Here's a minutely detailed account of what I found...

This is all from an email I've just written to Paul, so it may sound odd out of context!

Tape #1 had the full version of Tunnel on it, but followed that with a pristine copy of the 'Master of the Universe' B-Side 'Manon'. Normally this only circulates in a version recorded from vinyl a few years back, so is a bit crackly. Yours was, presumably, recorded nearer the time, and is pristine. This has never been released on CD (and is, to my mind, a far better version than the 'Manon' that *was* released on CD), so it's great to have. 'Silence' (the other B-Side) follows, then there's a lengthy clip of an otherwise available BBC interview, and then the version of Nights of Suburbia that appeared on a July '87 comp and was recorded live at Dolebusters on 1/9/85. This comp also included the Fuck City Shitters and Steve Mackey's old band, Trolley Dog Shag.

Tape #2 had the full - and amazing - 3/3/87 gig at the Limit at which the 'new Pulp' were unveiled. This gig does circulate, but hopefully this new recording straight from the master will improve on the previous quality. What sounds like almost straight after this, you interview Jarvis and Russell. This seems to date from a little earlier than this though, as Russell talks about Candida having left. She was only missing from the band in Nov/Dec '86 and definitely plays at the Limit gig. Amazing interview, though. Really candid and surprisingly honest. I think you chose some good questions to ask. I think you mentioned you've digitised the part of this that appeared on Premspeak. [...]

After this there's another unique piece - They Suffocate at Night played on BBC Radio Sheffield! There's a snippet of John Peel playing 'Everybody's Problem' that predates this, but this is probably the second earliest recording of Pulp being played on the radio. Great catch!

Tape #3 is the Maze gig (29/4/86) in its entirety. I circulated this a little while back to the fans and the reception was pretty euphoric. The sound's not as crystal clear as a gig at Hull from around the same time, but the gig itself sounds like it was one hell of a performance. The band - and Jarvis in particular - are all on top form. It includes the pretty rare Nights of Suburbia again and, hopefully, this is again a better quality that than currently circulating. After this you've put on the Ping Pong Jerry demos which do already exist in better quality.

Tape #4 is a right hodgepodge! There was some hope that first track 'Maureen' would be from the Jan '84 'Bad Maureen' demo, but it is in fact from the sudan Gerri demo in Nov '84, from which presumably you got it and included it on Premspeak 1 in May '87 - alongside the J&R interview mentioned earlier. The 'Bad Maureen' version thus remains tantalisingly unheard and uncirculated. The next two tracks, however *are* from the Bad Maureen demo. It's 'I Want You' and the absolutely mental 'Coy Mistress', both shrouded in echo, but both sounding - I think - better than the currently available copies. Thanks again! After that it's the first released Pulp song, What Do You Say - the only available track from the first Pulp demo. This track was released on 'your Secret's Safe with us', but the rest of the demo remains unheard. After that it's quite a muddy Everybody's Problem. After that it's (I think) a 18/12/84 gig at the B-Hive. this starts with two run throughts of Simultaenous, follows with the extremely rare Back in LA, then Tunnel, then settles into more familiar Pulp '84 territory. The gig is fascinating, though. Pulp aren't playing well, Jarvis is tetchy and pissed off, and the audience - apart from two drunk girls repeatedly shouting for 'My Lighthouse' aren't interested. And one point Jarvis introduces 'My Lighthouse', but it's actually Anorexic Beauty - played so badly they have to restart it! Thus, I suppose, one could say these tapes contain one of the very best (Maze gig) and one of the very worst of the mid 80s gigs (this one). Both fascinating in different ways, but both wonderful to hear. The last six songs of this gig haven't been circulated before, so it's great to have them.

In total then, these tapes offer up seven entirely unheard recordings, three released tracks that exist in much better quality on here, and three complete gigs in total, each of which seems to be better than that which is currently in circulation. Amazing stuff!

:) :) :)