Why are Pulp so unpopular now?

2. britpop unfashionable, and pulp never escaped being synonymous with it

3. terrible sleeve

4. too redolent of particular era (this is point 2 again really), but they seem more tied to 95 than anyone, and, until 95 becomes popular again, they'll be unfashionable (strangely, when it does become popular again, i think they'll lag behind oasis/blur again even though both of those are less specifically tied to 95).

the strange thing about pulp 'of the moment/the moments over thing' is just how quickly it was 'over'. that moment was feb96 when they did 'something changed' on top of the pops, and it did indeed feel that something had changed. right then. that time was gone. that minute. they've seemed out of place and wrong ever since, unable to escape this period

also, the difference with U2's GH2 is precisely that other people want to buy it - namely the ten-CDs-per-year people.

I don't recall the Best of Blur doing all that well; they certainly haven't crossed over.

The Elvis and Stones comps have done well, the Nirvana comp is doing OK, the Manics comp has sunk like a stone. Go figure.

I think there was just a sombre, post-fame mood about "This is Hardcore", I dunno if Russel's departure had much to do with it. They didn't seem to lose their sharpness, musically, they just lost some of their fizz.

(I have nothing to say about Pulp as they were never popular in the U.S. to begin with, it's everyone else's loss)

Speculation: wonder how well greatest hits compilations by Suede or Supergrass would be selling if they were to be released now?

My pet theory is that stuff 7 years old at any given time is at its least fashionable.

The shift from Senior to Webber as musical leader is a big deal I think - We Love Life is very much a Mark Webber album. I liked the transition but listening to the Hits comp the earlier stuff sounds a lot more focussed.

Reasons for commercial disaster are never cut and dried, though. There are probably hundreds of examples that go against what I've just said.

i felt they took too long to come back (or it certainly felt that way).

There are too many reasons not to buy :

The Kids - Pulp too old and square
Serious Rock Fan - will take Radiohead, but Pulp too flip and awkward
Non-loyal 'music fan'(me) - has everything they want already
Real Fan - only one new track
Joe Public - not interested/not heard of/too weird
Casual music fan 30-40 CDs a year - has Common People on one of those 'Best Album ever' (or whatever they're called) Britpop comps.

My own opinion - Hardcore and Life are by far the best albums they've ever done.

(then again, as a music writer who now buys zero CDs per month 'cos I get 'em all for free now hah! i can afford to be, er, slightly blase about this state of affairs)

I am currently ploughing through the 24-CD Throbbing Gristle live box set for Uncut. This may also be a major factor in my previously noted problems with fatigue.

well, i dont read Q, but i probably buy this amount, maybe a bit less

Ally unaware of a Manics release = Armageddon is nigh.

Yes, I know. I'm sorry but I fear I have caused the end of the world with my ignorance. I don't know how it slipped my radar when I have been so dilligent. I did go and check it out, I'm not too impressed with their decision as to what are their greatest works, but I guess it's what you need to sell records??? Plus the bonus CD, there's no tracklisting on the case. I can't justify spending $20 when I have no idea what's enclosed. I might already HAVE it.

Favorite Pulp video?

mine= 'Help the Aged' for that stair-chair move

Funny, every time I hear that song I imagine a full-tilt all singing, all dancing bloody great stage routine with twirling parasols and grubby urchins...

The Pulp DVD will sell more than the album, overflowing as it is with all sorts of fun stuff. Hits itself won't sell much, sadly, due to many of the reasons outlined above, but mainly because Pulp never fully capitalised on their moments in the spotlight - unsurprisingly, since they're not really capitalists. I can't imagine Pulp ever allowing one of their songs to be used on an advert, for example (lest we forget, they turned down Coca-Cola when they wanted to use "Sunrise" last year).

As to Jarvis appearing on ads and stuff, I think he (rightly IMHO) sees his own image and metastar status as being totally separate from that of "Pulp" the concept, so can use it however he likes without compromising Pulp's collective image.

Me, I love the last two albums, even though they both contain a couple of stinkers and half-finished water-treading exercises. Unlike any other recent band I can think of, they both lay bare in surprisingly candid terms the band and singer's mental state at the time of recording, and that's a sign of greatness from where I'm perched. Intro's still my number one tho.

I think, in time, Pulp will become one of those critics' bands like Squeeze, forever critically lauded for lyrical ingenuity, quirky charm and odd pop suss, but never again selling the huge amounts they once did.

btw excellent interview here: http://www.independent.co.uk/story.jsp?story=353311

HEY! Some bastard was impersonating me above. Whoever posted as Dr. D - CUT IT OUT!! Any ideas who from IP address - moderators?

Do they even have any good videos besides the one for THis Is Hardcore?

Yes, good videos a-plenty -- all three versions of "Babies" (seriously), "Common People," "Do You Remember the First Time," "Lipgloss"...

this video also features the main guy looking in the mirror and asking something like "who's the ace-est one of all".

Oh blimey, obv. my opinion would be totally diff if I knew that factoid prior. Proof that people should stick to what they know best, but then again most indie videos are shit. Tho I did forget about Disco 2000 because I used to dislike the song quite a lot, that is a pretty funny video.

I doubt it. Even back in the day they didn't tour the US very extensively.

well yeah but reunion tours in general draw bigger audiences, better money, i'm sure they'd be able to sell more tickets in the U.S. than they did in all of the '90s several times over

It was so damm good.

you are all monsters

I love you

and hate you

It's just the way of things.

A...bonus, I guess: turns out someone's finally put the one 'lost' Pulp song from the mid to late eighties on YouTube, "Silence" -- this is the one that Jarvis refused to allow on the Masters of the Universe compilation and reissues since, according to this:

That features the only Fire track which hasn't been reissued: "Silence", from demos recorded in an old karate studio, written at that first rehearsal with Russell. Oh, it's so depressing, a two-note keyboard drone, someone playing one of those hunting horns you have on the living room wall and me alternately talking and screaming this story about a love affair that doesn't work out. I banned it from going on the Fire compilation, because it's terrible - I couldn't live with it being out.

And yeah, can't blame him for that:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o-8QOTEUOc

feeling like I missed the boat on these guys, Different Class came out when I worked at college radio but I was kinda down on Britpop at the time and never really got into them ... now friends my same age were all getting super hyped for the shows and posting camera-phone photos of the big PULP stage sign and I'm strangely jealous

Lol I totally posted a bunch of those last night.

it's an impressive sign

They opened the show with a drawing of a... dolphin? It was a little strange.

Yeah that was sorta weird, huh?

><i> NY was pretty mid-Atlantic last time I checked, dude.

Still a 10-hour drive from DC, and I'm burned out from too many long drives lately

― everything else is secondary (Lee626), Tuesday, April 10, 2012 4:21 PM (Yesterday)

ok New York is TOTALLY not mid-Atlantic (unless you're from Canada or something) but it is not a fucking 10 hour drive from D.C.! more like 5 hours with pee breaks.

― some dude, Wednesday, April 11, 2012 11:48 AM (2 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Perma</i>

Yeah I was thinking the long 10+ hour drive I often make through NYC to points northward, and <i>those</i>are 10hrs., it just seems NYC is the bulk of the trip due to traffis slowing to a crawl so often there. Anyway DC to NY indeed much shorter, but silll aways from DC., esp. if you start in the morning and arrive in afternoon.

Anyway, nice set list; I'll find a way to catch something.....

NY is actually considered a mid-atlantic state btw. Just saying.

I think it's about 10 hours from DC to here.

i see wikipedia agrees with enbb but i just can't accept that, what does 'mid-atlantic' even mean if it includes a state that borders canada, i always thought of ny as part of new england

Pulp Coachella:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twq9miTwYms

new york is definitely mid-atlantic and totally distinct from new england culturally.

it's as distinct from the mid-atlantic as it is from new england though! sorry i don't know why i keep talking about this.

yeah i don't know why it matters to me, either, but it does. western new york is more like the midwest, anyway, but new york is like pennsylvania imo. mid-atlantic.

aaaaaanyway, pulp

All I know is that it is technically classified as mid-Atlantic and definitely not part of New England. This was like middle school social studies basics guys. It doesn't really matter though. Anyway - Pulp! Best show I've ever been to probably. I want to see them again now.

lol x-post

Seeing them Tuesday :).

You will love it. We danced pretty much the entire time.

I haven't seen them since they opened for Blur, looking forward to it.

Oh that was good.

Yes it was.

Setlist!

"Do You Remember the First Time?"
"Monday Mornings"
"Razzmatazz"
"Live Bed Show"
"Disco 2000"
"Sorted for E's and Wizz"
"His 'n' Hers"
"Dishes"
"Mile End"
"Like a Friend"
"Babies"
"This is Hardcore"
"Sunrise"
"Bar Italia"
"Common People"

1st encore: "OU"
"Bad Cover Version"
"Mis-Shapes"

2nd encore: "Back in LA"
"Something Changed"

need to add "Help the Aged," but may strike a little close now.

god i'm so jealous at the west coast set lists i can't even deal!!! we basically just got the entirety of "different class" with a few other things from later albums. they better play more old stuff when i see them in spain!

Back In LA? wow.

YOU GOT OU? OH YOU ARE GOING DOWN, RAGGETT.

Seriously though that's super awesome and I am glad you had fun!

(Notices and adores her inadvertent OU/OH YOU wordplay)

Hahah. I KNEW some of those choices would inspire, how you say, jealousy...

And yeah -- a super long droney great version of "OU" -- and I still can't believe they did "Back in LA!" Imagine Jarvis on megaphone and the band making a huge racket -- if you had told me early Blur essentially ripped them off just from this I wouldn't've been surprised.

Yah, I saw them three times last year and still green looking at that.

Unrelatedly, I found myself in Bar Italia a few weeks ago. It's pretty great.

Oh and I forgot to mention: at one point, Jarvis doing an a capella (falsetto!) version of the chorus of Tina Turner's "Steamy Windows." Never in a million years etc. (Does make me think he would be a perfect dude for karaoke.)

Hahahaha! We got a little bit of Louie Louie which was fun.

Oh also, best T-shirt by a mile that night was some guy wearing a Suede shirt, classic logo and all -- on closer inspection, the small type above it was not 'The London' or any of that nonsense, it was 'Bernard Butler-era'

omg i want that shirt!! haha

My review is up!

http://blogs.ocweekly.com/heardmentality/2012/04/pulp_at_the_fox_theater_april.php

Okay so

http://www.spin.com/articles/pulp-james-murphy-after-you-itunes-release

Just done on JRoss show.