It was early 2008 and The Wedding Present were in Chicago, recording their seventh album, El Rey. But they had also recently completed a successful 'twentieth anniversary' concert tour for their debut LP George Best and, having played that entire album dozens of times live, it was fresh in their minds and under their fingers. So, after they'd wrapped up recording El Rey, David suggested they lay down a 'live' version of George Best in the same studio. After all, the equipment was already set up and the band were on fire. Steve Albini, with whom they were recording, initially wasn't too keen on the idea but David assured him it would be quick and easy. Albini grudgingly caved. But David was right; it was quick... recorded live, more like an early Beatles LP or a Wedding Present Peel Session than a long drawn out modern recording with a bunch of overdubs and multi-tracked layering. One could almost imagine that this is the version of George Best that David would have liked to have recorded back in 1987. It is just so well done... as you'd expect, of course, with Albini at the controls. But you can also feel David's 20 years older self guiding the new recording with experience and confidence. Everything is bigger... the drums on the original recording were played live, but were done on a 'Simmons' electronic drum kit. The combination of Albini's recording and the ultra-talented Graeme Ramsay on 'real' drums brings these frantic songs to life. However, the real difference comes out in the way those super-fast, ever-jangly guitars sound... they're warmer, they're rockier, they're more modern. More... Albini! To round everything off with another contemporary twist, multi award-winning mixer/producer Andrew Scheps [last heard on The Wedding Present's ground-breaking Going, Going... album] enthusiastically agreed to mix the finished recordings, having heard the original LP for the first time in his living room in Los Angeles in 2012, when he was mixing The Wedding Present's eighth studio album, Valentina. George Best 30th Anniversary Concerts: The Wedding Present will be playing a series of concert dates in 2017 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the release of their classic debut album, George Best. With its bittersweet, breathtakingly honest love songs immersed in whirlwind guitars, George Best struck a chord with outsiders across the indie universe. Suddenly here was David Gedge; a geeky pied piper for our youthful missteps. Thirty years on... we have laughed, loved and lived along with The Wedding Present... but are we any different to the way we were during those first meanderings into love? Gedge's words are still golden... and we will always remember our favourite dress. The NME described George Best as 'an unmitigated delight' upon its release and included it in its 2014 list of 'The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.' Allmusic says 'It would be nearly impossible to name the standout tracks, since every tune is so solid.' The album has achieved legendary status in the hearts and minds of alternative music fans everywhere. The concerts below will be the last time that The Wedding Present will ever play George Best live. 11/11 : Plymouth, UK Hub 12/11 Minehead, UK - Butlins Arena [Shiiine On Weekender festival] 06/12 : Dover, UK - Booking Hall 07/12 : Stowmarket, UK - John Peel Centre For The Creative Arts 08/12 : Northampton, UK Roadmender 09/12 : Leeds, UK - O2 Academy ~ the final ever performance of George Best
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