PULP

“You'll never live like common people

You'll never do whatever common people do

You'll never fail like common people

You'll never watch your life slide out of view,

And dance and drink and screw

Because there's nothing else to do”

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

“D”

​

Main Decade: 90's

Main Eras:

Brit Rock (1991-???)

​

Key Members:

Jarvis Cocker: Vocals and rhythm guitar

Russell Senior: Lead guitar

Candida Doyle: Keyboards

Mark Webber: Rhythm guitar, keyboards

Steve Mackey: Bass

Nick Banks: Drums

​

Key Songs:

 

This is Hardcore, Common People, Disco 2000, I Spy, Bar Italia, Razzmatazz, Mis-Shapes, F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E., Like A Friend, Something Changed, Do You Remember The First Time?, Babies, The Fear, David’s Last Summer, Underwear, Sorted For E’s And Wizz, My Legendary Girlfriend, Master of the Universe, Someone Like the Moon.

​​

​

And well, because you asked for it, we finally have Pulp, one of the Big Four of Britpop! From every angle, Pulp was a band that was very different from the rest of the Britpop groups. Anomalous even compared to rock bands in general, with very diverse sounds that have always made me wonder if they fit into the same category as Albarn, Gallagher, and Anderson… By the first half of the 90s, when Britpop exploded first in England and then as a global phenomenon, Jarvis Cocker already had about 15 years of musical experience, rebuilding his band, reinventing his sound, and defining his identity. In 1993, Cocker was already 30 years old! He was only four years older than Damon Albarn and Brett Anderson, and three than Noel Gallagher, but by then it felt like an eternity, and Jarvis already displayed much greater maturity. From his beginnings to that second phase where fame finally arrived, Cocker had been writing denser songs, which perhaps aren't lacking in the catalogs of other Britpop bands, but certainly, by the time they all became famous, he was already handling them with greater mastery. Jarvis has an astonishing narrative ability, much darker and more cynical. In Pulp's songs, sex is dirtier; relationships are broken, and the characters always seem to be under threat. For Jarvis, misfits are losers because of their inability to break their vicious cycles, but he doesn't do so from a moralistic or condescending perspective… he considers himself a loser.

​

Perhaps this is because Pulp didn't follow the standard band formula. Most bands achieve fame after two or three good albums and a third that's a smash hit. A lucky few make it with a tremendous debut after years of hard work. Pulp spent their first 12 years in complete obscurity, releasing albums and singles throughout the 80s without success. Most bands give up trying, but Jarvis persevered until time and the masses proved him right. By then, Pulp had gone through countless lineup changes and explored every imaginable style, from Indie Rock and Folk to Post-Punk and Dance, with influences ranging from David Bowie to Roxy Music and Serge Gainsbourg. In the 90s, when they finally found their identity, this led them to a glamorous, intense, and quite dramatic sound.

​

Jarvis Cocker formed Pulp in 1978, at just 15 years old, along with classmates from Sheffield City School. In 1981, they recorded a demo and gave it to John Peel, a famous DJ and radio presenter, who liked their sound, and the boys were invited to play on the radio. After these appearances, the band failed to take off, so everyone except Jarvis quit to go to university in 1982. The following year, Jarvis had already formed a new band, and they managed to secure a contract with Red Rhino Records. They released *It* (a joke so that the cover read *Pulp-It*) in 1983, but although not a bad debut, it went completely unnoticed, and the group disbanded again.

​

With the second incarnation of Pulp having disbanded, Jarvis assembled a new version of the band in 1984, featuring guitarist and violinist Russell Senior, who would be the first member of the iconic 90s lineup to join. The lineup was completed by drummer Magnus Doyle and bassist Peter Mansell. Oh, and Tim Allcard, who didn't play anything but recited poetry, though he didn't last long, and his place was taken by Candida Doyle (Magnus's sister) on keyboards, who would also become a fundamental part of the classic lineup. In 1985, the new band released a series of singles with Fire Records. Just as they were starting to gain momentum, Jarvis tried to impress a girl and fell 10 meters out of a window. He wasn't killed, but he suffered fractures to his pelvis, foot, and wrist, which left him in a wheelchair for months, though that didn't stop him from performing concerts.

​

In 1987, they released their second album, Freaks, a much denser and darker work, on Fire Records. The label had given them very little time to record it, and they practically finished it in a week. Jarvis was annoyed with the rushed sound, and the album was, once again, a commercial failure. During the filming of the video for "They Suffocate at Night," the band had a falling out, and Jarvis was left without any bandmates except for Senior. Jarvis and Russell continued making music, but the band was essentially inactive for a year, as Jarvis began studying filmmaking at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London.

​

One might have thought Jarvis's musical aspirations had finally ended after so many frustrations, but at university he met bassist Steve Mackey, with whom he became friends. In 1988, Candida Doyle approached him along with another bassist, Steven Havenhand, and drummer Nick Banks. Russell rejoined, and yet another Pulp lineup was born, although Havenhand would soon be replaced by Anthony Genn, who in turn would give way to Steve Mackey, finally arriving at the most stable and representative Pulp lineup. With this lineup, they returned to the studio to record Separations in 1989, once again under the Fire Records label. The album represents a new musical direction, showcasing the influence of Cohen on side A and Acid House on side B, where Jarvis demonstrates a greater mastery of pop melodies. However, the album would take almost three years to be released, and in the meantime, Cocker finished his film studies and was seriously considering dedicating himself fully to cinema when fate intervened again. The single "My Legendary Girlfriend" was released in 1991 and NME named it single of the week. Like the perfect girl who arrives when you've given up looking for her, fame finally came to Jarvis Cocker and Pulp.

​

Since the sound of Separations wasn't exactly fresh, they immediately went into the studio to record new singles. To do so, they switched labels to Gift Records, and the singles from that period solidified their radio success. "O.U." would again be single of the week, along with "The Drowners" by a new band called Suede, and "Babies," in particular, allowed them to jump to another label, signing with Island Records. With the label, they released the singles “Rastamazz,” “Lipgloss,” and “Do You Remember the First Time?” For their first album with Island, they began preparing “His ‘n’ Hers,” which wouldn't be released until 1994, produced by Ed Buller, who had also produced Suede's early albums. By then, the singles and tours had made them one of the most talked-about bands in the UK, and the album reached number 9 on the charts and was nominated for a Mercury Prize. Throughout the rest of 1994 and 1995, with the battle between Blur and Oasis raging, Pulp became almost ubiquitous on British television screens, and Jarvis acquired sex symbol status, with some even proposing him for a knighthood.

​

However, true fame wouldn't arrive until the release of “Common People” in May 1995. The song was a smash hit in England (with a melody suspiciously similar to a Mecano song), debuting at #2. In July, Pulp headlined the Glastonbury Festival by accident, as they weren't on the lineup. Due to their popularity, they were called in to fill the spot left by the Stone Roses, who had cancelled because they were falling apart, this time for good. This performance launched Pulp to superstardom in the British Isles and paved the way for their upcoming album, Different Class. During the recording of the album, guitarist Mark Webber, who was president of the Pulp fan club, became a permanent member of the band. Webber's first recording was on the double A-side single "Mis-Shapes/Sorted for E's & Wizz," released in August. Different Class, released in October 1995, became a gem of the era, a cornerstone of Britpop, and tops many lists of the best albums of the genre. Enchanting both fans and critics, the album debuted at #1, achieving gold in its first week and platinum in its second, with singles like “Disco 2000” and “Something Changed.” It wasn't released in the US until February 1996, with similar success. This time, it earned them the Mercury Music Prize, for which they had already been nominated, and Jarvis would soon become a global figure with the same exposure as Albarn, the Gallaghers, or Anderson. It was around this time that he gained media attention for the legendary prank he pulled at the 1996 Brit Awards, where he stormed the stage while Michael Jackson was singing “Earth Song,” mocking him with his backside. He spent the night in jail, but the incident ensured that, literally, everyone was talking about him for a few weeks, just before embarking on his first stadium tour. A masterstroke by any measure…

​

At the end of 1996, they reunited to record their next album. However, Russell Senior left the band because Jarvis had completely monopolized the creative process and was no longer satisfied with playing. Jarvis was in the midst of a crisis, at his lowest point due to his drug addiction, depressed after breaking up with his long-term girlfriend, and exhausted from being a celebrity and touring. So they couldn't continue, and aside from a few sporadic festival appearances, Cocker took a break to plan his next album: This Is Hardcore.

​

It's worth pausing here. It was 1997, and the brief explosion of Britpop was fading as brightly as its initial brilliance. If we look closely, it was just a small handful of gems from the Big Four that defined that era: Suede and Modern Life Is Rubbish from '93; His 'n' Hers, Parklife, Definitely Maybe, and Dog Man Star from '94; The Great Escape, Different Class, and (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? from ’95. Then, the momentum shifted… The Britpop movement seemed to run out of steam, fed up with itself, and take a darker, more existential turn. Even bands like Radiohead, not exactly Britpop, made a radical leap, as did The Verve. Oasis would show they had lost their way with the excessive Be Here Now. Suede would appear exhausted with Head Music. Blur would release their anguished gem 13, and Pulp the dark This Is Hardcore, all moving away from the lyrical and musical style that had unified the movement.

​

The album, released in 1998, received mixed reviews, but it showcases Jarvis Cocker's anguish as he drowns in fame and an overwhelming world, touching on themes like pornography in “This Is Hardcore,” fame in “Glory Days,” and drugs in “The Fear,” all revolving around a profound disillusionment with the world. Despite disconcerting many, the album sold well, driven by the title track, a tremendous suite that, in my opinion, is among the best songs of the 90s. After the album, the band split up again, amid rumors of a breakup, dedicating themselves to solo projects but reuniting sporadically to headline festivals.

​

In 2001, they reunited to record *We Love Life*, a beautiful and more expansive album inspired by the September 11 attacks. However, by that time, the Pulp hype had subsided, and the sound, very different from what we were used to, meant the album didn't achieve much impact. The band never officially broke up, but went on a long hiatus. Jarvis released his solo albums and found time to appear in *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*, fronting a band with Steve Mackey and members of Radiohead.

​

It's curious, if not ironic, that the definitive breakup of Oasis in 2009, the only band that had managed to stay together without splitting up, was the catalyst for that Britpop nostalgia that would lead to the return of the other three. In 2010, it was announced that the Pulp lineup from *Different Class* would play at the Wireless Festival in London's Hyde Park. After the successful concert, where they received a standing ovation, they played 22 sold-out shows and were the surprise act at the 2011 Glastonbury Festival. Pulp continued headlining festivals, with a bearded, reclusive Jarvis Cocker, but with the same energy and that deep, gravelly voice, somewhat shrill when he attempts high notes. Despite the successful comeback, Jarvis announced that they weren't planning any new material, although they did release the single "After You" in 2012, an unreleased track from the 90s.

​

In short, although Cocker and company had been around for many years and could even claim to be the fathers of Britpop, ultimately their influence is the least of the Big Four, and that's why I'm giving them this rating. That doesn't mean they don't have a good handful of songs that would become iconic for our generation, with a range of styles that can make us dance or that are definitely not for the faint of heart… Here they are, the band that is anything but ordinary: Pulp!

​

​

Por Corvan

28/nov/2017

​

​

​

​