During that time Gedge has been no stranger to Norfolk, telling fans at every Norwich gig that his family hails from there.

No doubt on Thursday when the Wedding Present return to The Waterfront, he will remind them once again.

But, this time the former Leeds resident and favourite of the late DJ John Peel, may enlighten the audience to a little more information.

"I was contacted by a distant relation who was researching his family tree, and told me we were both related to the author Pauline Gedge.

"Then he bought a home and had a kid and stopped the family research," joked Gedge during rehearsals for the tour to promote the Wedding Present's latest album, El Rey.

Long-lost relatives are not the only blasts from the past as the new record sees Gedge collaborating once again with one-time Nirvana producer Steve Albini.

"It was a very tricky decision working with Steve again as we usually don't work with a producer more than once," he said.

"However, over the last year or two we have become very guitar based again, which Steve is a master of capturing. It was strange seeing him again – he never changes – so it was like 1989/90 again!"

While Albini boosted the Wedding Present guitar sound to the max again, Gedge has managed to throw his fans a musical curveball with El Rey's last track, Swingers, which features current bassist Terry de Castro taking on vocal duties.

"I asked Terry to do it as she has a nicer voice than me," he said.

"The track before, Booboo, is very intense so I wanted the album to end with something lighter."

As well as selections from the new album, fans should expect some fine-tuned classics especially those from the band's classic debut George Best, which The Wedding Present played in its entirety last year to mark the album's 20th anniversary.

"I found that very surreal when it was first mentioned to be honest," said Gedge.

"I'm not into nostalgia – I'm into looking forward. But lots of other bands were also playing their old albums like Dinosaur Jnr and thought 'why not'.

"I am really glad I did it, especially when a fan came up to me after the concert and said she hadn't even been born when it came out so would never have heard it otherwise."

The Wedding Present play The Waterfont, Norwich, on Thursday, May 29. Tickets cost £13 in advance from the box office, 01603 508050.