Craig Benjamin Wedren (born August 15, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, musician and composer, who began his career fronting

post-hardcore Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. Like the term " post-punk", the term "post-hardcore" has been applied to a broad conste ...

band Shudder to Think. Following the disbandment of Shudder to Think, Wedren pursued a career as a television and film music composer, as well as releasing solo material.

Career

Wedren began his career as the singer and primary songwriter for Washington, DC–based Shudder to Think, a band that started out in the hardcore music scene, only to challenge the aesthetics and limitations of this then-emerging musical genre. After breaking indie music tradition by signing with

Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), cong ...

(Sony Music), Shudder to Think released three major label albums including their opus '' Pony Express Record''. Shudder to Think toured widely with bands like

Smashing Pumpkins The Smashing Pumpkins (also simply known as Smashing Pumpkins) are an American alternative rock band formed in Chicago in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, guitarist James Iha, bassist D'arcy Wretzky and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. ...

Fugazi Fugazi (; ) is an American post-hardcore band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1986. The band consists of guitarists and vocalists Ian MacKaye and Guy Picciotto, bassist Joe Lally, and drummer Brendan Canty. They were noted for their style-transc ...

, and

Pearl Jam Pearl Jam is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. One of the key bands in the grunge, grunge movement of the early 1990s, Pearl Jam has outsold and outlasted many of its contemporaries from the early 1990s, ...

, and their videos were featured in regular rotation on

MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...

. At the peak of their career, a battle with

Hodgkin's Disease Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a type of lymphoma in which cancer originates from a specific type of white blood cell called lymphocytes, where multinucleated Reed–Sternberg cells (RS cells) are present in the lymph nodes. The condition was named a ...

grounded Wedren and the band, but following successful treatments Shudder to Think returned with a new goal in mind – to create music for film. With Shudder to Think, Wedren scored the independent films ''First Love Last Rites'', and ''High Art'', and contributed music to the film '' Velvet Goldmine''. Shortly after making the transition to film work, the band dissolved their partnership, and Wedren continued his dual career as both film composer and solo artist. As a composer, Wedren has scored a host of popular feature films including ''

Wanderlust Wanderlust is a strong desire to wander or travel and explore the world. The term has its roots in German Romanticism. Etymology The first documented use of the term in English occurred in 1902 as a reflection of what was then seen as a chara ...

'', ''

Role Models ''Role Models'' is a 2008 American comedy film directed by David Wain, who co-wrote it with Timothy Dowling, Paul Rudd and Ken Marino. The film stars Rudd, Seann William Scott, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bobb'e J. Thompson, Jane Lynch, and ...

'', ''

School of Rock ''School of Rock'' (titled on screen as ''The School of Rock'') is a 2003 comedy film directed by Richard Linklater, produced by Scott Rudin and written by Mike White (filmmaker), Mike White. The film stars Jack Black, Joan Cusack, White and Sa ...

'', ''

Wet Hot American Summer ''Wet Hot American Summer'' is a 2001 American satirical comedy film directed by David Wain from a screenplay written by Wain and Michael Showalter. The film features an ensemble cast, with Janeane Garofalo and David Hyde Pierce starring alo ...

'', '' By the People: The Election of Barack Obama'', '' Laurel Canyon'', '' Reno 911!: Miami'', '' Roger Dodger'', ''

The Baxter ''The Baxter'' is a 2005 American comedy film written by, directed by and starring comedian Michael Showalter. A "Baxter", as defined by the film, is the nice, dull guy in a romantic comedy who is dumped at the end of the story for the prota ...

'', and ''Boxers and Ballerinas''. Wedren has also written and performed music for the television shows '' Hung'', '' United States of Tara'', ''

Reno 911! ''Reno 911!'' is an American television sitcom created by Robert Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon and Kerri Kenney-Silver for Comedy Central. It is a mockumentary-style parody of law enforcement documentary shows, specifically '' Cops'', with comic ...

'', '' Stella'', ''

The State A state is a political entity that regulates society and the population within a definite territory. Government is considered to form the fundamental apparatus of contemporary states. A country often has a single state, with various administrat ...

'', '' The Whitest Kids U' Know'', ''

Dawson's Creek ''Dawson's Creek'' is an American teen drama television series about the lives of a close-knit group of friends in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts, beginning in high school and continuing into college. It aired from January 20, 19 ...

'', ''

Bones A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, an ...

'' and '' Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23''. In 2004 Wedren released a recording by his band BABY, which was in an electronic dance vein, but distinguished by glam and pop sensibilities. Craig Wedren

While continuing to grow creatively and commercially as a composer, Wedren has also developed a career as a solo artist. In 2005 he released his first solo album '' Lapland'' on the Team Love label, after which he toured supporting

Foo Fighters The Foo Fighters are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Initially founded as a one-man project by former Nirvana (band), Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, the band comprises vocalist/guitarist Grohl, bassist Nate Mendel, gu ...

, and Greg Dulli of

Afghan Whigs The Afghan Whigs are an American rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio. They were active from 1986 to 2001 and have since reformed as a band. The group – with core members Greg Dulli (vocals, rhythm guitar), Rick McCollum (lead guitar), and John ...

. In September 2011, Wedren released ''Wand''. To accompany the release of ''Wand'', Wedren toured the United States with

Chris Cornell Christopher John Cornell ( Boyle; July 20, 1964 – May 18, 2017) was an American musician, best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and the primary lyricist for the rock music, rock bands Soundgarden and Audioslave. He also had a ...

, and he worked with director Tim Nackashi to create a series of 360-degree interactive videos. In 2012, Wedren re-released recordings by his band BABY. The release included previously unreleased demos, and mixes, as well as a mixed tape which includes covers, and other unreleased material. Wedren has also contributed vocals to the musical act Tweaker with Chris Vrenna, formerly of

Nine Inch Nails Nine Inch Nails, commonly abbreviated as NIN (stylized as NIИ), is an American industrial rock band formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1988. Its members are the singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Trent Reznor and his frequent col ...

The Verve Pipe The Verve Pipe is an American Rock music, rock band from Michigan. They were formed in 1992 in East Lansing, Michigan, East Lansing by Brian Vander Ark (vocals, guitar), Brad Vander Ark (bass), Brian Stout (guitar), and Donny Brown (drums). They ...

's self-titled album, the musical act Cex, The Dead Science's album ''Villainaire'' and ''Someone To Run Away From'' with Pocket, Jherek Bischoff, and a

Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac are a British-American Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1967 by the singer and guitarist Peter Green (musician), Peter Green. Green named the band by combining the surnames of the drummer, Mick Fleetwood, and the bassis ...

cover with St. Vincent on Fleetwood Mac Tribute record ''Just Tell Me That You Want Me.'' Wedren wrote the theme for and was a regular extra on MTV's ''The State'' and was close friends with many members of the show. Wedren also played a part in 2009's ''

I Love You, Man ''I Love You, Man'' is a 2009 American bromantic comedy film written and directed by John Hamburg, based on a script by Larry Levin. The film stars Paul Rudd as a friendless man looking for a best man for his upcoming wedding. However, his ...

'' as a member of the wedding band, as well a role in David Wain's 2012 film ''Wanderlust''. He is a regular player with Wain's cover band the Middle Aged Dad Jam Band. Wedren also wrote and performed the title track for the movie ''Balls of Fury''. Additionally, he wrote the song "Bondage" for the movie soundtrack. In 2021, Wedren and

Anna Waronker Anna Jeanette Waronker is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and producer best known as the frontwoman of That Dog. She is the daughter of producer Lenny Waronker and actress and musician Donna Loren, the sister of session drummer Joey ...

collaborated on the soundtrack to Showtime's '' Yellowjackets''. The original theme song ''No Return'', for the opening credits, was composed by the duo, alongside the score for the show. They also collaborated on the soundtrack for

Hulu Hulu (, ) is an American Subscription business model, subscription streaming media service owned by Disney Streaming, a subsidiary of the Disney Entertainment segment of the Walt Disney Company. It was launched on October 29, 2007, initially as ...

's '' Shrill'' in 2019.

Personal life

Wedren was diagnosed with

Hodgkin's Lymphoma Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a type of lymphoma in which cancer originates from a specific type of white blood cell called lymphocytes, where multinucleated Reed–Sternberg cells (RS cells) are present in the lymph nodes. The condition was named a ...

in 1995. He successfully fought the disease and, after several years of treatments, remains in remission. Since 2006, he has been married to Meggan Lennon, the sister of his ''The State'' collaborator Thomas Lennon. They share a son. He is

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

Discography

Solo discography

* '' Lapland'' (2005) * ''The Spanish Amnesian'' (2009) * ''Wand'' (2011) * ''Adult Desire'' (2017) * "Sanctuary" from '' Hanukkah+'' (2019) * ''Sabbath Sessions, Vol. 1'' (2020) * ''Sabbath Sessions Spring 2022'' (2022) * ''Sabbath Sessions Summer 2022'' (2022) * ''Sabbath Sessions F/W 2022-23'' (2023) * ''The Dream Dreaming'' (2024)

With Shudder to Think

* ''Curses, Spells, Voodoo, Mooses'' (1988) * ''Ten Spot'' (1990) * ''Funeral at the Movies'' (1991) * ''Get Your Goat'' (1992) * '' Pony Express Record'' (1994) * '' 50,000 B.C.'' (1997)

With Baby

* ''Baby'' (2004)

With Jefferson Friedman

* ''On in Love'' (2014)

With Flesh Car

* ''Flesh Car'' (2024)

Film and television soundtracks

* '' First Love, Last Rites'' (1998; with Shudder to Think) * ''

High Art In a society, high culture encompasses cultural objects of aesthetic value that a society collectively esteems as exemplary works of art, as well as the literature, music, history, and philosophy a society considers representative of its cultur ...

'' (1998; with Shudder to Think) * ''

The Ten The TEN is a track and field meeting held at the JSerra Catholic High School track in San Juan Capistrano, California, United States. Since 2023 it is a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver level meetingthe third-highest level of international ...

'' (2007) * ''

'' (2009) * ''

'' (2016; with Theodore Shapiro) * ''

Dog Days The dog days or are the hot, sultry days of summer. They were historically the period following the heliacal rising of the star system Sirius (known colloquially as the "Dog Star"), which Hellenistic astrology connected with heat, drought, ...

'' (2018; with Matt Novack) * ''

New Amsterdam New Amsterdam (, ) was a 17th-century Dutch Empire, Dutch settlement established at the southern tip of Manhattan Island that served as the seat of the colonial government in New Netherland. The initial trading ''Factory (trading post), fac ...

'' (2021) * '' Blood Hive (Original Score from the Showtime Series Yellowjackets)'' (2022; with

) * ''Blood Hive 2 (Original Score from the TV Series Yellowjackets'' (2023; with Anna Waronker)

References

External links

Craig Wedren official websiteTeam Love Records
*
''Spin'' interview
* https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2019/03/singer-craig-wedrens-polaroids-are-proto-instagrams-of-the-indie-90s * https://variety.com/2022/music/news/yellowjackets-theme-song-composers-craig-wedren-anna-waronker-1235155037/ {{DEFAULTSORT:Wedren, Craig 1969 births Living people Shudder to Think members Team Love Records artists The Field School alumni American rock guitarists American male guitarists American rock songwriters American alternative rock singers American alternative rock guitarists American indie rock musicians American punk rock guitarists American punk rock singers American film score composers American male film score composers American alternative rock musicians American television composers Guitarists from Washington, D.C. 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American male musicians American male singer-songwriters Singer-songwriters from Washington, D.C. Middle Aged Dad Jam Band members