More Russell here peeps: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p037tm0s

He was on that Rony Sheffield programme again but with Rony this time. Skip to 2 hours 9 mins and 40 something seconds

I'll edit that, Stephen, before anyone thinks it refers to music. No, just personal stuff he was talking about that I never knew about him!

Good spot Jean.
Is anyone recording these radio appearances? 6 Music have finally bitten, he's on Liz Kershaws programme this Saturday from 1pm.

I mentioned that I'd spoken to John Robb at Russell's talk at the Louder Than Words festival recently. Well John asked me to write something for his site, Louder Than Words, and seeing as there doesn't seem to be any reviews of the book anywhere apart from Amazon and AcrylicAfternoons I thought I'd oblige.

It fits into the unsubbed, fan-trying-to-be-a-writer style that permeates much of the site's content (and among other things Ive mis-quoted from the book, left out an important word from the Alex James quote, used an opening sentence that seems detached from the rest of the review, repeated adjectives and used overly long sentences - though you lot will be used to that) but anyway, here it is:

http://louderthanwar.com/freak-out-the-squares-book-review-of-russell-seniors-account-of-his-days-in-pulp/

Other Russell updates:

Nice article with him about Pulp fashion: http://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/28671/1/how-to-dress-exactly-like-pulp-did-in-the-90s

Also, he was on Liz Kershaw's programme on 6 Music last Saturday. It didn't bode well when she played She's A Lady from the 1992 BBC Session (I can't believe I'd never heard this before), introducing and extroducing(?) it as ''She's On'' and saying that we'd be hearing from ''Richard Senior'' later...

Her Manc schtick does grate a bit, the best part was definitely getting him to take on his role as antique glass dealer and give a judgement on her granny's bit of glass. Here if you wanna listen: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06r4tm3

Edit: Actually, just listening again and it was actually a decent interview. I'm always overly-harsh the first time!

More Russell today: http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts_ents/14137130._quot_I_d_run_out_of_juice_and_judging_by_the_album_sales_the_rest_had_too_after_I_left__quot__Russell_Senior_on_life_in_and_out_of_Pulp/?ref=rss

Very well worth a read. Btw has anyone paid to watch Beat is the Law online. I was finally going to get around to buying the DVD only to find it's only available as pay per view online now. Just a bit concerned about whether the website is safe. Anyone else used it?

There's at least one factual clanger in there. Which doesn't mean the rest is wrong, of course.

Stephen wrote:

---

I realised that I hadn't that 'that review' since preparing for the interview back in 2015. What an odd review it is. A lot does hold true. Curious as to what the definite inaccuracy is.

As to what Russell thought of it, my memory of his response from 8 years ago was absolutely bemusement and curiosity. I genuinely think he didn't know who the review was.

He also had significant issues with their criticism of the book.

And I'm *extremely* happy to say that you'll all be able to read that full detail 'soon'.

---

 I think the stone-cold inaccuracy is that Jarvis was trying to impress Russell's girlfriend when he fell from the ledge. That isn't true, Russell says as much in the interview... (he also uses the phrase "all the facts are wrong" a couple of times, so there may be more that isn't true too).

The heroin stuff... I'm heavily of the opinion that if this were true, then one of the very well-informed people on here would also have an inkling of it. I mean, that's pretty huge, isn't it? Whether one Amazon review of slightly sketchy provenance is enough indication...

Whether it's whole-truth, part-truth, or none-at-all-truth, it's also worth noting that there isn't really a need to invent a new departure story for Russell: the official one, from the man himself, is understandable enough I think.

I remember reading in Russell's book that if he knew the internal acrimony that would accompany the rehearsals for the reunion, he wouldn't have agreed to it. Clearly some old interpersonal tensions. I also remember Steve saying that he had the most musical disagreement with Russell... but also that he enjoyed being on tour with him the most. And then Russell doesn't mention Steve much in the book at all, but I didn't necessarily interpret that as a withering silence, moreso that Russell just didn't really have much to say about him either way. It's an odd one and my view of it (especially as a younger member of Pulp, who wasn't around during the Glory Days and has maybe the least insight of anyone here) isn't particularly clear.

I suppose, I tend to think of Candida as closer to Russell, Steve as closer to Jarvis, and then Nick being sort-of the glue of the group - and Mark the general dogsbody who was co-opted into full membership when his musical accomplishment became impossible to ignore. And it makes sense that Russell might think, "ooh so Jarvis upped and left after I'd dragged this band through the 80s, now he's met this guy in London and it's all go again" and that might rightfully peeve someone off. I actually think a lot of Pulp's best music comes from the tension between Russell and Steve - not to project anything onto it from this conversation, of course, it's a musical tension. That fusion of Steve's disco/dance persuasions, that propulsion on the low end, and then Russell's violin screeches and emotive pop jangles. To me, it's the thing that makes 'His 'n' Hers' such a unique album, so addictive to listen to. Different Class doesn't quite have that; it has monster pop-tunes, some of which have huge emotional power ('Disco 2000') and momentum ('Common People'), but it feels like a different project altogether. It's funny that Russell's favourite track on it is 'F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.OV.E.', because while it's the biggest musical departure on the album, it also perhaps comes closest to that 'HnH' template, that sense of dramatic flair undercut by a thick and fizzing low end. Sorry, I'm rambling here, but still.

At the end of the day, they were all, I think I'm OK in saying, fine musicians and fine people, and sadly Steve wouldn't be in a position to refute any of the (quite serious) fingers being pointed at him (and they clearly mean him) by that Amazon reviewer. Although I think I can take down the accusation that he wasn't visually striking!

Soon, you'll be able to read Russell's thoughts on Pulp's later musical direction too :)

Stephen, I am the madser who transcribed that interview and I definitely remember Russell being very surprised about the Amazon Review and the gist of it was it wasn't true and he didn't know who wrote it. What an autobiography that was. I need to reread that. He was always my favourite, Russell, and I was over the moon to see him again in 2011. I was so hoping he'd be on this tour.