Always wanted to ask this question: what exactly happened at Pulp's December 1995 gig in Paris? Jarvis called it "the worst live experience ever", some online biographies say there was a tense atmosphere and the show was interrupted. Do you know the whole story? Always been intrigued by this! 

Good question! Often wondered myself. This is the show Mark refers to on the FEELINGCALLEDLIVE video isn't it?

I think Russell has given lots of reasons for leaving over the years, but off the top of my head -

* Jarvis becoming increasingly dominant in the band / believing his own hype
* The musical direction, especially Something Changed & Help The Aged
* The strains of touring when you've got a young family at home and are afraid of flying

...if anyone wants to add references for these / add more then please help out.

Yeah, that corporate gig for Holsten Pils or whatever lager it was in Barcelona was Russell's last gig in Pulp (until, funnily enough, their show in Barcelona in 2011 - discounting the Bikini, Toulouse secret warm-up) and may have been a last straw. In fairness to the band though, that type of gig was a one-off. Only the week earlier they had played in the Shetland Islands in front of all the Doyle posse.

The apparent North-South divide with Steve and Jarvis being surrounded by media and art luvvies in London was something else which stuck in his craw.

I wish he'd write his memoirs. They would make a good companion-piece to his old fellow-(non)-Britpopper, Luke Haines.

Rockwells is available on one of the Portfolios. All of the circulating 80s stuff is available on them. Someone here will, I'm sure, kindly upload that one for you.

pulpwiki.net/Pulp/PulpPortfolioProject

It's on volume 5a. It's not unlistenable. But Jarvis is a pain in the arse. He often can be at these early gigs, with volume 5b being another such example!

Must have been a bad December for him...