Lovely story Pip and was nice to meet you. As indeed the other folk off here - Saw, Fran, Marion(papparazzo extraordinaire), Deebs (whom I just bumped into going into the film and him being the first Bar Italian I met, at Primavera, felt fitting; Fuss Free with his popular Jarvis mask in the Leadmill and of course the inimitable birthday lady, Panther, who should be Pulp's PA. Maybe give her Liam's job as tour manager, less swearing and caged-lion references (you can't cage a panther).

I got to chat to Mark for five minutes or so when some of the above spotted him heading out of the after show so I legged-it round the corner with short-term suffering girlfriend in-tow. Unlike my meeting with Jarvis at the MotherBroLover launch (when I quivered and jibbered) or with Nick at the Arena aftershow (when he couldn't hear or just didn't get my crap quip that he was destined to have a steady pair of hands being the nephew of Gordon) this was more natural and satisfying. I told Mark there should have been more of him in the film to which he replied "No one wants to hear me going on!" and when I said he gets overlooked and wrote some great guitar lines for Pulp he thanked me addng. "It's nice that someone noticed!". He was really sweet, unfortunately fairly doubtful on future Pup, the time that the whole thing takes apparently the main obstacle. I didn't want to press him too much on it as they are clearly reluctant to talk about it as a collective. Thinking back, a quick question asking if they had had fun doing After You would have been a good one...I asked where he was putting his creative impetus and had he really not picked up his guitar during the hiatus. He said he hadn't and has just written a book about a film director, I think (?), whose name escapes me. I wished I'd more knowledge on his film interests but just asked about Little Stabs and he said that he had done it once last year but none of the kids were interested and he was djing to a tiny group of people by the end. Got me photo taken, his proviso was as long as it didn't end-up online. I like his dry humour and did laugh at his quote from the pink carpet that "We are suspicious of anyone who uses superlatives".

 

Returned to the group and then Paul Morley wandered out so we collared him. Seemed in a bit of a mood, got arsey about Florian not answering his questions and that he didn't think Pulp would do more without big money being on offer. Fair play to him for stopping to talk with us, but probably wasn't the best time. Got to bus to Forge Dam yesterday after finally finding the Jarvis-fall window. Has the faux-blue plaque sticker been up long?

 

Anyway, the cafe was there but they were only serving ice-cream from the hatch. I was sad to see no toy horse ride but peered in through the window of the caff and there it was! Slightly sinister and very plastic looking on a blue platform which I presume you feed coins in order for it to rock and play. They had stopped for the day. The best I could do was get a quick look and photo of it when they opened the door to bring the tables in after we had listened to Wickerman on the bench outside in the rain. Ridiculous and tragic indeed. Get there early next time. And the same bus route serves Mansfield Road and Intake so the pilgrimage can LIVE ON.

-- Edited by Eamonn on Monday 9th of June 2014 11:15:06 PM

Wow! At the risk of alienating every member of Pulp with my superlatives (see above), I have to say it has been wonderful and amazing reading everyone's impressions of the weekend's events on this forum tonight - the first proper chance I have had to do so, since returning from Sheffield on Sunday.

First of all, I agree, I was tremendous to meet people from the forum I had never met before: Maidmarion, Fran, Saw, Jarvgirl + friends, FussFree; as well as those I already know: Eamon + girlfriend; and any others I have accidentally omitted to mention. What a superb bunch! It was a pleasure talking to everyone and finally putting faces to names. Maidmarion: you are a legend for coming all that way from Germany when you didn't know anyone and for absorbing all of Yorkshire life like a sponge (and for putting up with my over-excited behaviour in the Leadmill, too, obviously!); Fran, for spotting me in my white rose straight away and linking us all up; Saw, for explaining everything about the streets of Sheffield and answering my endless questions; Jarvgirl, for resisting the urge to hug Jarvis round his neck when he sat right in front of you in the theatre, thus demonstrating masterful control of the arms; FussFree, for dancing with us and giving me your Jarvis mask, (which Maidmarion now has with her in Germany, as a memento of her trip).

Eamonn, thank you for your very kind words and YES, PLEASE, I'd love to be Pulp's PA - I could get them Sorted for Teas and Biscuits in a flash and help Jarvis with his French homework (he could do better). I'd make everything run so smoothly that they'd all have miles more spare time (for making new music).

This post is getting too long so, to be brief:

a) the film was so fab I'm going to see it again on Thursday night and will probably spot bits I missed the first time round
b) that was a very memorable 52nd birthday!

Did anyone mention that we had a quick word with Florian on Sunday? It was cool and he is really nice. We told him that we'd loved his film and he stopped for a short chat (part of it in German with Maidmarion) before he had to rush off to a workshop thing.

Yeah it would have been nice to hear something about After You. It's a shame it wasn't Buxton or Radcliffe presenting as frankly Morley was a bit of an arse.

Panther wrote:

 Jarvgirl, for resisting the urge to hug Jarvis round his neck when he sat right in front of you in the theatre, thus demonstrating masterful control of the arms; 

 

---

 That was definitely a struggle  I did consider tousling his hair at one point!

Jarvgirl wrote:

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He was, wasn't he? he was sat next to Albert watching the film, so in front of us to my right, I noticed he didn't laugh once. I definitely don't think he was the right person.

---

He didn't seem too happy when we talked to him, but he was still good enough to stop and talk to us for a while, in what seemed quite an open way. I saw Mark Radcliffe introducing Jarvis presenting something on the Folk Awards and that really made me cringe, I have managed to erase most of the details from my memory but he went on about Michael Jackson, nuff said. Paul did say amongst other things that none of them could hear each other, so he hadn't got much idea what answers anyone had given to pick up on, he could just see when they stopped talking! That wouldn't help.

I usually like Morley but he gave the impression that being there was the last place he wanted to be. Also, he really didn't need to hammer home his lack of love for "other platforms". We got the point. Maybe he was having an off day though and the reasons given above might explain why.

So seems like everyone's had a pretty good weekend all round. I have been knackered ever since I got, far more excitement that I am used to! It was very exciting to meet you all. I was particularly excited that they found Terry, seemed like a bit of a fairytale.

It was good for me too to have a bit of time just to wander round Sheffield. My family demanded to see the pictures I had taken and looked pretty bemused by my explanations about the defenestration of Division St. and why I had a picture just of the street sign of the Wicker. 

-- Edited by Fran on Tuesday 10th of June 2014 11:45:59 PM