1987: The year of the mega-album (Bad...Faith...The Joshua Tree...Appetite For Destruction...The Zit Remedy...) big, booming, glossy pop singles, hair metal, mall pop and hip-hop. But, lurking beneath that "high '80s" sheen were some of the finest alternative songs of the O3L era. That, dear listener, is where we come in.

In 1987's indie world, it didn't get much bigger than The Wedding Present, led by singer/songwriter/guitarist AND this week's Third Lad, David Gedge. The Weddoes, as they are affectionately known by fans, scored a #1 indie LP with their debut full-length, George Best, and occupied five spots (including four in the Top 10) on the legendary John Peel's year end Festive Fifty list. Over the next decade, The Wedding Present would remain a vital fixture on the scene, racking up 16 UK Top 40 hits. In 1992 alone, they tied a record set by Elvis Presley by releasing twelve Top 30 singles within a twelve-month period. Since then, the ever-prolific self-professed "workaholic" Gedge has released a consistent string of records both under The Wedding Present and Cinerama monikers, right up to the brand new Weddoes triple album 24 Songs. 24 Songs collects the twelve 7" singles (once every month) that Gedge and band released during 2022. This remarkable set is now available from Happy Happy Birthday To Me in the US and Clue Records in the UK. https://hhbtm.bandcamp.com.

Come on in to the deep end...just remember that we're never gonna give you up.

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E170 - Top 5 Songs of 1987 (with David Gedge from The Wedding Present!)