Watched tonight's show - first time I've really seen this chat-show in years. Jonathan Ross has adopted the successful Graham Norton format of the guests all being on the sofa and interviewed together (or focussing on one or two people and then bringing other guests out and into the conversation).

At the end of the show he confirmed Jarvis being on the sofa and Pulp performing next week. Can't wait, this is really exciting!

I don't think Jarvis has done many chat-show appearances since We Love Life (and the aforementioned J.Ross Show in 2001). Considering that was before social media, it would be understandable if he feels a little anxious. People just pass comment online now without much filter. Can imagine a few "Fuck, he looks old! or "Pulp still going? They sound shit." tweets next week...at least the shared-couch format might make him feel less uncomfortable.

Interestingly, there were two musical guests tonight - Craig David - who just chatted and didn't perform live and Simple Minds who performed (but weren't couch-guests). They played their biggest hit, "Don't' You Forget About Me" and the thought did occur that maybe the producers of the show will prefer that Pulp play Common People or Disco 2000 next week. I hope not....I remember when they did "After You" last time, Pulp played the Disco 2000 riff into an ad-break or returning from one (which I think Chris Evans had wanted them to do in 1998 for TFI Friday and they refused). But I imagine Pulp would only be appearing on this to plug the return/new material. Hope so anyway...

Pulp didn't bother with any real promo or publicity for the last two reunions cos they didn't need to as the tickets sold themselves. I wonder how they'll feel about a cycle of having to do it now to promote new "product" as there's bound to be huge interest.

The three lads have all got a taste for it having released books in the last couple of years (Jarvis being an old hand at media duties anyway) and I think Mark has even enjoyed the public appearances for his book but this will be on another level. It will be good to hear more from Candida, hopefully she'll feel like doing so me interviews.

So much has changed since 2001. I doubt the word "podcast" existed then. They'll be invited onto more of them than you can shake a stick at.

I'm not au fait with press & PR for typical album-campaigns these days but from what I can see, other high-profile slots for legacy acts returning with a new album seem to be on stuff like the Chris Moyles Show (Radio X) and (still) Chris Evans on Virgin...maybe some old scars remain there.

It's gonna be an intriguing rest of 2025 though! A lot of us have never lived through a period of Pulp being pushed to mainstream media.

seductivebarry wrote:

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Before we get too excited.

Are we sure this isnt just an appearance to sell the remaining tickets for the tour?

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 Not a chance. Pulp arent that desperate to do that.

Scottbloodyfrazer wrote:

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seductivebarry wrote:

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Before we get too excited.

Are we sure this isnt just an appearance to sell the remaining tickets for the tour?

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 Not a chance. Pulp arent that desperate to do that.

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 Im holding you personally responsible if no new music arrives this week now

Great news you know what, I've been watching the Tommy Tiernan show here in Ireland every Saturday kinda hoping Jarvis would show up on it. I mean he did a radio interview with Brendan O Connor when his book was out. With the TT Show no one knows in advance who is on it, not even TT and I can always see that being a great interview if it was ever to happen. Probably never happen especially if he's doing this and obviously UK is more exposure. I have seen people with absolutely nothing to plug show up on TT like Roger Daltrey and that's nice.

I used to watch JR every week, haven't in about 6 or 7 years I'd say. I'll definitely be tuning in. I remember the excitement back in 2001. The fact that there's gonna be an interview is even bigger! Obviously last time with After You there was none. Are we really going to get a new album? I was just thinking of Hymn of the North today. I would just love to hear a studio recording of that. Such a warm song and so fitting. I can't think of Pulp without thinking of the North of England.

Ta for the heads up!

On a separate note, Eamonn, come on the Villa! What a year!!!

Eamonn wrote:

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Indeed!

So, looks like Divine Comedy are announcing a new album on Tuesday. Could be a happy week for the Venn Diagram crossover folk.

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 Where have you seen that?

Goodness its going to be an expensive week.

seductivebarry wrote:

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Eamonn wrote:

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Indeed!

So, looks like Divine Comedy are announcing a new album on Tuesday. Could be a happy week for the Venn Diagram crossover folk.

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 Where have you seen that?

Goodness its going to be an expensive week.

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Not off to Paris too, are ya?

TDC's social media has a little video with the message being 08.04.25 

Eamonn wrote:

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seductivebarry wrote:

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Eamonn wrote:

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Indeed!

So, looks like Divine Comedy are announcing a new album on Tuesday. Could be a happy week for the Venn Diagram crossover folk.

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 Where have you seen that?

Goodness its going to be an expensive week.

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Not off to Paris too, are ya?

TDC's social media has a little video with the message being 08.04.25 

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WHATTTTT ? FINALLY (too) No way. What a week its gonna be. 

And then a joint tour ? 

Apparently the last DC message said it would be out late 2025. But did they all pushed their release forward because of Oasis reunion that will occupy the second part of the year ?   

Eamonn wrote:

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Indeed!



So, looks like Divine Comedy are announcing a new album on Tuesday. Could be a happy week for the Venn Diagram crossover folk.

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Eamonn wrote:

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seductivebarry wrote:

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Eamonn wrote:

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Indeed!

So, looks like Divine Comedy are announcing a new album on Tuesday. Could be a happy week for the Venn Diagram crossover folk.

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 Where have you seen that?

Goodness its going to be an expensive week.

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Not off to Paris too, are ya?

TDC's social media has a little video with the message being 08.04.25 

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 Thankfully not. I'm not sure how I'd explain to my wife that after doing that I've spent goodness knows what on whatever merch packages TDC and Pulp come up with.

New Pulp album, new Divine Comedy album and my team in the UCL quarters all in the same week? My teenage self would be in a state of excitement beyond anything else possible at that. All it'd need is a new version of Championship Manager and I'd have felt like I'd have completed life.

Looking forward to hearing the reports from the filming on Wednesday. Strange to think we've all be wanting this for so long and it could be about to drop any second now.

can someone tape it?

cutcopy wrote:

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can someone tape it?

-- Edited by cutcopy on Tuesday 8th of April 2025 06:16:40 AM

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I genuinely love that you said "tape". And don't worry, I've got you all. Check back Saturday night.

Later with Jools is still a thing for a few months of the year. Artists tend to only get to do one or two songs though, not like the three Pulp used to do when they appeared. There are other BBC shows, the Piano Room month they had recently featured folk like Franz Ferdinand doing a few songs with the BBC orchestra. The iplayer/streaming options allow for more coverage than TV-timed programmes so I'm sure they'll be getting a lot of online/radio and TV offers. Just depends on how much promo they can be arsed with or they agree on with Rough Trade.

An Uncut/Mojo special edition dedicated to Pulp like the ones they constantly revise and recycle of the usual suspects would be amazing.

But in fairness - Pulpwiki, Giles Acrylic, Sturdy's book and Weej's blog contains the level of detail and quality of writing that ensures Pulpheads have an embarrassment of riches close at hand when it comes to doing deep-dives on our heroes and heroine.

Oh I kind of wish I'd done that, I've done the white label one plus the sheffield one, can't justify more

Performance of 'Spike Island' is already officially available on YouTube:

Pip wrote:

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For our friends outside the UK...

we.tl/t-qMGaElzImZ (link valid for 7 days)

(this is a direct 1080i DVB-T recording in .ts format - for the untechnical, just throw it into VLC Media Player, you'll be reet)

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 Thank you Pip!! looks great

Bookmark wrote:

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andy wrote:

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Yeah nice performance, also most look like they dont want to be there 

But a good one for people in their 60s. 

The other guy on guitar is Jason Buckle ? 

Weird without Steve i gotta say. 

-- Edited by andy on Sunday 13th of April 2025 07:49:40 AM

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they don't want to be there, yeah, or Pulp keep its energy for a bigger audience.

I hope Jarvis can still jump without breaking his legs, I don't want to see him falling on stage.

still not "big" fan of Spike Island, something is missing, maybe the chorus is not as rich as the previous big hits

they can't play with it, distort or variate the chorus enough to break the monotony of the structure.

To come back after 24 years with this is a bit disappointing. I prefer Background Noise but it has the same problems.

I want Got to have Love as a second single, please. There's much more energy in it.

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It's a bit harsh, of course they wont have the energy to pull this of live the same way they did. Even in 2012 when i saw them live, Jarvis had trouble maintaining the energy during the whole gig, he was out of breath mid-gig. So now... 

But the studio version is spot on. Jarvis vocals are amazing, its not too modern, not too retro sound. This is a good one. But the "big" single is always the 2nd one. It will be Got to have Love no doubt. 

We gotta accept that at 60, they just cant deliver a record like DC, or TIH. No artist has made they groundbreaking record at that age. If it's strong and well recorded, this is already a win for me. It's not like we have so many great records years after years lately.

Bookmark wrote:

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still got the feeling that we have lost 24 years...

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Yes, totally. Although Jarvis has released some good solo records : both his solos albums are my favorite, as well as the one with Chilly. 

But the reunion in 2012 should have been the one with a new record. 

Bookmark wrote:

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still got the feeling that we have lost 24 years...

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Other than Ash and Manics, I don't think any of their 90s peers stayed together and kept recording over that period; even though most are back now.

Mark and Candida had no interest in making a new record in 2012/13. And Nick's comment on the radio the other day was telling. This time round he told Jarvis that if a new album meant spending a year in the studio like the last two times, he wasn't up for it. Luckily, Jarvis felt the same way.

It does feel that in general Pulp didn't release as much music/albums as they could have done. Their quality control from 1992 onwards is really high.

But they are also the most human of bands, flaws and all. (I just read a comment from someone reacting to the Spike Island video - "We don't want no AI. We just want the right to be different. That's all").

I find it more impressive that they held it together to release TIH and WLL. The mid-90s changed all of them and not necessarily in pleasant ways. They had already spent many years perceived as failures. Success was bittersweet and they weren't a band who enjoyed touring, Candida and Russell especially.

Even last night on the JR Show, you could sense Jarvis playing along with the famous personality part of his "job", but not being totally comfortable with it.

I just could never see them as a group who does the same three year cycle of write, record, release, promote and tour on a long-term basis. They all need time to do other things and live normal lives.

Eamonn wrote:

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Mark and Candida had no interest in making a new record in 2012/13. And Nick's comment on the radio the other day was telling. This time round he told Jarvis that if a new album meant spending a year in the studio like the last two times, he wasn't up for it. Luckily, Jarvis felt the same way.

It does feel that in general Pulp didn't release as much music/albums as they could have done. Their quality control from 1992 onwards is really high.

But they are also the most human of bands, flaws and all. (I just read a comment from someone reacting to the Spike Island video - "We don't want no AI. We just want the right to be different. That's all").

I find it more impressive that they held it together to release TIH and WLL. The mid-90s changed all of them and not necessarily in pleasant ways. They had already spent many years perceived as failures. Success was bittersweet and they weren't a band who enjoyed touring, Candida and Russell especially.

 

Even last night on the JR Show, you could sense Jarvis playing along with the famous personality part of his "job", but not being totally comfortable with it.

I just could never see them as a group who does the same three year cycle of write, record, release, promote and tour on a long-term basis. They all need time to do other things and live normal lives.

-- Edited by Eamonn on Sunday 13th of April 2025 11:05:20 AM

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Russell always felt to me like a big in the A, if you ask me. But i could be wrong. For the rest, its all valid points. but as a musician and songwriters, having all those unreleased unfinished demos, it feels really like unborn children.