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Extra.ie
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
30 years ago this week: Van Morrison released Days Like This
In 1995, Britpop was in full flow thanks to the Blur-Oasis feud, as well as Supergrass's memorable hit 'Alright' and Pulp's classic album Different Class. Meanwhile, following on from Massive Attack's international success, the Bristol trip-hop scene threw up another genius in the shape of Tricky, whose debut Maxinquaye was an innovative and daring masterwork. In Ireland, one of our greatest ever artists offered a stunning reminder of his enduring brilliance. Van Morrison's place in the rock pantheon had long been assured thanks to the Them classic 'Gloria' and his '60s opus Astral Weeks, the lyrical depth of which drew comparisons to Bob Dylan. With the title track of his 1995 LP Days Like This, Van hit another creative high point: a sublime soul effort underpinned by a moving sense of hard-earned celebration. Adopted as an anthem of the peace movement in Northern Ireland, in a symbolic moment Van would perform the track before a massive Belfast audience during Bill Clinton's Presidential visit in November '95. – Paul Nolan Praying to his higher self, mentioning Belfast and the town called Paradise. Another meditation in the line that stretches from as far back as 'T.B. Sheets' up through Astral Weeks, 'Listen To The Lion', side one of Veedon Fleece, 'In The Garden', and all his other hymns to enlightenment. Morrison Moment: When Van goes beyond language for the last minute, growling, then singing at the top of his range, then blowing into the harmonica, then stabbing at the Hammond organ, all at the same time. Probably. – Pat Carthy Back in 2020, Hot Press celebrated Van Morrison's 75th birthday with a special YouTube series 'Rave On, Van Morrison' – featuring some of Ireland's most acclaimed artists performing songs from across Van's career. Watch Eleanor McEvoy perform 'Songwriter' from Days Like This: And watch Brian Kennedy, who contributed backing vocals to the original recording, performing 'Days Like This':
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Pulp don't mess with winning formula with album that honours their past while not being enslaved by it
All are very much with us today, with a reformed Oasis set to play the most anticipated shows of the summer. Blur's The Ballad of Darren and subsequent tour showed they're far more than just a heritage act pushing nostalgia (a charge that can justly be levelled at Oasis.) And, now, 24 years on from what many thought was their swan song, Pulp have returned with an album that rolls back the years in scintillating fashion. Jarvis Cocker has released good solo material without ever reaching the highs that Pulp managed on a spectacular run of albums, from 1994's His 'N' Hers, 1995's Different Class to 1998's This is Hardcore. More, the Sheffield veterans' eighth studio album, may not quite be at that high-water mark, but it comes close enough. It's the sound of group honouring their own past while not being enslaved by it. It showcases many appealing Pulp hallmarks, including an unerring pop sensibility, artful and engaging arrangements, witty and knowing lyrics and a spirited delivery from Cocker. He's one of the few frontmen who can get away with spoken-worded deliveries, a ploy that works beautifully on the lush, tender Farmers Market. It should also be noted that anyone who was allergic to Pulp back in the day — and there were several — will find little here to convert them. For the rest of us, More is a delight from start to finish. And what a start: Spike Island is inspired by the legendary 1990 gig (in the north-west of England, and not the prison island off the Cork coast) headlined by the Stone Roses in their pomp. It's not the first Pulp song to be written in its honour: Sorted for E's & Wizz was inspired by the phrase that an acquaintance of Cocker's recalled from that Spike Island show. Ultimately, it's a song about Cocker's own need to perform. 'I was born to perform/ It's a calling/ I еxist to do this/ Shouting and pointing.' Relationships have been at the heart of many of Pulp's most enduring songs and so it is with Background Noise, a touching appraisal of what happens when love disappears. It may be a commentary on Cocker's divorce. He has subsequently remarried. The marvellous Tina — as quintessential a Pulp song as you can get — laments missed opportunities, especially that with the titular woman, an old flame from decades ago. On their last studio album, 2001's We Love Life, they called on the legendary Scott Walker as producer. This time, it's the turn of James Ford, one of the most in-demand studio alchemists of his generation, best known for his work with another big Sheffield export, Arctic Monkeys. Ford doesn't mess with Pulp's winning formula and the result is a comeback album that burnishes, rather than detracts from the band's legacy. It's dedicated to Pulp bassist Steve Mackey, who died in 2023 just as these new songs were starting to take shape.
Scotsman
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Pulp at Glastonbury: celebrating the 30th anniversary of the group's hallowed performance
There's a reason why people are hoping Pulp return to Worthy Farm, despite Jarvis stating it won't happen. Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Pulp are still being bartered around as a potential secret act at Glastonbury Festival 2025. Despite Jarvis Cocker stating it'd only happen in a 'life-or-death' situation, many hope they return 30 years after their celebrated headline set. Take a trip down memory lane or learn why an injury to a UK music great led to an unlikely 11th hour change of plans for the Sheffield outfit. Rumours continue to circulate a month ahead of Glastonbury Festival 2025, with many speculating about potential surprise appearances. One name that consistently appears in the rumour mill is Pulp . The band has reunited, is touring later this year, and has a new album coming out, leading many to hope that Jarvis Cocker and company will perform at Worthy Farm. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Cocker, however, has publicly stated that they won't be at the festival. In an interview with Scott Mills on the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show , he said they would only play this year's festival in a "life or death situation." He clarified, "I don't think that's going to happen. If it was a life-or-death situation, but I really don't think it's going to happen." Despite Cocker's denial, some fans remain hopeful. 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of their hit album Different Class and also the 30th anniversary of their last-minute headline performance at Glastonbury in 1995. This is why some understand and appreciate the desire for a sneaky set from the band, perhaps on one of the smaller stages, as a tribute to their original 1995 slot before another prominent UK band pulled out, leaving Pulp with the daunting task. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This event led to Pulp headlining the Pyramid Stage in 1995, and the subsequent performance occurred at the height of their popularity following the release of Common People. When Pulp headlined Glastonbury Festival 1995 Learn, or relive, the moment Pulp went from small stage cult heroes to main-stage Britpop heroes 30 years ago this year. | Getty Images Prelude - Pulp before Glastonbury 1995 1995 is considered a watershed moment for the Britpop movement. While much attention focused on the rivalry between Oasis and Blur, which dominated headlines and national news, a wave of other bands was transitioning from cult status to mainstream recognition. Pulp, a Sheffield outfit, was among these acts. Despite having been active for 17 years and being hailed as a Britpop band alongside Blur and Oasis , they hadn't quite achieved mainstream success. That would change in 1995 with the release of their fifth album, Different Class, and its hugely popular single, Common People , released in May (the album followed in October). Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Pulp had experienced a breakthrough with His 'n' Hers in 1994, which peaked at number nine on the UK album chart, fuelling anticipation for their next release, buoyed by the band's earnest approach. Frontman Jarvis Cocker, in particular, was seen as an erudite, witty, and somewhat awkward observer within the Cool Britannia scene, a contrast to the sometimes swaggering, machismo male personas prevalent at the time. His distinct perspective on social politics, class consciousness, and everyday life resonated with many. While critical acclaim was familiar to the band, the widespread success and catchiness of Common People and its iconic music video elevated Pulp to household name status, rather than just a pub favourite. The last minute opportunity of a lifetime - replacing that year's headliner Pulp was already scheduled to perform at Glastonbury in 1995 as part of Friday's line-up in the NME Stage , with The Stone Roses set to headline the Pyramid Stage on Saturday at Worthy Farm. But those plans would change abruptly. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In early June 1995, The Stone Roses had to cancel their headline performance at Worthy Farm, just weeks before the festival, due to a leg injury suffered by lead singer Ian Brown . The injury was reportedly severe enough to prevent him from performing a full headline set. While details about the exact nature and timing of the injury may vary slightly depending on the source, Brown's inability to perform was the definitive cause of the cancellation. The loss of The Stone Roses, considered a significant influence on the Britpop movement, was a considerable blow to Michael Eavis and the organizers. Their performance was intended to be a reunion after a long hiatus and a major draw for ticket holders. With such a prominent slot to fill on short notice, Glastonbury organizers faced a crucial decision. They needed a band with the stature and repertoire to command the Pyramid Stage on a Saturday night. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What Britpop act, with all the momentum in the world that year, could possibly risk it all for a chance at headlining the hallowed Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury 1995? Pulp stepped up. In a recent interview Jarvis undertook with The Independent , he revealed the moment the band were offered the chance to move from the NME Stage on Friday to having all eyes on them on the Pyramid Stage the following day: 'We were in the studio recording Different Class and the phone went. I think it was Nick, the drummer, who picked it up and he said that's stuff we can play at Glastonbury. So, we kind of stopped and discussed it. I think we went to a small room to discuss it and we knew we were going to do it [...] That's when success seemed real. Undeniable.' The celebrated performance and everlasting legacy Common People, the first single released from Different Class, peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart in May 1995 , remaining there for two weeks and spending 10 weeks in the UK Top 40. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Riding this wave of popularity, the group took to the Pyramid Stage at 10:30 PM BST on June 24, 1995, delivering what is now considered a landmark performance for both the band and the festival. The set kicked off with Do You Remember the First Time , and during the performance, the band introduced classic tracks from Different Class such as Sorted For E's & Wizz and Disco 2000 , both of which became anthems from Pulp's extensive back catalogue. Throughout the set, Jarvis Cocker directly addressed the circumstances of their headlining slot, filling in for The Stone Roses, with a blend of humility and humour, acknowledging the audience's potential expectations. The crowd, however, was far from disappointed with the 11th-hour substitution. Given the recent success of their hit single, Jarvis frequently referenced the "common people" theme, blurring the lines between performer and audience member. This approach resonated with the Glastonbury ethos, making him seem like one of the crowd. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Before closing the set with Common People, Jarvis addressed the Pyramid Stage audience, stating: 'I don't usually make any notes before we play because I always think you should be spontaneous on stage [...] I think you should come on and be in the moment. 'We come on here, you're there, and we do our thing and we see what you make of it, and then it comes back to us and then it's something that happens,' he continued. 'Because I was sat in the tent today, thinking about things, and I did actually write a few things down.' Amidst chants of "Jarvis," the singer revealed a piece of paper and then informed the crowd, after joking that he had found a shopping list: 'You can't buy feelings and you can't buy anything worth having. If you want something to happen enough, it will happen. 'And I believe that - that's why we're stood up here on this stage today after 15 years. So, if a lanky git like me can do it and us lot, yeah, you can do it too. Alright?' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Pulp's 1995 set has been celebrated in the years since, with media outlets like the NME and The Guardian including it in their lists of the best Glastonbury headline performances. The band's relatable nature, with Jarvis Cocker's witty and honest stage presence, singing about relatable themes, was a key factor in their success, especially compared to the swaggering egos prevalent in the Britpop scene at the time. Pulp at Glastonbury 1995 - setlist Do You Remember the First Time? Razzmatazz Monday Morning Underwear Sorted for E's & Wizz Disco 2000 Joyriders Acrylic Afternoons Mis-Shapes Pink Glove Babies Common People
The Independent
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Jarvis Cocker says Pulp will only play Glastonbury in ‘life or death situation'
Jarvis Cocker has said his band Pulp will only perform at this year's Glastonbury Festival if it is a 'life or death situation'. The frontman, 61, confirmed he would be at the festival and said he may DJ there... but was reluctant to say Pulp would perform. The Britpop band made their name with a stand-in Glastonbury headline set in 1995. Asked about the band's chances of appearing at the festival, Cocker told the Scott Mills Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2: 'I will be going to Glastonbury and I might DJ. 'Well, you know, I do occasionally DJ at Glastonbury in a place called Stone Bridge near the park stage. I will be happy to see what is going on there.' Pushed on whether Pulp would perform, Cocker told Mills: 'I don't think that's going to happen. 'If it was a life-or-death situation, but I really don't think it's going to happen.' The Common People singer was then asked about Pulp's breakthrough performance standing in for the Stone Roses at the festival in 1995. He added: 'We were in the studio recording Different Class and the phone went. I think it was Nick, the drummer, who picked it up and he said that's stuff we can play at Glastonbury. 'So, we kind of stopped and discussed it. I think we went to a small room to discuss it and we knew we were going to do it. 'It was about three weeks that Common People had been in the charts. It was like suddenly, oh yes, we are popular now. It was like a vindication I suppose. 'John Squire (Stone Roses guitarist) had an injury. He fell off his mountain bike and fractured his collarbone. 'So, they were looking for someone to take over the Saturday night headliner. So, then we had to start rehearsing in the studio. 'The most expensive rehearsals ever because you pay so much money for a studio and we had to turn it into a rehearsal room.' The news comes after the Sheffield-formed band announced their first album in 24 years, named More, and released their first single in more than a decade, Spike Island, named after the Stone Roses' well-known performance. Formed in 1978, Pulp struggled to find success with the dark content of early albums It (1983), Freaks (1987) and Separations (1992), before finding their audience during the 1990s Britpop era with their first UK top 40 single, Do You Remember The First Time? and subsequent His 'N' Hers album, in 1994. In 1995, they gained nationwide fame with the release of the single, Common People, and the critically acclaimed Different Class album, as well as their Glastonbury performance. Pulp is currently made up of singer Cocker, keyboard player Candida Doyle, drummer Nick Banks and guitarist Mark Webber, and have achieved five UK top 10 singles and two UK number one albums.
The Guardian
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Pulp: Spike Island review – Jarvis Cocker and co's joyous second coming
It seems weirdly fitting that Pulp have premiered their first album in 24 years with a song that appears to fret about the validity of returning at all. Of all the alt-rock artists hoisted to mainstream fame in the Britpop era, they were the ones who seemed least comfortable with the kind of attention it brought them: a perennially ignored band who'd spent a decade striving to get somewhere, only to find they didn't much like it when they did. Something of the prickly, confrontational outsider clung to them even at the zenith of their success – 1995's quadruple-platinum Different Class is an album packed with waspish, witty ruminations on the British class system – while 1998's This Is Hardcore offered a paranoid and occasionally harrowing examination of their era as celebrities, something its dense, doomy sound also helped to draw to a close. Accordingly, Spike Island seems to use the Stone Roses' famous 1990 gig where 30,000 people crammed into a Widnes field surrounded by chemical factories as a metaphor for disappointment and the way nostalgia tends to burnish memories: the fact that Spike Island was famously badly organised, musically underwhelming and plagued by terrible sound hasn't stopped it subsequently developing a legendary status as a kind of baggy-era Woodstock. Perhaps Cocker is looking back on Pulp's own supposed glory days with greater perspective: Spike Island references his discomfort with fame ('I was conforming to a cosmic design, I was playing to type'), and the indifference Pulp's disbanding was greeted with in the early 00s, when a theoretically valedictory greatest hits album barely scraped the Top 75: 'The universe shrugged and moved on'. But Cocker seems emboldened at the prospect of his own second coming. He suggests that 'this time I'll get it right' and that he has 'walked back to the garden of earthly delights'. He sings happily: 'I was born to conform, it's a calling / I exist to do this – shouting and pointing'. Students of rock history might recognise the last three words as the title of an ignored 1976 album by Mott, the dogged but doomed attempt by members of Mott the Hoople to soldier on without lead singer Ian Hunter. References to 1970s pop-culture arcana are, of course, very Pulp – and so are a lot of other things about Spike Island: the disco-influenced rhythm (decorated with the distinctive sound of syndrums), the brief spoken-word section, and the sense that complicated emotions lurk behind its anthemic chorus. For all the conflicted feelings at its centre, Spike Island is a noticeably stronger song than After You, the solitary new track spawned by Pulp's previous reformation, in the early 2010s. Had Spike Island been released in their heyday – or instead of the strikingly downbeat Help the Aged in 1997 – it would doubtless have been a hit. Equally, you could see some of its reflections on the past as not dissimilar to those offered by Damon Albarn on Blur's 2023 comeback single The Narcissist. Whether Pulp's forthcoming album More goes on to attain the same degree of acclaim as Blur's The Ballad of Darren remains to be seen, but, for now, as attested by the excited texts pouring in after Spike Island was premiered on BBC Radio 6 Music, fans are likely to be delighted.
