pulpbaby wrote:

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a safe place sure! support and community, sure! but as someone who has firsthand experience with trauma and MH issues, a cry for help needs to go beyond a fan forum especially when it manifests in ranting about band members in an unhealthy, parasocial way. there is a line being crossed when its causing turmoil to this degree.

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 You...literally joined the forum today. You've only written two posts, both in this topic. You use the word "parasocial" in both of them, a word that coincidentally that appears a quote in the opening moments of my film.

I may be a raving paranoiac, but anyone agree that that is just a little bit sus? 

In other news, with absolute sickening timing, Amazon delivered my Pulp Mug and tea today. I was going to make a video review as well, but what is the fucking point any more. It was just meant to be the tea, but paying £9.99 for shipping on a £4.50 box of tea is just just ridiculous.

Which kind of circles me back to the point I was trying to make way back.

£54 is A LOT of money to spend on something we have potentially already seen on both Pulpwiki and Acrylic Afternoons for free.

Poor Mark probably had no idea his book would end up being so controversial! It's not even out yet!

Sarah, for what it's worth, I don't think anyone here wants you to be tearing yourself up and to be so distraught and distressed. I feel I can very confidently say that none of us want that for you.
I have seen the 'offending' post and I honestly just interpreted it as interest over this forum being active again. I'm sure no malice was intended.
I think a lot of what other posters have said is true... and considered and honest and empathetic.
There are definitely financial pressures and it's a shame things are so expensive but I don't think the solution is to lash out at members here, or at Pulp themselves.
They're not immune to criticism but let's be reasonable here.
I haven't got the tea (I'd like to) nor have I been to as many Pulp gigs as I'd like to, because I can't really justify the spend. Such is life, but I don't really think it's the band's fault. Perhaps things for the band themselves are a bit pricier this time (maybe some more setlist rotation would make the spend easier for the tour junkies!)
But Mark is still just one guy, without the wider name recognition of Jarvis or Pulp.
I'm sure Mark's book is at the going rate and that it will be cheap at the price when we actually look inside! I doubt it'll all be stuff we've already seen, what with the extent of his archival and experiences. And then there's his writing too.

This forum might be a welcoming, friendly support space, but I agree that the support it can reasonably offer can only go so far. This is still the internet, after all.

I'll throw my two pennorth in, not that anyone's asking. But: I think I'd like, one day, to be in a band of my own, too (I mean I'm actively taking steps to make that happen). And I severely doubt we would ever anywhere near as big enough to achieve this problem, but still: there's always the concern of what life was like for Jarvis when things went the way they did. I don't think I'd cope with half of that scrutiny without retreating into my shell and becoming a hermit. I think I'd find the attention horrible. Intense fan attention on one person sounds like my personal nightmare. I know it wouldn't be meant in any way, but it would still make me feel... a bit weird and very 'seen' and my sense of privacy would feel dented and strange.

I don't know if Pulp have seen your video, or if they're even aware (and I know that when I made the Steve memorial zine, you asked me to plug it). But really it's up to them isn't it? They don't really owe any of us a response to anything. (Which is probably just as well, as if they did then some wag would demand PTA on all the setlists and the band's logo would be a grainy picture of Russell from 1984).

I really don't think anyone means ill of you. Instead of looking at new members' post history, and trying to draw conclusions from the words they're using, I would gently suggest that now might be the time to close this particular conversation and reflect on what people are saying, kindly saying, and that way everyone can move on.

Some quotes from Mark from a release statement as reported by https://thequietus.com/news/pulps-mark-webber-details-visual-history-book-of-the-band/

"I began to excavate the boxes of Pulp ephemera that I'd hoarded over the years and was amazed to discover so many things that I hadn't seen for decades, things I'd completely forgotten about" Webber explains. "It's taken a while to get it all together into a book, and in the meantime, the group unexpectedly reunited to go on tour again. I'm excited to finally share the stuff I've saved, and to present it in this way, along with memories of my experiences of being involved in Pulp from the 1980s 'til now

Hooray, it looks like its got plenty of text in it and it's not just a pic-party...

Jack Antonoff? That's a rogue one! I think there are more interesting options out there to be honest- to my ear all his production sounds sort of samey (and there's something about him and his band I just find irritating), but it's nice to see that sort of ambition, to go with contemporary names. And I suppose that's another Lana Del Rey link...

Much more excitingly... there's a whole clutch of new songs! Wowzers. You lot off in America are a lucky bunch! Great that the band are still coming up with ideas.

Big Thief - haven't heard much but I like Lenker's solo stuff and my girlfriend says they're good!

And it's always lovely to hear from Mark. He's a really unique voice in the band with his own distinct tastes & a vastly underrated part of the Pulp project. A genius. More please!

Eamonn wrote:

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Also would like Jack Antonoff to produce Pulp if they were to make another record.

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 nightmare fuel....