I enjoyed that muchly - another excellent read (I wouldn’t have been able to resist putting “Do you remember the first time?” in that opening paragraph.)
I distinctly remember listening to Different Class for the first time and wondering “how can an album be *this* good?” Bar Italia is one of the great final tracks, so simple yet universal. I found myself wandering into Bar Italia at 4am not long after moving to London in 98. Didn’t realise it actually existed until that point. Felt like magic. They have a plaque to John Logie Baird, whose TV lab was upstairs. But they need one for Jarvis too.
This is one of my favourite’s. An absolute pleasure to read and a sentiment that I am 100 behind. Art schools are so important and need so much more investment.
This was a great read, thank you! I love Pulp, their lyrics are so sharp, insightful social commentary. Common People is a perfect pop song and one that sounds just as relevant today. Probably one of my greatest regrets that I didn’t go to art school. I was recently talking to a friend about this and how I was discouraged by teachers who said art school wasn’t for “common people like me”. So important to preserve our art schools, encourage innovation and make them more accessible to creative common people!
Thank you so much. We’re really pleased that you enjoyed it! I wouldn’t regret not going to art school. One can find the creative inspiration and focus from other things - short courses, meet ups, online stuff. Neither of us went to art school!
Another stonker of a blog! A fabulous read, though I had to go and look up situationist theory 😂. Loved Common People, and it sounds even better with age.👏👏👏
Common People is in my all time top ten and for precisely the economical storytelling genius that you describe. It should be taught along side Shakespeare and Burns!
In the beginning I was resistant to Pulp… the Jarvis aesthetic grated on me and I was already over the northern invasion from a few years earlier when The Stone Roses promised so much and failed to deliver.
But Common People wore me down.
“Rent a flat above a shop, cut your hair and get a job”
As if to make a very personal statement to me Pulp stepped into the breach when the Stone Roses failed to fill the top slot at Glastonbury.
Nobody — nobody — barring perhaps Michael Eavis himself believed Pulp were up to the job but I was on board… this was a ballsy move on their part and I prepared to watch them crash and burn.
But they didn’t. They unequivocally won!
I would challenge anyone who says they didn’t.
From that time on the closing performance of Common People at Glastonbury’95 has been the definitive version for me. Jarvis’ on-the-fly production (“bring it down”) which apparently the band didn’t immediately respond to (“Bring it DOWN”) is sublime, and the result is euphoric!
I still have Jarvis “Outsider Art” TV series on VHS if anyone can do a transfer for me. It’s brilliant.
I enjoyed that muchly - another excellent read (I wouldn’t have been able to resist putting “Do you remember the first time?” in that opening paragraph.)
I distinctly remember listening to Different Class for the first time and wondering “how can an album be *this* good?” Bar Italia is one of the great final tracks, so simple yet universal. I found myself wandering into Bar Italia at 4am not long after moving to London in 98. Didn’t realise it actually existed until that point. Felt like magic. They have a plaque to John Logie Baird, whose TV lab was upstairs. But they need one for Jarvis too.
Thanks for these articles. Brilliant stuff.
Thank you so much! We’re so pleased you’re enjoying our stuff!
This is one of my favourite’s. An absolute pleasure to read and a sentiment that I am 100 behind. Art schools are so important and need so much more investment.
Thank you, I’m off to listen to Common People.
This was a great read, thank you! I love Pulp, their lyrics are so sharp, insightful social commentary. Common People is a perfect pop song and one that sounds just as relevant today. Probably one of my greatest regrets that I didn’t go to art school. I was recently talking to a friend about this and how I was discouraged by teachers who said art school wasn’t for “common people like me”. So important to preserve our art schools, encourage innovation and make them more accessible to creative common people!
Thank you so much. We’re really pleased that you enjoyed it! I wouldn’t regret not going to art school. One can find the creative inspiration and focus from other things - short courses, meet ups, online stuff. Neither of us went to art school!
Another stonker of a blog! A fabulous read, though I had to go and look up situationist theory 😂. Loved Common People, and it sounds even better with age.👏👏👏
Thank you Chris!
I loved this! Soooo much!
Common People is in my all time top ten and for precisely the economical storytelling genius that you describe. It should be taught along side Shakespeare and Burns!
In the beginning I was resistant to Pulp… the Jarvis aesthetic grated on me and I was already over the northern invasion from a few years earlier when The Stone Roses promised so much and failed to deliver.
But Common People wore me down.
“Rent a flat above a shop, cut your hair and get a job”
As if to make a very personal statement to me Pulp stepped into the breach when the Stone Roses failed to fill the top slot at Glastonbury.
Nobody — nobody — barring perhaps Michael Eavis himself believed Pulp were up to the job but I was on board… this was a ballsy move on their part and I prepared to watch them crash and burn.
But they didn’t. They unequivocally won!
I would challenge anyone who says they didn’t.
From that time on the closing performance of Common People at Glastonbury’95 has been the definitive version for me. Jarvis’ on-the-fly production (“bring it down”) which apparently the band didn’t immediately respond to (“Bring it DOWN”) is sublime, and the result is euphoric!
I still have Jarvis “Outsider Art” TV series on VHS if anyone can do a transfer for me. It’s brilliant.
Thank you so much Jon. So glad you loved it. Trust all is going well with you and that the screening this week was a success!