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HeadCleaner: How would you describe what you're doing now with Cinerama? Why did you decide to form the band?
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David Gedge: I wanted to create a mini pop orchestra to recreate the groovy music that's playing in my head, which would be difficult inside of an established 'indie' guitar band. When Wedding Present members have heard Cinerama, they've said: 'Yes, now we know why you're doing this!' It's a completely different approach.
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HeadCleaner: What are Cinerama's influences?
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David Gedge: Morricone, Bacharach, Gainsbourg.... theme tunes, soundtracks to 60s porn
films...
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HeadCleaner: Do you have an overall plan for the band, or are you doing it solely for the
enjoyment?
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David Gedge: Well, it'd be an expensive hobby! I need to have some commercial success to be
able to pay all these flippin' musicians I'm employing...
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HeadCleaner: Are you writing all the songs, or does Sally contribute too?
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David Gedge: She pops her head round the door and says 'That sounds rubbish!' and I argue
for a while before accepting that she's usually right.
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HeadCleaner: How long did it take you to record "Va Va Voom"? Did you find it an easy process?
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David Gedge: About 12 weeks. I found it very difficult to record because, although I knew
what I wanted it to sound like, I had no idea how to do it. It was less
stressful than usual, though, because I got my own way with everything this
time.
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HeadCleaner: Are The Wedding Present still on the go?
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David Gedge: They still exist, but everyone's involved with separate projects.
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HeadCleaner: Do you have any one song you have written - in either band - that you are
particularly proud of?
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David Gedge: I think 'Hard, Fast And Beautiful' on Va Va Voom is the best song I've ever written... but it's a bit epic for some people.
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HeadCleaner: What about a fave Wedding Present song?
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David Gedge: Oh... that's impossible... there's over a hundred!
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HeadCleaner: Any more plans like the 12 singles in a year scheme up your sleeve? What was
'hijacking' TOTP like back then - in the days when "indie" bands hardly ever
appeared on it?
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David Gedge: Because the singles were limited to 15,000 by the time we were on the show they'd have been sold out for a week. so it was a bit weird... here we are on
TV promoting a new record that, err, isn't actually for sale.
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HeadCleaner: At long last you're getting favourable reviews again, but how did you feel
when
the music press rounded on you and The Wedding Present?
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David Gedge: As a fan of pop culture, and fashion, I think I have to accept that these things are inevitable. It's just a shame that people might have missed out on some excellent Wedding Present records because they've been put off by reviewers whose tastes are shaped by the editors of style magazines.
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HeadCleaner: Did you ever get upset when those criticisms became little
more than personal insults?
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David Gedge: Not really. The Wedding Present is so important and so close to me that I take any criticism of the band as a personal insult!
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HeadCleaner: Do you think the internet's a good thing or not? What do you think about its
associated issues like music copyright and freedom of speech?
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David Gedge:
It'll be good when it's as easy to use as TV. I'm sure EMI will clamp down on
the copyright issues before long.
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HeadCleaner: How far would you go along with the freedom of speech idea?
How would you feel if someone had samples from Cinerama songs on their website
without crediting you or the band as having written them, for example?
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David Gedge: I think you have to draw the line somewhere. For instance, I don't really have
problems with live bootleg cassettes, but counterfeit CDs which don't pay any
royalties to the writers or musicians are just theft.
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HeadCleaner: Any bands on the go now you feel a particular affinity with, either with
your
Cinerama hat on or from The Weddding Present's point of view?
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David Gedge: I think, post Britpop, things are getting quite interesting. I love The Delgados, obviously (Emma from The Delgados duets with Dave on the song "Ears" - HeadCleaner)... and have enjoyed the recent singles by Mono and
Rialto... I also like Calexico and Girlfriendo. So it's pretty much bands
whose names end in o, really.
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HeadCleaner: How do you react to the NME's stance that British music is dead?
Scaremongering journos trying to sell more papers, or is there any truth
there?
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David Gedge: Yaaaawwwn....
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HeadCleaner: Finally, thank you for your time and effort in answering these questions. To
conclude, what are your plans for Cinerama for the next year or so?
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David Gedge: Hey, one day at a time, son...
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