Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker has given his thoughts regarding the upcoming closure of iconic Sheffield venue The Leadmill.
As one of the biggest musical names to come out of the Steel City, Cocker has played the venue many times – including Pulp’s first ever Sheffield gig in 1980.
After a multi-year battle against the new landlords – The Electric Group – it was finally confirmed earlier this year that the venue had lost its appeal against the eviction notice and been given three months to vacate the premises.
Cocker joined former Pulp guitarist, Richard Hawley, on stage for a benefit gig at The Leadmill back in 2022 when the news first broke of the eviction. Addressing the new owners, he said on stage: “They may own the bricks and mortar, but they don’t own the spirit of the Leadmill.”
Since the solemn news broke earlier this year, the venue has put out a plea for any artist who’d like to play a farewell show to come forward. It was recently announced that Miles Kane would perform the final gig – with rumours circulating that Alex Turner could join him for a reunion of The Last Shadow Puppets – whilst Richard Hawley has two shows pencilled in.
Cocker was asked in a recent interview whether he’d grace the stage for one last time, telling NME: “I don’t think Pulp would fit into The Leadmill now, unfortunately. Every time I look, we’ve got another member. I know that Richard Hawley is doing something there soon and I might go up there, watch that and maybe go on stage.”
Although he stopped short of confirming whether he would play the venue one last time, the ‘Common People’ singer did exclaim his intentions to visit The Leadmill one last time, as there is a certain memento he intends on grabbing.
He told NME: “My main thing is trying to figure out how to get that plaque outside off the wall before the new owner moves in.” The plaque in question commemorates Pulp’s first gig.
Cocker joked: “I vowed that’s what I’d do if it was to close, and now it is. If the next thing you read about me is that I’ve been arrested trying to crowbar a plaque from outside of The Leadmill, you’ll know why.”
The Electric Group – the new owners of the venue – own multiple venues up-and-down the country including Brixton Electric. They have promised that the building will remain a music venue that will “support artists, fans, and community projects for the next 100 years.”
However, critics and especially Cocker himself have not hesitated in questioning their intentions, saying in the same interview with NME: “It’s a bit like when Starbucks first started and they would close down all the coffee bars to open theirs. Leadmill was already a successful venue but now someone has bought it.
“This is the first place that Pulp played in Sheffield, it’s developed over a lot of time, and to create a place with that kind of history and atmosphere to it is not something that you can buy.”
Pulp are currently touring their first album in 24 years, ‘More’, which is on track to be their first number one album since 1998’s ‘This Is Hardcore’. Tickets for the ongoing tour can be found here.
