The Wedding Present includes: David Gedge.Additional personnel includes: Amelia Fletcher.Personnel: David Gedge (vocals, guitar); Amelia (vocals); Peter Solowka (guitar); Shaun Charman (drums, snare drum, background vocals); Simon Smith (drums).Audio Mixer: The Wedding Present.Recording information: 1987-1988.Photographer: Andrew Catlin.Although the Wedding Present would go on to make more nuanced and refined albums later in its career, this 1987 debut full-length captures the band at its sweetly rambunctious best. Mixing a thunderous tidal wave of fuzzed-out guitars with classic pop melodies played at a furious clip, GEORGE BEST is the sound of a precocious bunch of young hipsters trying to recreate Phil Spector's Wall of Sound with a limited musical arsenal--consisting of drums, bass, and guitars--and very little cash. Frontman David Gedge, who also writes the songs and plays guitar, sings about a variety of topics (most commonly love and its pitfalls) in what is one of the most unique and distinct voices in rock & roll: part aching wail, part brilliant lilt--a description not inappropriate to the Wedos themselves. Tracks like "Shatner," "All This And More," and "Everyone Thinks He Looks Daft" are gleefully rough around the edges, but posses an urgency and romanticism that is impossible to resist. While the band would refine and perfect the sound found here (most notably on the Steve Albini produced SEAMONSTER), GEORGE BEST remains a quintessential document of a truly brilliant band.

Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Everyone Thinks He Looks Daft!
2. What Did Your Last Servant Die Of?
3. Don't Be So Hard
4. Million Miles, A
5. All This and More
6. Getting Nowhere Fast
7. My Favourite Dress
8. Shatner
9. Something and Nothing
10. It's What You Want That Matters
11. Give My Love to Kevin
12. Anyone Can Make a Mistake
13. You Can't Moan Can You?
14. All About Eve
15. Nobody's Twisting Your Arm
16. Nothing Comes Easy
17. Don't Laugh
18. I'm Not Always So Stupid
19. Why Are You Being So Reasonable Now?
20. Not from Where I'm Standing
21. Give My Love to Kevin - (acoustic)
22. Getting Better
23. Pourquoi Es Tu Devenue Si Raisonnable? - (French)