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Bar Italia Forum -> Bar Italia Forum -> Why didn't Russell sing on anything after Separations?
Post Info TOPIC: Why didn't Russell sing on anything after Separations?
saw119


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Why didn't Russell sing on anything after Separations?
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Surely both songs are a bit too personnal to Jarvis for Russell to sing on them? Russell sings on songs he wrote and he may not have written anymore lyrics.



-- Edited by saw119 on Tuesday 5th of June 2012 04:55:27 PM

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rawrsomesauce


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Why didn't Russell sing on anything after Separations?
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A question that's bothered me for a while now, and I was listening to This House Is Condemned and decided to ask.



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Ian


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RE: Why didn't Russell sing on anything after Separations?
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I think this has been discussed before. If you ask me, his voice just wouldn't suit their sound after "Separations". I'm not slagging him off in the slightest but can you really imagine him singing stuff on "Different Class"??



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rawrsomesauce


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I think his voice would've worked well on I Spy and possibly Live Bed Show

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andy


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His voice was weird and all so suitable for somber work, but as someone said before, it wouldn't have fit on later work. Maybe on a few on the rejected Hardcore demos, but he wasn't there, so...

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rawrsomesauce


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Very true. It wouldn't have fit on His N Hers I agree, but there are moments on Different Class where it would've worked I think.

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fredthe3rd


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Can't think of any songs on Different Class that I'd RATHER were sung by Russell.

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shotoki


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RE: Why didn't Russell sing on anything after Separations?
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I don't think he would have fit in on the albums, but he should have at least done some obscure spoken word b-sides

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Stephen


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R stated he liked doing talky lyrics, but less so singing ones. As he sings less at gigs as the 80s get older, his violin input increases, especially once the Havenhand lineup start playing their brand of Eastern European folk punk. Perhaps his outlet was more fulfilled this way? Plus he seems to only sing lyrics he wrote. And his writing speed seems to be about a song a yr at its peak?

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blueowl0708


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RE: Why didn't Russell sing on anything after Separations?
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"sing"

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Jazza


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RE: Why didn't Russell sing on anything after Separations?
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Feeling Called Love would be good with Russell singing. And I can imagine him singing David's Last Summer but I don't think it would be an improvement so much as a nice change

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rawrsomesauce


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RE: Why didn't Russell sing on anything after Separations?
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Jazza wrote:

Feeling Called Love would be good with Russell singing. And I can imagine him singing David's Last Summer but I don't think it would be an improvement so much as a nice change

 I agree, with Russell doing the spoken word and Jarvis doing the chorus



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Eamonn


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Jazza wrote:

Feeling Called Love would be good with Russell singing. And I can imagine him singing David's Last Summer but I don't think it would be an improvement so much as a nice change

 You mean the "spoken word" bits? So, not really singing at all! I think a combination of what people mentioned above plus Jarvis' voice being an increasingly distinctive part of the Pulp sound as the 90's dawned (as well as Russell's violin and guitar) and maybe even Smackey seemingly becoming second-in-command all may have contributed. 



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calumlynn


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RE: Why didn't Russell sing on anything after Separations?
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Why didn't Russell sing after Separations? Easy: Pulp wanted to finally become a commercial concern, rather than a band who played all dayers at the Leadmill for the rest of their lives. That meant tightening up, simplifying aspects of themselves, and achieving a more cohesive image and sound. Of course, this also meant reeeaally pushing Jarvis through as the focal point of the band. It just wouldn't have made sense and would have been extremely confusing for Russell to still do lead vocals on a few tracks, especially when the band wanted to shake off the image of being a ramshackle collective hanging tin foil around the stage and instead emerge as a slick pop act.

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Eamonn


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calum you talk too much sense for a 22 year old. Or 21.

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Stephen


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I've done one of me graphs. It's % of songs Russell sang at Pulp gigs from 1980 to 1996.

rs.JPG



-- Edited by Stephen on Thursday 7th of June 2012 10:03:20 AM

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fredthe3rd


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RE: Why didn't Russell sing on anything after Separations?
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Didn't realise Russell ever did such a large proportion of the singing. Are any of your portfolios Russell heavy? I've only ever listened to random tracks from them.

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Stephen


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Don't know off the top of my head. I did compile a CD entitled 'Senior Moments' last year that featured all Russell lead vocals (including live bootlegs). I ran out of space back then though, and have even more recordings now, so I reckon there's about two hours' worth of Russell lead vocals out there. Even the single CD was a tough listen, though!

PS: listen to the Portfolios damnit! There's good stuff on there :)

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fredthe3rd


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Don't take it as an insult. Just not much into early Pulp.

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Stephen


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Fair enough. I tend to forget that it's not some peoples' cup of tea. And I suppose it is quite odd to like all eras of Pulp to a greater or lesser extent being as it is created by pretty much entirely different bands! But then when they follow Mis-Shapes with Back in LA, it can sometimes remind you that it is the same band after all!

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fredthe3rd


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There's plenty of songs I do like from early pulp. Being followed home, little girl, anorexic beauty off the top of my head. Prefer "modern" Pulp and solo Jarvis though.

-- Edited by fredthe3rd on Thursday 7th of June 2012 09:11:20 PM

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Eamonn


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I guess the large proportion of songs with Russell singing in the mid-80s can be attributed to the much shorter sets they did compared with post-not being a support act anymore in the early to mid 90's.

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twiggy


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Russell (in 1996): "I didn't really enjoy singing very much. Well, I didn't really sing. I mean the spoken stuff was alright, but whenever it got to singing, I thought it to be very uncomfortable...I'm not ashamed of anything. I mean, I think they were good and right at the time. But I just can't imagine it again."

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Sturdy


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Good quote. I don't think it was quite as much of a cynical pop move as Calum outlines above. While Russell's songs have their oddball charm, it was probably obvious that Jarvis was a better vocalist/lyricist/frontman, and Russell's strengths were more as a guitarist/violinist, so as they moved forward that was the way the roles settled.

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saw119


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People should listen to Pulp Portfolio 4, Hallamshire 1984, Russell has 3 lead vocals on that show including a brilliant Will To Power.

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