Below is the transcript of the above interview, which originally broadcast over the KALX airwaves on June 10, 2025.
Last Will: [00:00:00] All right. This is last Will and Petra Core for KALX Berkeley. We’re with David Gedge of The Wedding Present before their show at the Chapel in San Francisco. Welcome back to San Francisco David.
David Gedge: Thank you very much. It’s nice to be back. It’s been a while actually.
Last Will: You may or may not be hearing in the background the Tubs rehearsing ’cause we’re upstairs in the green room before, uh, the headline tonight.
Last Will: I last spoke to you in an interview 31 years ago in, uh, 1994, the year the Wedding Present dedicated a song to us from the stage the day after our wedding. Fabulous sendoff to our honeymoon. It was, uh, the Queen of Outer Space. Just wanna say that she’s still my colonel Spider and I still feel beautiful beside her.
David Gedge: I’m glad to hear it.
Last Will: You’re touring, uh, Bizarro in its entirety. And, um, in honor the 35th anniversary. Talk about the difference between, uh. The recording itself and the band members you had there. Wedding Present has been through so many iterations. [00:01:00] So how does it feel performing with the current band and also how do the lyrics resonate with you now?
David Gedge: I mean, it’s, and we’ve done Bizarro a couple of times over the years with different, uh, lineups and it’s, it’s fascinating actually because. People learn the parts that was on the original, uh, record. But then, you know, everyone’s got their own style, the drummers and the, the, the guitars and the bass player.
David Gedge: So it always sounds different and, uh, you know, sometimes it’s indefinable. Why, you know, you just think, oh, this is, this is different. But it, you know, sometimes it’s, it’s, I mean, this lineup is actually really good as you’ll see. And I think it’s, uh, I think they kind of emphasize the kind of rockiness and, and the kind of intensity.
David Gedge: But yeah, it seems to be different every time. And uh, lyrically it’s, it’s, it’s funny because, you know, for me, obviously I wrote those songs over 35 years ago and, and my style is very personal. It’s like a diary, really. Yes. [00:02:00] And so it, it, it is kind of interesting to go back and put yourself in that position and kind of relive the, the emotions and the situations that, that I was in, you know, when I was half my age.
David Gedge: And obviously, you know, you change as a person, so you kind of think. You know, would I have done that now? Would I have done it, you know, differently or something? Yeah. I mean, it’s funny ’cause when we first started doing these anniversary things, I didn’t really want to do them. You know, somebody, I think it was the 20th anniversary of George Best, which was the first album.
David Gedge: And somebody said, oh, you should, you should play George Best. You know, that would be, and I was like, nah, no, you know, you know, we’re still a band that’s moving forward. I don’t want to, you know, like dwell on, you know, nostalgia or whatever. And then everybody I spoke to, like fans, band members, friends, they all said, oh, I’d love to see you play George Best, you know, so we did it. And actually it sounds a bit pompous, but I came to this kind of, you know, I really enjoyed it and I enjoyed the experience and I came to this kind of philosophical kind of conclusion that yeah, you can do that, you know, the band can operate and move forward and [00:03:00] write new songs, but also you can revisit your own past and, and with a different lineup. It is a case of reinterpreting it. So it’s, uh, yeah, I enjoy both aspects.
Last Will: it’s kind of an epiphany for you to listen to it and then realize how you could reshape it and, and revisit and so forth. You, um, mentioned that I think in an interview that you knew you wanted to be in a band at the age of six.Talk about that and what, what hit you as a 6-year-old that let you know what you wanted to do?
David Gedge: Well, that was kind of like a random answer. People always ask me, you know, when did you decide to be in a group? And, and the honest answer is, I didn’t ever decide. You know, it’s, it is almost like, it sounds weird, but I was kind of destined to do it. So, you know, you know, from a very early age, I was obsessed with, I mean, not just music, you know, pop culture in general radio. Comics, you know, TV and I used to play my record as a parent’s record collection and, you know, pretend I was a DJ or something. And then, uh, yeah, as soon as I was able, I started to, you know, [00:04:00] hang out with, you know, like-minded, you know, wanted to be musicians and, and started being in groups and, you know, trying to write songs and, and so it’s, it’s always been there, you know, it’s always been at the back of my mind.
David Gedge: And I did go to university. Uh, to get a degree because I was kind of worried, you know, I’m very sensible, so I was worried, you know, if that career as a musician doesn’t work out, it’d be good to have a, like a backup plan. But so far I’ve not needed it. So, uh, yeah, I’ve, you know, it’s been there all the time really. A blessing or a curse, I don’t know.
Last Will: Blessing for us. I know sometimes it can be up and down, but, uh, yeah, you certainly wear it well…beautiful white hair and 65… Did you get discovered by John Peele, or what was the first turning point of The Wedding Present?
David Gedge: That certainly was a turning point of John Peele. Yeah, because, uh, I’m not sure if you’re familiar with. You know how important he was. But you know, it was, uh, he was on national, you know, the BBC, national Radio, national Pop Channel Radio One. He was really the only [00:05:00] outlet for, for a band like The Wedding Present, you know, from an alternative background. And yeah, there was, you know, fanzines and. You know, maybe on some local radio stations, like somebody would have a little show. But for John Peele to actually play a record, it, it changes your whole life as, as a band. And, uh,
Petra Core: is it true that you camped out on the steps? Waiting for…
David Gedge: it is true actually. Yeah, because, uh, I mean I’ve been a fan of the program anyway for years. I mean, since punk really, ’cause he was the first DJ to actually. Dare to play punk on the radio.
Last Will: What was it like when he, uh, being a fan of his and then he’s quoted as saying The boy Gedge has written some of the best love songs of the rock and roll era. You may dispute this, but I’m right and you’re wrong.
David Gedge: Yeah, well obviously I was very flattered by that. It was quite funny actually. ’cause at the time I was, I was doing Cinerama, my other band, and we did a radio advert on this other stage called XFM. And I, I said, oh, we’ve got this quote. You know, John Peel said this about me on the radio and, and they said, well, we can’t use that in a commercial [00:06:00] unless it’s proved, you know, we can’t put words in.
David Gedge: So then I had to go back to John Peel and say, A few months ago you said this about me on the radio, could you write it out and then send it me? And he faxed it. And so a bit embarrassing to, to, to ask, you know, but, uh, yeah, it was obviously, it was a, I was, I was very flattered. And
Last Will: so, uh, speaking of DJs, this is, uh, last Will and Petra Core for KALX Berkeley interviewing David Gedge who, uh, by the time you hear this, will have performed with The Wedding Present doing the album Bizarro 35th anniversary here at the Chapel.
Last Will: And I want to add the direct quote, the man Gedge has written some of the best songs of the rock and roll era. You may dispute this, but Petra Core and I are right and you’re wrong. So there you go. Are you gonna do other stuff besides Bizarro?
David Gedge: Yeah, we are. It’s basically, uh, it’s a 90 minute set. Yeah. And Bizarro is like 45, so it’s, it’s half Bizarro and then half, uh, just a selection of.[00:07:00] Of songs from our enormous, uh, repertoire. Basically there’s about 350 now or something.
Petra Core: Will you be doing any songs from the um, the 24 songs that
David Gedge: Yeah, there’s one on there. I think I tried to kind of vary a bit. So there’s a song from 24 songs. There’s a song from Going, Going which are both recent, and then there’s one from uh, there’s a couple from George Best from, you know, so it is kind of….And sea monsters, you know, is kinda spread across the whole
Petra Core: speaking of, of sea monsters, Steve Albini and, and actually there was another, Steve, Steve Fisk with uh, what two Steves, can you talk a little bit about just what you hope to get when you work with engineers or producers or what it was in particular about those two that resonated with you?
David Gedge: Yeah, I mean, to be honest, we don’t really need a producer, you know, but you know, I’ve always been, and the band’s always been very. You know, we know what we want, we know what we sound like, but occasionally it’s good to have an engineer who can interpret that. So I always think it’s more like an engineer for us as a [00:08:00] producer.
David Gedge: And Albani was, was perfect for that because he, you know, he didn’t even consider himself to be a producer. You know, he’s a very, I, I’m the engineer. You are the band, you are the boss. I’ll just record it. Sure. I need recorded is very well, I think you know, some of our best things and Steve Fisk was a bit different because he was, it’s when we signed some Island records and the A and R person suggested him, and I wasn’t familiar with him at that time, but then I did a bit of research and I thought, yo, he’s, it looks like a very interesting person to work with.
David Gedge: And again, you know, uh, Watusi was very different from The previous Wedding Present records like Bizarro and Sea Monsters and stuff. So, so he was perfect. I I mean, it’s almost like I planned it. I didn’t plan it, but he, we wanted to ex explore kind of a more of a pop sound, retro sound. He’s maybe a bit more keyboards and stuff like that. And he was ideal ’cause he would have this kind of massive knowledge of, uh, ways of recording, which we’d never kind of looked at before. So, but yeah, normally we don’t, you know, we don’t. Like need anybody like that. [00:09:00] You know,
Last Will: Steve Fisk was kind of an also obscure and experimental in a way too. He has had that background, like if you listen to the song Spangle on, um, Watusi, you know that quintessential Kind of. You can hear the, uh, scratchy record sound effect. And he’s done like experimental sound. It’s, it’s not,
David Gedge: it’s not a sound effect. That’s a perfect example. Yes. ’cause uh, ’cause we had that song Spangle on, it was just a say normal. It was just the normal type of Wedding Present song. Yeah. I, we wanted to do something different.
David Gedge: And he introduced me to this keyboard called an Opticum, which it was like a toy from the sixties, I think made by Mattel. Yeah. And he played like discs. It was almost like a sampler, a nearly sampler, and that’s why it’s scratchy. It’s because it was these optical discs that were all kind of worn, and so it’s
Petra Core: a great sound and we
David Gedge: heard it. We thought, this is brilliant. Yeah, it sounds very cinematic in a way, and very kind of atmospheric. So yeah, you know, I would never have. I’ve known that if hadn’t, if I’ve not met Steve Fisk. Yeah.
Last Will: What are your next stops? Um, [00:10:00] as the tour plays out?
David Gedge: it’s nearly over actually. The, uh, we’re playing in Los Angeles tomorrow and, and, and, and that’s the final concert.
David Gedge: And, uh, yeah, it’s been got, it’s gone really well. I think, you know, we’ve not, you know, I think we’ve kind of benefited from having not been here for seven years. So there’s been a certain expectation and excitement and we’ve definitely enjoyed that. You know, it’s been, you know, places like the Chapel have sold out, whereas in previous years we’ve kind of, you know, you know are enough people gonna come?
David Gedge: Luckily we’ve got visas for a year, so we’re, we’re kind of planning to come back within, you know, 11 months now and hopefully do another tour next year. We kind of play anywhere where people invite us, you know, if it’s, if it works out logistically and economically. You know, we played all over the world basically. I’m very fortunate that, that my job has taken me to, you know, Asia and Australia and all over Europe and stuff, and, uh, the only place we’ve never played is South America. Really? And, you know, there’s still time. So
Last Will: we were [00:11:00] talking before we started, the new Stereolab album just came out. I understand that you, you gave Stereolab their start.
David Gedge: Yeah, not exactly. I mean, yeah. Yeah. I mean, basically I was, it comes back to John Peel again. Funnily enough, Iwas just driving. And, uh, I was listening to John Peel on the radio and he played their first single, I think it’s called The Light That Will Cease to Fail or something. And uh, it was one of those moments where, but I didn’t get out of the car ’cause I wanted to hear that. I wanted to hear the record. I was, I sat there, you know, like an idiot outside. I was, you know, waiting.. for the I ’cause it was so brilliant. I, I just thought, this is a great band. And then at the end he, uh, I was with my girlfriend at the time and at the end he said, and that Stereolab, it’s a new band, is a single.
David Gedge: And he read out an address where, where you could buy it by mail order. And when he read the address out, my girlfriend said, I know that person. That’s my friend. And I was like, wow. So, so we got in touch, you know, she said, I’ve just heard your address on the radio and you are working with this band called Stereolab, and David would, would [00:12:00] like to, for them to support us.
David Gedge: And he said, well, we’ve never played any concerts yet. So, so I said, well that’s, this is the first one, then let’s do it. So yeah, they supported us,
Petra Core: In my opinion, in my humble opinion, your perspective often with lyrics reminds me of lyrics that for me are more familiar coming from women. They’re very sensitive, they’re often cathartic. There’s anger, but there’s a kind of, um, gentle vulnerability that just is really moving. And I’m, I’m wondering like if you have any words to say about your lengthy career as, as a lyricist besides being a musician and maybe whether you, whether you like writing lyrics more than you like playing or, or is it all one thing that goes together?
David Gedge: Well, firstly yeah. It’s, it’s all one thing that goes together. Yeah. Because I, I mean, you cannot, you know, we have to instrumental music before, but, but I’ve got a friend who, uh, who kind of said, you know, but it’s not a song, is [00:13:00] it? And I was like, yeah, at the end of the day I agreed with her. You know, you know, a song is, is a lyric, it’s a melody and it’s an arrangement.
David Gedge: That’s the setting really for it. Yeah. And I think that’s what I, you know, that’s what I like most of all. And I do like writing lyrics. Yeah. I mean, I find it quite difficult and I spend a long time doing it because, ’cause I’ve got a standard and, you know, I don’t want to, you know, drop that standard. So I’m continually looking for new angles because I do kind of work within quite a narrow, uh, subject, you know, it’s relationships.
David Gedge: But within that, you know, there’s still a lot to write about. And, you know, it’s interesting you say that about, uh, the female point of view, because I do particularly try and make it kind of not gender specific. And so I always try to, uh, think about how, how, you know, I would’ve approached a certain subject from a different point of view.
David Gedge: Albeit, you know, a female point of view or a male point of view or whatever, or, or an observer, you know, and I try and keep it very simple, you know, it’s, it is very everyday language. It’s just conversations that people have. Really, I probably said this [00:14:00] to you 30 years ago. You know, it, it is just, uh, it’s the way people talk to each other, especially about, you know, the times of a beginning of a relationship or the end of a relationship or lust, you know, all that kind of stuff.
Petra Core: Right. I, I think that’s part of what makes it so just relatable and universal, regardless of the age of the audience member. ’cause everybody goes through relationships that are good or bad or otherwise.
David Gedge: Thank you. I mean, it’s only ’cause people always say, you know, you did the, you know, your lyrics are very good, et cetera. But I also think that, you know, like classic. Pop songs have always been about this, you know, like at Motown or you know, disco, even punk, you know, uh, the best songs are the, are kind of relatable, you know, love songs really. And like you say, it’s, it’s a universal subject. It could applies to any age and any situations,
Petra Core: but some people are better at writing lyrics than others.
David Gedge: Well, Thank you.
Last Will:. Well, it’s a good place to stop as any. Um, thanks for talking to us David, and being such a great, pardon my corniness, wedding present to us.
Petra Core: Yes, thank you.
Last Will: This is Last Will and Petra Core [00:15:00] for KALX Berkeley. Talking with David Gedge, the legend of The Wedding Present. Thanks for listening everyone.
David Gedge: Thank you for inviting me. Hello, this is David Gedge from The Wedding Present and you’re listening to Last Will and Petra Core on KALX Berkeley. Where the rubber meets the road.
