Cinerama (band)
Cinerama were a UK indie pop band, headed up by David Gedge, the frontman for The Wedding Present.
Career
Originally formed in 1998 while on a break from The Wedding Present, Cinerama started as a duo of Gedge and his then-girlfriend Sally Murrell. The initial releases were a break from previous Gedge records as they featured soundtrack-like arrangements and string and woodwind accompaniment. Live performances included a lot of musicians to play these orchestral/pop songs. Over the years though the sound changed back to more of a rock sound, especially once some of The Wedding Present songs were incorporated into the live set. Cinerama employed a shifting line-up of collaborators and full-blown members.[1] 1998's Va Va Voom featured the help of The Church's Marty Willson-Piper, Cousteau's Davey Ray Moor and Emma Pollock of The Delgados.[1] Gedge rescued the rhythm section of the disbanded Goya Dress (Terry de Castro and Simon Pearson) in 1999, employing them as members, and former Wedding Present guitarist, Simon Cleave, was in the line-up since the group's first show.[1]
Cinerama released a clutch of multi-format singles in support of their debut album, as well as a number of intervening releases prior to 2000's Steve Albini recorded, Disco Volante.[1] Also notable was the band's inaugural release, on their own Scopitones record label on Valentine's Day 2000 ("Manhattan"), which featured a cover of The Smiths' song, "London".[1] This Is Cinerama was released just weeks after Disco Volante and they were a frequent guest on John Peel's BBC Radio 1 program.[1] In 2002, the dark, guitar-driven Torino was released and in the following spring the release of Cinerama Holiday collected the entirety of the group's fifth through eighth singles.[1]
Around 2003 Murrell and Gedge split up and she then left the band. Eventually during the recording of what became Take Fountain, Gedge decided that the sound had changed so much that it would be better released under The Wedding Present name, and so Cinerama were finished although the same musicians carried on.
Post 2004
Most Wedding Present set lists in recent years have included at least one Cinerama song.
Although Cinerama officially no longer exists, a band perform a short set under the name Cinerama at each of David Gedge's "At the edge of.." festivals. The line up usually comprises the current Wedding Present lineup but with the musicians switching their usual instruments.
Discography
Singles
- "Kerry Kerry" (Cooking Vinyl 1998) - UK Singles Chart #71[2]
- "Dance, Girl, Dance" (Cooking Vinyl 1998)
- "Pacific/King's Cross" (double a-side 7" vinyl / Elefant 1999)
- "Manhattan" (Scopitones 2000)
- "Wow" (Scopitones 2000)
- "Lollobrigida" (Scopitones 2000)
- "Your Charms" (Scopitones 2000)
- "Superman" (Scopitones 2001)
- "Health and Efficiency" (Scopitones 2001)
- "Quick, Before It Melts" (Scopitones 2002)
- "Careless" (Scopitones 2002)
- "Don't Touch That Dial" (Scopitones 2003)
- "It's Not You, It's Me" (GoMetric! Records 2004)
Albums
- Va Va Voom (Cooking Vinyl 1998)
- Disco Volante (Scopitones 2000)
- This Is Cinerama (compilation, Cooking Vinyl 2000)
- John Peel Sessions (compilation, Scopitones 2001)
- Live in Los Angeles (Scopitones 2002)
- Torino (Scopitones 2002)
- Cinerama Holiday (compilation, Scopitones 2002)
- John Peel Sessions: Season 2 (compilation, Scopitones 2003)
- Live in Belfast (Scopitones 2003)
- The Complete Peel Sessions (triple album box set compilation, Sanctuary 2007)
- John Peel Sessions: Season 3 (compilation, Sanctuary 2007)
- Live In New York (Download Album 2010)
DVDs
- Get Up and Go (Scopitones 2004)