Jump to content

Jarvis Cocker


Sheffield History

Recommended Posts

p01lz9k5.jpg

 

JARVIS COCKER

 

Jarvis Branson Cocker (born 19 September 1963, in Sheffield, England) is an English musician, best known for fronting the band Pulp.

Jarvis came from a musical family (his father and uncle were musicians). Fellow Sheffield musician Joe Cocker was a friend of the family and babysat for Jarvis on occasions, though they are not related.

Pulp

Jarvis founded "Arabacus Pulp" at the age of fifteen while he was still at The City School. After numerous line-up changes, and a shortening of the name to just "Pulp", they eventually found fame in the 1990s with the success of the albums His 'n' Hers (1994) and Different Class (1995).

Cocker invaded the stage at the 1996 Brit Awards to protest against Michael Jackson's performance. Jackson performed surrounded by worshipping children and a rabbi, while making 'Christ-like' poses and performing his then-recent hit, Earth Song. Cocker and his friend Peter Mansell (a former Pulp member) performed an impromptu stage invasion in protest. In the ensuing confusion, as others attempted to eject Cocker from the stage, a child performer received minor injuries.

Cocker was later detained and interviewed by the police on suspicion of assault and found himself being defended by the comedian and former solicitor, Bob Mortimer. Cocker was subsequently released without charge. Opinions from the press on Cocker's actions were mixed. The 2 March 1996 edition of Melody Maker, for example, suggested Cocker should be knighted, while Cocker's friend Noel Gallagher claimed "Jarvis Cocker is a star and he should be given MBE". Noel Gallagher said of Jackson's behaviour "For Michael Jackson to come over to this country after what's all gone on - and I think we all know what I'm talking about here - to dress in a white robe, right, thinking he's the Messiah - I mean who does he think he is? Me?"

However, other journalists and the organisers of the Brit Awards were outraged at what they perceived as a bizarre self-promotional stunt that had endangered the on-stage performers. In response to the ensuing media scrutiny of the action, Jarvis responded, "My actions were a form of protest at the way Michael Jackson sees himself as some kind of Christ-like figure with the power of healing... I just ran on the stage... I didn't make any contact with anyone as far as I recall."

However, the resulting press attention saw the band's record sales soar and a waxwork statue of Jarvis Cocker, which costs �30,000, was placed in Rock Circus, London.

Cocker was also renowned for being a witty observer of the cultural scene. He was a frequent guest on TV shows in the 1990s, as well as hosting an arts series for the BBC.

Jarvis co-wrote several songs (Walk Like A Panther, 1st Man in Space, Drive Safely Darlin', Stars On Sunday, and Happy Birthday Nicola)) on The All Seeing I's album "Pickled Eggs & Sherbet", released in 1999. He contributes lead vocals to Drive Safely Darlin.

Two more albums were released (This Is Hardcore and We Love Life) to critical acclaim, though neither achieved the commercial success of Different Class, Pulp then released a greatest hits album and went on hiatus. Jarvis moved to Paris with his wife, Camille Bidault-Waddington, with whom he has a son, Albert.

 

jarv.jpg

Post-Pulp

Cocker also directed some music videos, most notably On by Aphex Twin, Sudden Rush by Erlend �ye and Aftermath by Nightmares on Wax.

He re-emerged in 2003 to promote a new album, under the pseudonym "Darren Spooner", for his new band called Relaxed Muscle. Also in 2003, he appeared on the Richard X album Richard X Presents His X-Factor Vol. 1. 2004 then brought Cocker briefly back into the limelight with two collaborations with Nancy Sinatra on her new album, as well as a collaboration with Marianne Faithfull on her album Kissin' Time, with the song "Sliding through Life on Charm."

In 2005 Jarvis Cocker co-wrote three tracks (La Degustation, Basque Country & Fred de Fred) on French Sheffield-based electronic duo The Lovers' debut album "The Lovers". He has also contributed to the soundtrack for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, writing and performing three tracks entitled "This is the Night", "Do The Hippogriff" and "Magic Works".

He appeared briefly in the film as lead singer of the wizard pop act the Weird Sisters (unnamed in the film owing to a legal scuffle with real-life group the Wyrd Sisters). The fictitious group also featured Jonny Greenwood and Phil Selway from Radiohead, Steve Mackey from Pulp, Jason Buckle from Relaxed Muscle and Steve Claydon from Add N to (X). That same year he also covered "I Can't Forget" by Leonard Cohen as part of the tribute show for the film Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man.

In 2006 Cocker appeared on albums Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited (song "I Just Came to Tell You That I'm Going", co-performed with Kid Loco) and Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys (song "A Drop of Nelson's Blood"). His song "Running the World" appeared over the closing credits of the film Children of Men. Also in 2006, along with Steve Mackey, he 'curated' the 2-CD Compilation, The Trip, which features a wide selection of tracks by artists as varied as The Fall, Gene Pitney, The Beach Boys, and The Polecats.

He also co-wrote lyrics on the Charlotte Gainsbourg album 5:55, with Neil Hannon and members of Air. On October 12th 2006, a fictional Jarvis Cocker was a lead character in a drama on BBC Radio 2, as part of their 'Imagine' competition.

Jarvis Cocker is now following a solo career - his debut album titled Jarvis came out in the UK on November 13, 2006.

This is said to have been produced[citation needed] with Sam Lockwood and John Watson (his school friends from Central St Martins) who also helped to write the lyrics to a couple of songs on the album. In March 2007 he will appear on French band Air's new album "Pocket Symphony."

LINKS

 

Jarvis Cocker's Myspace Page - http://www.myspace.com/jarvspace

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was at the same two schools jarvis attended although i'm a couple of years younger than him. I'm wondering if he remembers his days as a prefect at intake school and our wonderful teachers that we had e.g mrs barrett and headmaster mr wheeler whom i may add is still actually in charge of the school. I can also remember the day that arabacus pulp gave a concert at city school. Looking on this site has jogged quite a few memories its great

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking on this site has jogged quite a few memories its great

Thanks for the compliment

The site is only as good as the members who share their thoughts and pictures so thanks for joining and contributing !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Gonzalo

Hello friends.

At present, does Jarvis live in Sheffield?. Does someone know where his house stays?.

And Richard Hawley?. Lives un Sheffield Too?

Thank you

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello friends.

At present, does Jarvis live in Sheffield?. Does someone know where his house stays?.

And Richard Hawley?. Lives un Sheffield Too?

Thank you

Last I heard Jarvis was living in France.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last I heard Jarvis was living in France.

Jarvis did a radio documentary for BBC radio in 2008 called "A musical map of Sheffield" in which talks about his life and his memories of growing up in Sheffield.

It was broadcast on BBC Radio 2 in 2008 and repeated in 2009

However, it has been broadcast again this week on the digital radio service BBC 6 Music.

If you are quick you may just be able to catch it on the BBC i-player.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest livingstone

Hello friends.

At present, does Jarvis live in Sheffield?. Does someone know where his house stays?.

And Richard Hawley?. Lives un Sheffield Too?

Thank you

Jarvis lived in Paris with his wife and son. They've now split and Jarvis spends his time between England and Paris, he doesn't come to Sheffield very often though.

Richard still lives in Sheffield, I doubt he'll ever leave. If he did he'd probably bore the feck out of the inhabitants of his new environment with all his Sheffield talk to the point that they'd buy him a train ticket and send him back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I live in the house where Jarvis grew up and know most of his family and have done all my life, he used to make a right old din when practising in his garage and knocking around somewhere is one of his old mics ( I think my brother has it actually).

A few years back his mum Christine asked if we'd mind some people taking a few pics of the house for a documentry on his life (it was on BBC3 I think), when they turned up it turned out to be a full film crew and the house made it into the program.

Christine still wanders around Intake collecting rents from the shops she owns and I think she still lives in Carlton-in-Lindrick.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I live in the house where Jarvis grew up and know most of his family and have done all my life, he used to make a right old din when practising in his garage and knocking around somewhere is one of his old mics ( I think my brother has it actually).

A few years back his mum Christine asked if we'd mind some people taking a few pics of the house for a documentry on his life (it was on BBC3 I think), when they turned up it turned out to be a full film crew and the house made it into the program.

Christine still wanders around Intake collecting rents from the shops she owns and I think she still lives in Carlton-in-Lindrick.

According to a documentary about him on BBC Radio 7 his house was on Mansfield Road "more or less opposite a pub called The Ball".

I am not sure of the exact location, and if I was I wouldn't want to give away RichardS's personal security details on a public forum.

However,

in one of his songs Jervis sings about a girlfriend of his who lived on Stanhope Road

Stanhope Road is just down Mansfield Road from Jervis's former abode and is a funny little crescent shaped street which links Mansfield Road to Hollinsend Road.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

According to a documentary about him on BBC Radio 7 his house was on Mansfield Road "more or less opposite a pub called The Ball".

I am not sure of the exact location, and if I was I wouldn't want to give away RichardS's personal security details on a public forum.

However,

in one of his songs Jervis sings about a girlfriend of his who lived on Stanhope Road

Stanhope Road is just down Mansfield Road from Jervis's former abode and is a funny little crescent shaped street which links Mansfield Road to Hollinsend Road.

More pictures of Stanhope Road

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 04/10/2022 at 23:34, Alastair said:

Looks maybe four years old, so around 1967.

I was one that summer and am sat on the table in the photo, so probably about right

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...