Pulp - Spike Island (Opening Song / Intro) - The 02, London - 13-06-2025

YOU DESERVE MORE TOUR 2025 (THE 02)

Pulp are a British rock band formed in Sheffield in 1978. At their critical and commercial peak, the band consisted of Jarvis Cocker (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Russell Senior (guitar, violin), Candida Doyle (keyboards), Nick Banks (drums, percussion), Steve Mackey (bass) and Mark Webber (guitar, keyboards). The band's "kitchen sink drama" lyrics, coupled with its references to British culture, led to Cocker and Pulp becoming reluctant figureheads of the Britpop movement.

The band struggled to find success during the 1980s, but gained UK prominence in the mid-1990s first with His 'n' Hers (1994), which was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. Its follow-up, Different Class (1995), won the Mercury Prize, reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and spawned four top ten singles, including the number two hits "Common People" and "Mis-Shapes/Sorted for E's & Wizz". The band's sixth album, This Is Hardcore (1998), also debuted at number one in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize. At their peak, Pulp headlined the Pyramid Stage of the Glastonbury Festival twice and were regarded among the Britpop "big four", along with Blur, Oasis and Suede.

The band released We Love Life in 2001 and then took a decade-long break, having sold more than 10 million records. Pulp reunited in 2011 to play multiple festivals and released "After You" in 2013, their first song in 12 years. The band reunited a second time in 2022 to tour once again, and later released their eighth album More in June 2025.

In July 2022, following speculation from a cryptic Instagram post, Cocker announced that the band would reunite for a series of concerts in 2023. Nick Banks also tweeted confirming the announcement by saying "Hey folks, unsurprisingly it's has all gone a bit mental on here. Gig details will be revealed as and when. Stay calm, hug your #pulp records and dream of going mental sometime in 2023."

The reunion was officially confirmed on 28 October 2022, with dates announced at Finsbury Park, TRNSMT, Latitude Festival as well as two homecoming shows at Sheffield Arena. Steve Mackey announced on his Instagram that he would not be taking part in the tour but stated; "Wishing Candy, Nick, Mark and Jarvis the very best with forthcoming performances in the UK and also an enormous thanks to Pulp's amazing fanbase, many of whom have sent me lovely messages today". On 2 March 2023, the band announced that Mackey had died at the age of 56.

For the reunion tour, the band were joined by Andrew McKinney on bass, Emma Smith on guitar and violin, and Adam Betts on keyboards, guitar, and percussion. The tour also featured a ten-piece string section called the Elysian Collective. During this tour they also debuted two new songs; "Hymn of the North" and "Background Noise". The reunion continued into 2024 with a North America tour which began in September. During this leg they debuted three more new songs: "Spike Island", "My Sex" and "Farmer's Market".

On 12 December 2024, the band announced that they had signed with Rough Trade Records, which had managed the band previously.

Pulp released More, their first album since 2001, on 6 June 2025. "Spike Island", the album's first single, was released on 10 April, and the second single 'Got to Have Love' was released on 22 May.

Discography

It (1983)
Freaks (1987)
Separations (1992)
His 'n' Hers (1994)
Different Class (1995)
This Is Hardcore (1998)
We Love Life (2001)
More (2025)

#Thisiswhatwedoforanencore #more #britpop