Exclusive: Jarvis Cocker talks new material and new heavier direction
15 July 2008 - The former Pulp singer has told 6 Music that hell be road testing new songs during his short US tour this week, and a follow up to his 2006 solo debut is on the horizon.
I have been working and I have been writing. He confessed, Im doing three shows in America in July where Im gonna try a lot of new stuff out. Ill see if I survive that, then Ill try and get it recorded as soon as possible really.
I probably wont get it out this year being realistic. But Id like to get it out as soon as possible. But Im afraid I will kill again. There will be another record.
"I will kill again. There will be another record" - Jarvis Cocker
As for the style of the new songs, it appears that Cocker is aiming for a heavier, more band orientated sound compared to his 2006 album Jarvis.
Its hard to say as its not all done yet. He continued, But I think itll probably be louder than the last one. The thing was, I wrote that record over a period of time and enlisted the help of Steve [Mackey bass] and Ross [Orton drums] and Richard [Hawley guitar] to help me record it. Then went out and played it, and discovered I had a band that could rock.
That really made me think. Id never really had that before. Pulp could be loud, but we didnt really rock. Well, maybe occasionally. So what Ive tried to do with the new stuff, rather than me just sit there and wait for inspiration to come at some point which takes ages instead weve written stuff together. And its a bit louder.
Its probably something to do with some kind of midlife crisis as well, yknow? Rock while to still have the ability to do it before your bits start falling off.
Jarvis Cockers full US tour dates are:
Pitchfork Music Festival, Union Park Chicago (19 July) Music Hall of Williamsburg Brooklyn (21) Terminal 5 New York (22)
Urgh I hate this "pre-record" talk, it's always bollocks, regardless of the artist, so I really wouldn't worry. We should go on what we already know- the fact that Angela and Girls Like It Too are mint and hopefully the rest of the album will be along those lines.
I don't really think either song deserves to be called "brilliant" - at best they're fairly pleasant if derivative. They certainly lack the spark of his earlier work.
I think it's starnge that people are worried by Jarvis wanting to find a heavier sound. Fat Children is one of my fasvorite songs, and that was the heaviest on the album!
Pulp always wanted to be a pop band. Then, for fear of repeating themselves post-DC, they became more experimental and expansive, largely ditching the trademark keyboards and using strings and samples. Turing the guitars up a few notches was certainly part of developing that expansive sound.
And I think they pulled it off quite well on their last two records, bar the occassional lapse into dirgeful rock.
What's more concerning to me is that he makes reference to it being a 'band' now, moreso than the first solo record, which was largely written alone by himself at the piano, Albert's toy guitar or whatever. The desire for Pulp in his life agains seems as long a way off as when he 'retired' in 2002.
Angela is little short of dire! A boring, pointless song with an even more boring, pointless title in a style that really doesn't suit him. I hope if he does "go rock", that track is ditched before the album is made!
It'd be worth it just to see his quotes in the press. "Blah blah." Says rocker Cocker.
Or would it be Cocker the Rocker? It's all bollocks really. At least he's started talking about a new album. I'd expect to see in on record store shelves by September 2011.
I'm curious to see where this direction leads, but I hope Jarvis doesn't try to make his music as conventional as possible. This is where I feel a reunited Pulp could push him back into more experimental territory. I'd love for a whole album that sounds like "My Body May Die," that kinda stuff.
