Iggy Pop, now 78, is pausing his 6 Music duties after around twelve years on the station to focus on other musical projects, with plans already in place for him to return in 2027. His final Sunday broadcast before the break is scheduled for 29 March, after which Cocker will take over from 5 April. Iggy first became part of the 6 Music schedule in the mid‑2010s and has since become a cult favourite for his gravelly delivery, deep musical knowledge and willingness to champion both classic and underground sounds. His temporary absence will leave a noticeable gap in the lineup, but the station hopes Cocker’s arrival will soften the blow.

Cocker’s comeback marks a full-circle moment for 6 Music weekends. He originally launched his Sunday show in 2010, building a reputation for carefully curated playlists, themed episodes and a warm, intimate style that made the programme feel like a private listening party. Over time, the show became a kind of weekly ritual for many listeners, who tuned in as much for his wry commentary as for the music itself.

When he signed off in 2017 with the words “it’s not goodbye, it’s just farewell”, many listeners hoped he would one day return to the station in a regular role. His new run of Sunday shows is expected to revive that spirit while introducing fresh music discoveries and new features for a changed audience. There is also speculation that he may invite special guests, collaborators and old friends to join him, adding an extra layer of anticipation around the new series.

Alongside Cocker’s arrival on Sundays, Gossip frontwoman Beth Ditto will take over Saturday mornings, bringing her own perspective and tastes to the station’s eclectic mix. For 6 Music, enlisting figures like Iggy Pop, Jarvis Cocker and Beth Ditto shows its commitment in letting musicians themselves shape the sound and character of the network. For listeners, Cocker’s return as Sunday host promises a comforting show at the heart of their weekend routine.

Thanks @allontheboard, what an honour! See you at The O2000 tonight! xxx https://t.co/Sq088NHDOH

— Pulp (@welovepulp) June 13, 2025

This past weekend, on the 13th and 14th of June, Pulp played two sold-out shows at The O2 in London to celebrate the success of their album ‘More’. The concert was close to three hours long, with an intermission breaking the performance up into two sections. This performance took fans on a journey through Pulp’s entire musical career spanning across almost 40 years. Their set list with new songs and nostalgic classics included songs ‘Spike Island’, ‘This Is Hardcore’, ‘Grown Ups’ ‘Help The Aged’, and ‘Sorted for E’s & Wizz’ in their first set, and ‘Something Changed’, ‘Babies’, ‘Acrylic Afternoons’ and ‘The Fear’ in their second set, ending the night with their most popular song, ‘Common People’. 

The band was joined by a string section and backing singers on stage. The lead singer, Jarvis Cocker, connected and engaged with the audience throughout the night with his lyrics, moves, tossing treats into the crowd, and allowing his fans each night to pick a song to sing. The song ‘Party Hard’ was picked on night one, and ‘59 Lyndhurst Grove’ was picked on night two by the fans. The concert included a large-scale cinematic production and visuals, creating a living room environment in the second half of their set. Pulp played an acoustic version of ‘Something Changed’, asking the audience to imagine a living room, creating a more intimate atmosphere, connecting the artists to the fans. 

The band formed back in 1978 in Sheffield, releasing their debut album, ‘It’, in 1982. Their album, ‘His N Hers’ in 1994, was crucial for the band gaining recognition, with them later releasing their first hit album a year later, ‘Different Class’ in 1995. ‘Different Class’ skyrocketed with success as it debuted at the number one spot on the UK Albums Charts and won the Mercury Music Prize in 1996, achieving excellence across the UK. 

Pulp is currently on tour this summer, including upcoming UK performances in Birmingham and Manchester. They will also be in North America later this year, performing in Boston, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, and ending in Los Angeles. Find more tour information here.       

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.

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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.

Frontman Jarvis Cocker has advised fans to get to the forthcoming arena shows early, promising that these shows will feature “special, extended performances” different to anything they’ve given before.

On Instagram, he shared an image of the stage, with a caption teasing their upcoming performances: “The Pulp tour starts in two days’ time. These shows are special, extended performances – with an interval. So the important message is: ARRIVE EARLY”.

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He then told fans when to arrive for the full experience: “The shows will start at 8pm. You don’t want to miss any of what is behind these curtains. More is near.” He left a couple of hashtags to stoke curiosity – “The early bird catches the worm” and “More than you could have imagined”.

The Britpop legends are kicking things off tomorrow (June 7) at the OVO Hydro arena in Glasgow. They’ll move things over to the 3Arena in Dublin on June 10, then give two back-to-back shows at London’s O2 arena on June 13 and 14. After that, they’ll perform at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on June 19, before closing things out with one last stop at Co-op Live in Manchester on June 21.

After these new shows were announced in February, Pulp confirmed a comeback to the recording booth, dropping their latest single ‘Spike Island’ in April and confirming a brand-new album on the way, titled ‘More’. They put out another single in May, titled ‘Got To Have Love’.

The new album has just dropped today (June 6) through Rough Trade Records. The release has already achieved critical acclaim, with The Guardian calling it “a refreshing take on middle age, with all the the skewed observation and joyful melodic flourishes of old.”

This is the band’s first album in decades. Their last studio effort came in 2001, with their seventh album, ‘We Love Life’. The band broke up in 2002 – in a recent interview with The New York Times, guitarist Mark Webber explained “There was no falling out,” while drummer Nick Banks agreed, adding that they “Just ran out of steam.”

Tickets for Pulp’s upcoming performances can be found here. Their new album, ‘More’ can be listened to here.

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  Jarvis Cocker and the rest of the band joined Laverne in the studio on Thursday morning to reveal the news, as well as discussing various aspects of its creation, inspiration, and what the future may hold. Asked “Why now?”, Cocker said, “The live shows were a big influence, and the songs seemed to come back to life. We just thought we’d carry on and see what we can conjure up.”  

Fans of the Stone Roses will understand exactly what the single, ‘Spike Island’, takes its name from. The infamous 1990 gig was already the subject of Pulp’s ‘Sorted for E’s & Whizz’, written by Cocker after hearing the phrase from a girl he met, despite not going to the show. ‘Spike Island’ shares a similar inspiration, written after Jason Buckle recounted a story to Cocker about a DJ who repeated the phrase “Spike Island, come alive” between each song.

Along with the album’s title and first single, we also have the tracklist. According to their Instagram announcement, fans will be treated to 11 new tracks, including ‘Spike Island’, though no order has been confirmed as of yet. The album was recorded in three weeks, produced by James Ford, and has contributions from longtime collaborator and occasional tour member, Richard Hawley. Of the announced tracks, ‘Farmer’s Market’ has already been played to fans, debuting at a September 2024 show in Los Angeles.   

Fans could have predicted the announcement, especially after their planned tour dates for 2025 were revealed in February. They posted six shows in the UK as part of the You Deserve More tour, as well as telling fans that dynamic pricing would not be used, with the band saying “We’re doing our best to make this fair and transparent”. They also revealed plans to play in Korea for the first time, as well as potential Australian shows on BBC Radio 6. The radio show also gave listeners a chance to ask questions, one of which was about a return to Glastonbury, to which Cocker said “Glastonbury has a very important place in our hearts, but there are no plans to play there.”

In other news, the new Pulp single is phenomenal. Great to have them back!

— Iain Jenkins (@iainjenkins.bsky.social) 10 April 2025 at 19:27

‘More’ will be Pulp’s first release since the passing of long-time bassist Steve Mackey, who passed away in March 2023. “People who you’re close to, you never forget them,” Cocker said. “But you can do things to remember them by.” The album is dedicated to Mackey’s memory.

 

 

 

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The upcoming release makes Pulp the third out of the Britpop “big four” to release an album in the 2020’s, following on from Suede’s ‘Autofiction’ in 2022, and Blur’s ‘The Ballad of Darren’ in 2023, both of which were well received. Meanwhile, Oasis are less than 100 days away from embarking on their eagerly-anticipated reunion tour, proving that even 30 years on from those heady days, Britpop is alive and well.

The ‘You Deserve More’ tour will take the ‘Do You Remember The First Time?’ performers across the UK in June with stops in Glasgow, Dublin, Birmingham, Manchester and two shows at London’s O2 Arena.  The news follows the announcement of Pulp being the Friday night headliners at their sold-out homecoming show at this year’s Tramlines Festival in Sheffield this July.

Tickets for the tour will go on sale Friday 21 February at 9:30am. However, fans that have signed up to the group’s mailing list by 17 February will have the opportunity to get their hands on tickets early through an exclusive pre-sale from 18 February at 9:30am. Sign up to Pulp’s mailing list here.

Pulp have announced a UK and Ireland arena tour for this summer.

On sale Fri 21 Feb, 09:30 pic.twitter.com/MbsRoT8Nlw

— ticketmasteruk (@TicketmasterUK) February 14, 2025

In a press release detailing the upcoming tour, frontman Jarvis Cocker stated: “You deserve more – & we have more.”

Continuing: “In fact, we have More – (but that’s a whole other story… you’ll have to wait a little more time to hear that one). In the meantime: see you this Summer!”

Forming in 1978 Sheffield, the group soon became figureheads of Britpop. Their 1995 release ‘Different Class’ peaked at number one on the UK Official Album Charts upon its release, and has since become an ever-present marker of Britpop culture. With its catchy guitar-driven melodies reminiscent of 1970s glam rock and socially-conscious lyricism that reflects British working-class culture and identity; its most prominent tracks ‘Common People’ and ‘Disco 2000’ have shaped the lives of subsequent generations of Brits.

Despite disbanding in 2002 and facing various lineup changes and reunions over the years, Pulp most recently reunited in 2023 for their first set of shows since 2012. Cocker and co. performed various new tracks, including: ‘Farmer’s Market’, ‘Spike Island’, ‘My Sex’, ‘You’ve Got To Have Love’, ‘Background Noise’, and ‘A Sunset’ but have not formally released any new material since their 2013 single ‘After You’.

2025 seems to mark a new era for Pulp. The group officially signed with Rough Trade Records last December, following three decades of collaboration. With a new record deal and UK tour on the way, the door is wide open for Pulp’s bright future, whether this will be more tours or new music, fans can be excited for what’s coming up.

]]> https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/britpop-legends-pulp-announce-uk-arena-tour-you-deserve-more/feed/ 0 https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/pulp-signs-with-rough-trade-records-is-a-new-album-on-the-horizon/ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/pulp-signs-with-rough-trade-records-is-a-new-album-on-the-horizon/#comments Fri, 13 Dec 2024 01:02:12 +0000 http://www.mxdwn.co.uk/?p=104013 After over two decades since their last studio album, Britpop legends Pulp have a new record label, and fans are hoping it means a new album will follow. The band has officially signed with Rough Trade Records, marking their first collaboration with the independent label as a group. While the announcement stops short of confirming new music, there are plenty of signs pointing to a potential album release in 2025.

Rough Trade’s relationship with Pulp dates back over 30 years, having managed the band throughout much of their career. Jarvis Cocker, Pulp’s iconic frontman, has also previously worked with the label on his solo projects. In a statement released by Rough Trade, the band expressed their excitement, saying: “Rough Trade have managed Pulp for over 30 years so it feels great to be finally on the label. We did it!”

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The signing aligns Pulp with a roster that includes modern indie icons like The Strokes and The Libertines, as well as a legacy that boasts post-punk pioneers The Smiths and The Fall. Rough Trade has a reputation for creative freedom, which adds to the anticipation of what Pulp might produce while signed with them.

While no official timeline for a new album has been announced, speculation is rife. Cocker was recently photographed in Walthamstow and reportedly revealed that the band had returned to the studio. Adding fuel to the fire, Pulp has been performing an unreleased track, ‘A Sunset’ on their current ‘This Is What We Do for an Encore’ tour. The song, co-written with fellow Sheffielder, Richard Hawley, debuted in 2024 at a show in Finland and could appear on any forthcoming release.  

Pulp’s reunion comes during a nostalgic revival of the Britpop era. Fellow icons Blur released their chart-topping The Ballad of Darren in 2023, and Oasis recently announced a massive reunion tour.  

However, Pulp’s observational lyrics and class-based themes set them apart, often providing sharp social commentary. Their greatest example of this is their track ‘Common People’ from the album Different Class. Telling the story of a woman who wants to “live like common people”, the track explored themes of class disparity, and summing up this form of cultural tourism will the line “If you called your dad he could stop it all”. The song recently went viral on TikTok, with the audio being used to highlight the struggles ordinary people face.

Fans will be curious to see how this perspective evolves if the band chooses to address contemporary issues in any new material. While Pulp’s music is inevitably viewed through a Britpop lens, there’s room for the band to explore fresh directions while maintaining their distinctive sound.

Pulp’s legacy as one of the “big four” Britpop bands—alongside Blur, Oasis, and Suede—is well established. From their meteoric rise in the ’90s under Island Records to their celebrated Glastonbury 1995 set, which included the debut of “Sorted for E’s and Wizz,” the band’s influence on British music is still felt today in bands like Yard Act.   Yet, despite their historic successes, Pulp has not released new material since the 2013 single “After You,” which failed to break into the top 100.   

As fans take to social media to celebrate the Rough Trade signing, many are speculating about Pulp’s future. Could this mean a Glastonbury 2025 headline slot? Will ‘Sunrise’ serve as a gateway to more new music?

@glastonbury would be the perfect place to try any new material (and play all the old tunes of course). Just saying…. — travelmeerkat (@travelmeerkat) December 12, 2024

Whether or not a new album materialises, Pulp’s partnership with Rough Trade has reignited excitement for one of Britain’s most beloved bands. For now, the band seems content, currently touring the US and now signed with one of the UK’s most recognisable record labels. 

As part of their This Is What We Do for an Encore 2023-2024 tour, charismatic front-man, Jarvis Cocker introduced the track to 3,000 enthused fans, which is brand new take on an old demo from 1999.

This follows a spate of new material to come out of their recent North American dates. On Sunday 8th September, fans were played Spike Island at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom. Shortly, after they had premiered My Sex on Tuesday 10th September – the first of two Toronto shows – at History (an aptly named venue).

Playing through their hits, Pulp have kept their setlist fairly unchanged. With the most amount of songs played live coming from their critically acclaimed and number one album Different Class (1995). Their setlist mainly but not exclusively consists of: I Spy, Disco 2000, Something Changed, Pink Glove, Weeds, Weeds II (The Origin of the Species), F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E., Sorted for E’s & Wizz, This Is Hardcore, Do You Remember The First Time?, Babies, Sunrise.

So far, on this tour, they have followed their 13-track main set with two encores. The first of which has three tracks remaining (mostly) the same every gig: Like a Friend, Underwear and their biggest hit Common People. Their new material is saved for their second encore and, as they deliver mysterious new tracks, as their first song before Razzmatazz and Glory Days ending their gig.

Fans have also noticed a song called Farmers Market being listed but has yet to be played.

It has been over 20 years, since Pulp’s last album We Love Life (2001) and was produced by the late Scott Walker. The album was an absolute triumph.

With the potential of Britpop resurgence, it would seem fitting to have Pulp make a timely appearance. The summer ended with news of Oasis reforming for a live tour and Blur released their Blur: To The End documentary along with their performances from 2023’s Live at Wembley Stadium reunion. Out of all the bands from the naughties, it is Pulp we have missed the most.

A lot has happened in the last two decades and, more than ever, we have need for Jarvis Cocker’s wit and keen-eyed observations.

If you need a refresh, here’s a handy list of Pulp’s studio albums:

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

We are THRILLED to announce PULP as your headliner for Concert in the Gardens 2023!

We know you will remember the first time you brought in the bells under Edinburgh Castle, like the Common People with PULP! pic.twitter.com/MmltePENfH

— Edinburgh’s Hogmanay (@edhogmanay) September 26, 2023

Hogmanay is the Scottish celebration of the New Year, and typically involves gift giving, bonfires and other festivities. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay festival is one of the largest of its kind, and was even recognised by the Guinness Book Of World Records in their 1996-97 edition as the largest New Year’s party, with approximately 400,000 people in attendance that year.

The upcoming event will mark pop band Pulp‘s first live show in the Scottish capital in over 20 years. Attendees will be able to celebrate the New Year as they watch Pulp perform against the surreal backdrop of Edinburgh Castle.

Pulp lead singer Jarvis Cocker said on the band’s upcoming appearance at ‘Concert In The Gardens’, “When your grandkids ask “Do you remember the first time Pulp played Edinburgh’s Hogmanay?” What will your answer be? Come along & start 2024 in the very best way possible. Oh yes.”

Directors of UniqueAssembly, which creates and produces Edinburgh’s Hogmanay on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Reaching the milestone 30th anniversary for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is a phenomenal achievement, which since 1993 has welcomed millions of party people to celebrate at the Home of Hogmanay.

“We wanted to make sure that this year was extra special for our audiences and are thrilled to welcome Pulp to the party. This will be the hottest ticket in town, and we recommend people grab their tickets fast to make sure they don’t miss out.”

Other events taking place at this year’s Hogmanay festival include a street party, silent disco, a torchlight procession and many more activities yet to be announced.

Tickets for the 30th anniversary of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay go on sale this Friday (September 29th) at 10am, which you can purchase here.

For those registered with the Hogmanay website, a pre-sale for the ‘Concert In The Gardens’ will be available from 10am on Thursday 28th September.

We’ve been a part of the Sheffield community for 43 years and we are not ready to say goodbye. Support us by turning up on Mon 18th September at 9am, Sheffield Town Hall. #wecantloseleadmill pic.twitter.com/7IU6yDBTUJ

— The Leadmill (@Leadmill) September 4, 2023

In March of last year, The Leadmill announced via their website that the landlords of the venue were trying to close them down by serving an eviction notice. Since then, artists throughout the UK, members of the local community and even Labour MPs have voiced their alarm and displeasure at the news.

Although the current owners The Electric Group have stated that they do not intend to close the venue down, management has claimed that they are, indeed, being forced out and that the venue’s future is in serious doubt. In response, The Leadmill has staged a rally to take place next week (18 September) called the Battle For The Soul Of Sheffield and the BBC have uncovered that the music spot has offered £40 vouchers for people who attend and post about it on social media.

The BBC has learned those running the Leadmill in Sheffield are proposing to pay people to demonstrate against the owners of the building “Electric Group” getting a licence. They’ve teamed up with a promotions company ahead of the council’s licensing hearing later this month. pic.twitter.com/WSkS8Zaox2 — BBC Radio Sheffield (@BBCSheffield) September 8, 2023

BBC News was in touch with the venue for a comment with management commenting, “we don’t know how many people will turn up and as The Leadmill staff will likely be in the hearing itself, we have teamed up with Gosh to ensure the rally is professionally and safely managed by some of their team outside. Gosh are a company that we use regularly and we have a strong relationship with. They are obviously being paid for their time to do so.”

The Electric Group have pointed to what they label a contemptuous move to curry undue support for a cause that they claim is very far from reality. Responding to the rally, The Electric Group CEO Dominic Madden said, “paying people £40 to stand outside of the hall is a move that reeks of cynicism, as it attempts to manipulate the licensing process and unduly influence Sheffield Council.

We’ve consistently maintained that we will invest in the Leadmill to ensure it remains an inclusive, vibrant music and arts venue of which Sheffield can be rightly proud for years to come.”

Such a brilliant venue. Let’s do all we can to stop The @Leadmill from closing https://t.co/0VeUfeBdMz

— Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) March 31, 2022

#WeCantLoseTheLeadmill No way!!!!! The staple of many a night out. Closing the Leadnmill is unthinkable!!!!!! @ArcticMonkeys @KasabianHQ @oasis @coldplay @LewisCapaldi all played here. Save The Leadmill!!!!!

— Paul (@PaulH_THFC) March 31, 2022

If this is correct it would seem strange that they are “closing down” the Leadmill. Perhaps something more behind the scenes we don’t know about

— Andy (@muarh00) April 1, 2022

Very interesting, so Leadmill operators lease ends next year, they’ve been given standard notice, the owners have not yet commented on plans but are likely to refub & run themselves as a music venue, so “The Leadmill” may not be closing but under new day to day management…?

— E Hacky (@Ehacky) April 1, 2022

Madden also highlighted that the group has a genuine interest in the venue’s future and that exploiting a legal loophole, as The Leadmill management have claimed, is very far from the truth. Madden has stated that the lease is approaching its natural conclusion and that attempts to purchase the freehold were ignored by current operator Phil Mills.

Artists from the local Sheffield scene have, in the past, voiced support for The Leadmill. Oli Sykes of Bring Me The Horizon, Jarvis Cocker of Pulp and The Arctic Monkeys have all shared their feelings and have helped raise funds and awareness for the venue.