Wreckless Eric

Part of a gang of DIY post-punk oddballs signed to the legendary indie label Stiff Records, Wreckless Eric delivered eccentric pop songs with frantic, snarling energy and a ragged spirit. Born in East Sussex, Eric Goulden cut his teeth on the London pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and landed a deal with Stiff in 1977 when Nick Lowe heard a cassette tape of homemade demos he had dropped off. His single Whole Wide World was championed by Radio 1 DJ John Peel and albums Wreckless Eric (1978), The Wonderful World Of. (1979) and Big Smash! (1980) became cult favourites with Elvis Costello, Ian Dury and the Blockheads, The Lightning Seeds, Yo La Tengo and The Proclaimers covering his songs. Leaving the Stiff label in 1980, he went on to play with Captains of Industry, The Len Bright Combo and The Hitsville House Band and continued to release records independently, but without much success. His cult status lived on, however, with Will Ferrell singing Whole Wide World in his 2006 movie Stranger Than Fiction and Lou Reed playing his song Take the K.A.S.H. on his last ever radio show. He subsequently moved to New York to concentrate on painting, writing and performing with his wife Amy Rigby.