and no rhythm. The words - oh my! If you're a sad inadequate, Gedge, then face up to it with some wit and perspective. Don't just whine. No-one gives a shit. The song titles - northern bluntness? new realism? Wonder where they got that idea eh? Just across the Pennines I reckon. They happened to be around at just the right time to pick up on the Smiths audience after their demise - that is, those Smiths fans who were too stupid to walk away from this crap. The worst gig I ever saw in my life was the Wedding Present/Flatmates/Close Lobsters at Kentish Town in about 1988. All three bands clueless as hell. Clunkers all.― Dr. C, Wednesday, 20 December 2000
The words - oh my! If you're a sad inadequate, Gedge, then face up to it with some wit and perspective. Don't just whine. No-one gives a shit. The song titles - northern bluntness? new realism? Wonder where they got that idea eh? Just across the Pennines I reckon. They happened to be around at just the right time to pick up on the Smiths audience after their demise - that is, those Smiths fans who were too stupid to walk away from this crap. The worst gig I ever saw in my life was the Wedding Present/Flatmates/Close Lobsters at Kentish Town in about 1988. All three bands clueless as hell. Clunkers all.― Dr. C, Wednesday, 20 December 2000
You're a great man, Dr C !!!
― the pinefox, Monday, 27 October 2008 09:40 (fifteen years ago) link
And yet, we went to see them just after they'd done their "12 hits in one year" singles box set / club etc.. and they were great.
They came on just as we were discussing their hits total, when my g/f says "They have to start with "Kennedy" though.
Immediately: "dangdangdangd'd'd'dangdangdangd'd'd'CHANGGGGGLost yr love of life?..."
Best start to a gig ever..
― Mark G, Monday, 27 October 2008 10:50 (fifteen years ago) link
I am not convinced that this band ever had any hits.
― the pinefox, Monday, 27 October 2008 11:00 (fifteen years ago) link
i am not convinced by anyone who dismisses this band out of hand.
― remorseful prober (grimly fiendish), Monday, 27 October 2008 13:24 (fifteen years ago) link
― the pinefox, Monday, 27 October 2008 13:25 (fifteen years ago) link
i'm sorry, i genuinely have no idea what point you're trying to prove, other than that you know nothing about this band and have no original thoughts about them. i know what dr c thinks; i also think it's odd to base a dismissal of a band on what they were doing 20 years ago, but hey.
― remorseful prober (grimly fiendish), Monday, 27 October 2008 23:01 (fifteen years ago) link
Just got home from seeing them play in Vienna..
First time i'd seem them in 15 years and wasn't disppointed.
Played a few handful of songs from the (disappointing) new album, and a whole load of classics from their back catalogue - even playing their cover version of "Going nowhere fast".
The new band sounded every bit as good as I remember the 'old' one.
And they still don't play encores which confused quite a lot of the audience...
Great stuff!
― Jack Battery-Pack, Sunday, 23 November 2008 22:35 (fifteen years ago) link
The Peel Session version of "Take Me I'm Yours" gives me chills all over and puts a tear in my eye.
― Coffee Table LP's Never Breathe! (Bimble), Sunday, 15 February 2009 13:33 (fifteen years ago) link
Absolutely classic.
I have not always listened to the Wedding Present all that intensely or often, but each time I have, I've enjoyed it greatly.
A dear friend of mine is their bassist.
http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs060.snc3/14766_200805611934_10748026934_3224507_3610603_n.jpg
Go see them this month. Here's the schedule.
April1 : San Diego CA, USA - Casbah2 : Los Angeles CA, USA - Troubadour5 : Austin TX, USA - Emo's7 : Atlanta GA - Earl with The Jet Age9 : Washington DC, USA - Black Cat with The Jet Age10 : Hoboken NJ, USA - Maxwell's with The Jet Age11 : New York City NY, USA - Bowery Ballroom12 : Cambridge MA, USA - Middle East Downstairs14 : Toronto ON, Canada - Horseshoe Tavern15 : Pontiac MI, USA - The Pike Room at The Crofoot16 : Chicago IL, USA - Double Door17 : Minneapolis MN, USA - 400 Bar20 : Vancouver BC, Canada - To be confirmed21 : Seattle WA, USA - Crocodile22 : Portland OR, USA - Doug Fir Lounge24 : San Francisco CA, USA - Independent
― I don't need a bonghit. (ctrl-s), Monday, 5 April 2010 02:17 (thirteen years ago) link
This tour is the Bizarro tour eh?
― van smack, Monday, 5 April 2010 02:18 (thirteen years ago) link
Yup. I'll be there in Cambridge with a mess o' my mates. Though I'm off their current incarnation they were absolutely tops from 86-95 or so.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 5 April 2010 02:21 (thirteen years ago) link
love seamonsters so much
― HOOS the master?? STEEN NUFF (BIG HOOS aka the steendriver), Monday, 31 January 2011 04:59 (thirteen years ago) link
like ian curtis fronting pavement
― HOOS the master?? STEEN NUFF (BIG HOOS aka the steendriver), Monday, 31 January 2011 05:00 (thirteen years ago) link
or sunny day real estate even
...
― i love you but i have chosen snarkness (Steve Shasta), Monday, 31 January 2011 05:02 (thirteen years ago) link
oh shut up
― HOOS the master?? STEEN NUFF (BIG HOOS aka the steendriver), Monday, 31 January 2011 05:03 (thirteen years ago) link
shoulda stopped here imo, great record though!
― the new mordant & zingy ilxor persona (ilxor), Monday, 31 January 2011 15:14 (thirteen years ago) link
https://www.discogs.com/The-Wedding-Present-George-Best-30/release/10420257
.. Re-recording your debut album w/Steve Albini?
― Mark G, Monday, 31 July 2017 00:50 (six years ago) link
Huh.
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 31 July 2017 03:47 (six years ago) link
Cheap Trick did this, dunno what I think abut the Weddoes doing it, let alone with a different lineup.
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 31 July 2017 03:48 (six years ago) link
According to DG, it was re-recorded in 2008 but has only now got a proper mixdown:
'George Best', re-recorded by Steve Albini in 2008. It's about I got this baby mixed. pic.twitter.com/XhwxGnFxK4— David Gedge (@weddingpresent) January 26, 2014
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Monday, 31 July 2017 05:26 (six years ago) link
The press release says they re-recorded it im some spare studio time at the end of a session with Albini for 'El Rey', they were pretty well drilled on it after the 20th anniversary shows and here we are getting a release fornthe 30th.
― michaellambert, Monday, 31 July 2017 06:33 (six years ago) link
Can't say I've much interest in hearing this, and George Best is one of my favourite albums. Seems a bit pointless. Has any band done this and it's been better than the original? I can only think of a couple of examples of this:
Suicidal Tendencies - Still Cyco After All These Years (remake of first album plus a few extra songs from later albums)UK Subs - Timewarp (not a whole album remake but basically a rerecording of a Best Of)
Didn't Axl Rose do something like this to avoid paying someone royalties?
― Colonel Poo, Monday, 31 July 2017 09:26 (six years ago) link
Gang Of Four did this when they released "Return The Gift", though I think that was strictly an effort to make some income. It was worth hearing though in no way better than the originals.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 31 July 2017 11:25 (six years ago) link
though I think that was strictly an effort to make some income
Is there ever any reason other than money?
― weird echo of the falsies (Tom D.), Monday, 31 July 2017 11:32 (six years ago) link
Sure there is, but that's a whole other kettle of fish.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 31 July 2017 14:50 (six years ago) link
Love this album and I'm sort of ok with this and curious to hear it. I'd rather they had done it at Toe Rag studios with Liam Watson but you can't have everything.
― everything, Monday, 31 July 2017 19:45 (six years ago) link
Not even when you are everything.
At Ardent with Richard Dashut would have been my pick.
― dorsalstop, Monday, 31 July 2017 20:02 (six years ago) link
Maybe Moby could've done it.
― everything, Monday, 31 July 2017 20:12 (six years ago) link
they/he are the (george) best
and alex in nyc should listen to torino
― mookieproof, Sunday, 24 December 2017 04:09 (six years ago) link
It's one side of a conversation, either in person or (as I sometimes imagine) on the phone. You get to hear what he's saying, but not her so you have to fill that in. Ultimately you get enough to make a judgement, is he a twat or is his whinging justified?
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Thursday, 10 September 2020 13:39 (three years ago) link
i always thought the implication of "everyone thinks he looks daft" was that this isn't true, but the object of jealousy is in some way trendier or less real than honest salt of the earth narrator.
it's essentially "Gordon is a Moron" played without laughs
― how do i shot moon? (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 10 September 2020 13:45 (three years ago) link
I tend to read Wedding Present lyrics with a lot of self-mockery/irony which may or may not be intended, I'm not really sure sometimes, but it works for me
― CP Radio Gorgeous (Colonel Poo), Thursday, 10 September 2020 13:54 (three years ago) link
Gerald's post is quite helpful clarification to me.
Guess who I saw by your old house just the other dayThat kid we used to think was mad, but now he looks okay
-- is this 'kid' meant to be the one who 'looks daft', or another person?
I think someone's here, look out the window, I can't make out who
-- does this go with the telephone theory?
Oh I'd love to stay but I've really got so many things to do
-- This seems not to go with the telephone idea - suggests that the speaker is at the place of the interlocutor, which we are saying is the ex-gf.
The choruses don't seem to follow directly from the verses, unless each time, the ex-gf says something, after each verse, which logically prompts 'don't give me that' by implying that she is not dating the other person.
― the pinefox, Thursday, 10 September 2020 14:44 (three years ago) link
too much apple pie
― mookieproof, Saturday, 25 February 2023 04:05 (one year ago) link
oh that was just embarrassing, at times I say the most stupid things
lol
― Colonel Poo, Saturday, 7 October 2023 04:28 (five months ago) link
relatable
― mookieproof, Saturday, 7 October 2023 04:52 (five months ago) link