From Leeds to Seattle to Sussex, The Wedding Present's founder member David Gedge has come a long way in the last 20 years.

With a new album, Take Fountain - the first Wedding Present record since Saturnalia came out in 1996 - just released, Gedge is now taking his grinding, deadpan guitar epics on a four month tour of Europe with this legendary indie band.

The charismatic Northern frontman denies accusations that after an eight year gap, the band have jumped on the current bandwagon for Eighties nostalgia.

"We never went away," he says. "And I find all that nostalgia trip odd. I just took a year out to do a solo project and it stretched into eight."

The project David is talking about is Cinerama, his collaboration with ex-girlfriend Sally Murrell - described as "turbo-driven melodies and bittersweet vignettes taking in everything from John Barry to The Zombies".

"It didn't fit in with The Wedding Present," David says. "I couldn't really ask the band to replace frenzied riffs for strings."

"But we're not another reformed band. We've been making music all along."

Integrity is one of Gedge's defining characterisics. Money has never been much of a motivating factor to him and he warns diehard fans of the band not to turn up for 'a best of' set.

"People are probably expecting old stuff, but if they know anything about us they'll know we don't pander to the fans.

"At the end of the day I want a strong set and I'll do anything possible to make that happen, old songs, new songs, Cinerama songs.

"We've got 20 years of music to choose from so we'll do what it takes."

This is a man who lives his life as an emotional torrent, but his frenetic, working-class outpourings on love and deceit are more than just bitter rantings. He's also a real 'Billy no mates' because his passion for work keeps him totally occupied.

"I don't relax," he says. "I don't have friends. I'm totally obsessed with my music. That's why my social life's suffered."

The Wedding Present's impressive past track record - 17 UK Top 40 hits - is surprising given that, since their inception in 1985, they have stubbornly refused to play the record industry's game.

Rekindling interest in the seven inch single format became a mission for the band described by the NME as "casually revolutionary and underhandedly unique". In 1992 they released one record a month for 12 months consecutively, equalling Elvis Presley's 35 year record.

These days, the prosaic King of Grump may prefer a "a nice fruity red" to a pint but with his pop brains and a punk heart, don't expect this veteran of car-crash love ballads to reach for his pipe and slippers just yet.

Starts 8pm, Tickets £12 (SOLD OUT), Tel 01273 673311