Pulp reform

Tue 9th Nov, 2010 in International News

‘Is this a collective midlife crisis?’, ‘Is this a hoax?’, ‘Is this nothing?’, ‘Is this a chance to see the last truly great pop group this country produced?’, ‘Is this messing with your head?’, ‘Is this a miracle?’ and ‘Is this an opportunity to reappraise the past through the prism of the present day?’

These are just some of the questions asked by Pulp’s official website as the news breaks that the Brit-pop heros have reformed for a run of festival appearances next year.

Despite repeatedly dismissing the idea of a reunion, Jarvis Cocker will share the stage with the rest of the Different Class lineup of the band – Nick Banks, Candida Doyle, Steve Mackey, Russell Senior and Mark Webber – for the first time since 1996 to headline Barcelona’s Primavera Sound Festival on May 27 and the Wireless Festival in London’s Hyde Park on July 3 2011.

As recently as last year, Cocker told Q magazine that a reunion was highly unlikely “We live in an age where repetition and nostalgia are lifestyle choices. I’m prone to it too, I go on YouTube and find things I haven’t seen since I was a kid. But I’m a contrary sod, so if someone wants me to reform a band, I tend not to.”

So while the Pulp website asks: ‘Is this the final straw?’, ‘Is this too freaky?’ and ‘Is this too good to be true?’ We’d like to add another question to the list: ‘Can we possibly hope for an appearance from the band at Splendour 2011?’