From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Cocker was his glasses: which seemed to "stay magically on his
face" no matter his antics on stage, apparently this was
achieved with "a huge rubber band round the back".[2]
Pulp released two more albums (This Is Hardcore and
We Love Life) to critical acclaim, though neither achieved
the commercial success of Different Class. After releasing a
greatest hits album, the band was on hiatus from 2003 to
2010, but returned to activity in 2011.
Cocker is also renowned for his wit and observations
of the cultural scene. He was a frequent guest on TV
shows in the 1990s, as well as hosting an arts series for
the Channel 4 – "Journeys into the Outside". Here he
took a trip across the globe, meeting so-called "outsider
Jarvis Cocker, 2009
artists", people who create wacky and wonderful works
Background information of art, and trying to understand what compels them to
do so. Cocker’s penchant for TV appearances was reflect-
Birth name Jarvis Branson Cocker
ed in a parody of "Common People" ("Showbiz People")
Born 19 September 1963 (1963-09-19) which was featured on the satirical comedy show Spitting
Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England Image in 1996.
Genres Alternative rock, indie rock, indie pop, art
rock, post-punk, britpop BRIT Awards incident
See also: BRIT Awards#Michael Jackson and Jarvis Cocker
Occupations Musician, singer-songwriter, keyboardist,
(1996)
guitarist, actor
Cocker invaded the stage at the 1996 BRIT Awards in a
Instruments vocals, keyboards, guitar, bass guitar spur of the moment protest against Michael Jackson’s
Years active 1978–present performance. Jackson was performing his hit "Earth
Song" while surrounded by children and a rabbi. Cocker
Associated Pulp and his friend Peter Mansell (a former Pulp member) per-
acts Relaxed Muscle
formed an impromptu stage invasion in protest.
Website jarviscocker.net Cocker was detained and interviewed by the police
on suspicion of assault. He was accompanied by come-
Jarvis Branson Cocker (born 19 September 1963) is an dian Bob Mortimer, a former solicitor, who represented
English musician and frontman for the band Pulp. him in that capacity. He was subsequently released with-
Through his work with the band, Cocker became a figure- out charge. Opinions from the press on Cocker’s actions
head of the Britpop movement of the mid-1990s.[1] Fol- were mixed. The 2 March 1996 edition of Melody Maker,
lowing Pulp’s hiatus Cocker has led a successful solo ca- for example, suggested Cocker should be knighted, and
reer. Jarvis Cocker currently presents his own radio show Noel Gallagher, of Oasis said that "Jarvis Cocker is a star"
on BBC Radio 6 Music ’Jarvis’s Sunday Service’ and should be awarded an MBE. Regarding his actions,
Cocker said, "My actions were a form of protest at the
Career 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
Pulp recall."[3]
Cocker founded "Arabacus Pulp" (named after a trade- On 2 July 2009 he appeared as a panellist on BBC TV’s
able commodity he saw in an economics class) at the age Question Time. He said that Jackson’s recent death had
of 15 while he was still at The City School. After numer- been over-hyped by the media. When asked what he ob-
ous line-up changes, and a shortening of the name to jected to about Michael Jackson at the time of the Brit
"Pulp", they eventually found fame in the 1990s with the Award incident, he reiterated his earlier comments about
success of the albums His ’n’ Hers (1994) and Different Class Jackson and Christ (whilst admitting he himself wasn’t
(1995). As Pulp’s front-man, part of his trademark image religious). When asked, "Otherwise as a performer you
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jarvis Cocker
thought he was a genius?" Cocker replied, "He invented live dates. Films of the exhibition can still be found on-
the moonwalk."[4] line.[10]
In Further Complications, Cocker embraced an alto-
Solo career gether more muscular sound, while retaining his trade-
mark witticisms (on ’Leftovers’, he sings "I met her in
Jarvis: 2006–2008 the Museum of Palaeontology / "And I make no bones
At the 2006 Reading festival, the video for "Running the about it"). Reviews generally praised both the themes
World" was played on the main video screens of the main and sound of the record, with Drowned in Sound in par-
stage throughout the day, notably before the headline ticular writing that Further Complications was "a huge leap
act, Muse, performed. This video contained a karaoke- forward" for Cocker.[11]
like presentation of the song’s lyrics to encourage the In June 2011, Cocker was chosen as poetry guest edi-
crowd to sing along. tor for The Mays Anthology, a collection of new writing
Cocker is now following a solo career – his debut al- from students at the University of Oxford and University
bum, Jarvis, came out in the UK on 13 November 2006. of Cambridge.[12]
In March 2007, he appeared on French band Air’s album
Pocket Symphony. Side projects
On 14 February 2007, he was chosen to give the award Musical
for Best British Newcomer (awarded to the Fratellis) at Cocker sang a duet, "Ciao!", with Miki Berenyi on British
the Brit Awards. shoegazing band Lush’s 1996 album Lovelife. In 1997, he
He curated the 2007 Meltdown Festival at the South collaborated with David Arnold on a cover of All Time
Bank Centre in London. The acts he chose include Motör- High by Rita Coolidge, the theme from Octopussy. Fur-
head, Roky Erickson and the Explosives with Clinic, Devo
thermore, he gained co-writing credits for several songs
with Drumsize, Iggy & The Stooges, Cornershop and The
("Walk Like A Panther", "1st Man in Space", "Drive Safely
Jesus and Mary Chain.[5]
Darlin’", "Stars On Sunday", and "Happy Birthday Nico-
In March 2008, Cocker made a small tour of Latin
la") on The All Seeing I’s album Pickled Eggs & Sherbet, re-
America (México, Argentina and Chile) where he pre-
leased in 1999. He contributed lead vocals to "Drive Safe-
sented a new song called "Girls Like It Too".
ly Darlin’". He also performed live with The All Seeing I
Further Complications: 2008–present on Top Of The Pops, singing "Walk Like A Panther" in place
of Tony Christie, who sang on the recorded version.
Jarvis Cocker planned to release a new studio album, and
In 2001 he contributed "Everybody Loves The Under-
revealed the names of two tracks set for the record.
dog" to the soundtrack for Mike Bassett: England Manager.
Speaking to NME.com, he said that he had written "Girls
He re-emerged in 2003 to promote a new album, under
Like It Too" and "The Usual" and hoped to have enough
the pseudonym "Darren Spooner", for his new band Re-
material to record the follow-up to his solo debut soon.[6]
laxed Muscle. The same year, he appeared on the Richard
"I’ve got vague ideas," he said of the forthcoming LP. "I’d
X album Richard X Presents His X-Factor Vol. 1. In 2004,
like to do another album before the end of the year."
Cocker collaborated with Nancy Sinatra on her new al-
Cocker debuted a new song, "Angela", on BBC2’s "The
bum, as well as with Marianne Faithfull on her album
Summer Exhibition: A Culture Show Special", on 13 June
Kissin’ Time, with the song "Sliding through Life on
2008. the video is available inside the UK.[7]
Charm."
On 6 March Pitchfork Media revealed the cover art
In 2005 Cocker co-wrote three tracks ("La Degusta-
and album title for Further Complications, due out 18 May
tion", "Basque Country" and "Fred de Fred") on Sheffield-
2009.[8] It was recorded by Steve Albini.
based electronica duo The Lovers’ self-titled debut al-
Around the record’s release, Cocker participated in a
bum. That same year he also covered "I Can’t Forget" by
project proposing to tackle the question, "What is Mu-
Leonard Cohen as part of the tribute show for the film
sic?" It was designed to enter into the debate over the fu-
Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man.
ture of the music industry. "Does this mean," asked the
Cocker also contributed to the soundtrack for Harry
singer, "that music can now go back to being an art form
Potter and the Goblet of Fire, writing and performing three
again? Also, what happens if you get a band to rehearse
Electro tracks: "This Is the Night", "Do the Hippogriff"
in an art gallery instead of a rehearsal space?"[9] Conse-
and "Magic Works". He appeared briefly in the film as
quently, Cocker and his band installed themselves in an
lead singer of the band The Weird Sisters. The fictitious
art gallery in Paris for five days. Each day, Cocker and
group also featured Jonny Greenwood and Phil Selway
his musicians performed a variety of different tasks. Th-
from Radiohead, Steve Mackey from Pulp, Jason Buckle
ese included soundtracking a relaxation class, inviting lo-
from Relaxed Muscle and Steve Claydon from Add N to
cal musicians to join them in a jam, and arranging activ-
(X).
ities with local school-children. The events were organ-
ised around Jarvis’s public rehearsals for his forthcoming
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jarvis Cocker
In 2006 Cocker appeared on albums Monsieur Gains- On 3 October 1996, Cocker co-hosted the Australian
bourg Revisited (song "I Just Came to Tell You That I’m Go- Saturday morning program Recovery with regular co host
ing", co-performed with Kid Loco) and Rogue’s Gallery: Pi- (and radio personality) Jane Gazzo.[17]
rate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys (song "A Drop of Nel- Cocker won the 2002 celebrity edition of Stars in Their
son’s Blood"). His song "Running the World" appeared Eyes he appeared on by impersonating Rolf Harris.
over the closing credits of the film Children of Men. Also On 12 October 2006, a fictional version of Cocker was
in 2006, along with Steve Mackey, he ’curated’ the two- a lead character in a drama on BBC Radio 2, as part of
CD compilation, The Trip, which featured a wide selection their ’Imagine’ competition. On 31 December 2008, Cock-
of tracks by artists as varied as The Fall, Gene Pitney, er guest edited the Today programme on BBC Radio 4.[18]
The Beach Boys, and The Polecats. He also co-wrote lyrics He also guested as a panellist on BBC’s Question Time in
on the Charlotte Gainsbourg album 5:55, with Neil Han- July 2009.[19]
non and members of Air. Cocker and Beth Ditto (The Gos- In October 2009, BBC Radio 6 Music announced Cock-
sip) recently collaborated on a cover version of Heaven er was set to take over the Sunday afternoon slot,
17’s "Temptation" at the NME Awards in London. In 2007, 3.30–5.30 pm, from 10 January 2010 to the current day. He
Cocker contributed to two songs on French electronica was quoted as saying "Sunday doesn’t feel that different
group Air’s album "Pocket Symphony" – performing on to the other days of the week anymore. Although there
"One Hell of a Party" and (with Charlotte Gainsbourg) was something weird about when everything seemed to
"The Duelist". In 2008, Cocker contributed Born to Cry, stop on a Sunday, it kind of marked out the week. I am
(originally a Pulp song released on the Notting Hill going to put the boringness back into Sunday. That’s my
soundtrack CD – though not featured in the film and co- mission."[20] Cocker won the Sony DAB Rising Star Award
written by Richard Hawley) to Tony Christie’s album of 2010, voted for by listeners, for his BBC Radio 6 Music
songs by Sheffield based songwriters, Made in Sheffield. In Show.[21]
2010, he worked with the National Trust to produce an al- In January 2011 he appeared with fellow musician
bum of sounds recorded at 11 of Britain’s historically sig- Richard Hawley and DJ Mark Riley on BBC Radio 4 pro-
nificant sites.[13][14] In 2010 he also narrated Prokofiev’s gramme where they went: ’In Search of the Holy Whale’
Peter and the Wolf at the Royal Festival Hall.[15] i.e. whale watching in the sea off cork.[2]
Jarvis sang vocals on the single "Synchronize" by Dis-
codeine. Acting
American director Wes Anderson is an admirer of Cock-
Music videos
er’s work.[22] This led to Anderson giving Cocker a role in
Cocker has also directed music videos for amongst other the stop-animation movie Fantastic Mr. Fox as the voice of
Warp Records, most notably On by Aphex Twin, Sudden Petey, who also sings an original song.[23] In Harry Pot-
Rush by Erlend Øye and Aftermath by Nightmares on ter and the Goblet of Fire he plays Myron Wagtail, lead
Wax. (All three were co-directed with Martin Wallace). singer of the Weird Sisters.[24] He also played himself in
He also made brief appearances in the music videos for A the 2007 romantic comedy The Good Night.
Little More For Little You by Swedish rockers The Hives
and Fifteen Feet of Pure White Snow by Nick Cave and
The Bad Seeds. Personal life
Journeys Into The Outside with Jarvis Cocker Cocker was born in Sheffield, growing up in the Intake
area of the city. His father, Mac, a DJ and actor, left the
Journeys Into the Outside with Jarvis Cocker, a three-episode
family and moved to Sydney when Jarvis was seven and
series, was broadcast in 1999 on Channel 4 and featured
had no contact with him or his sister Saskia thereafter,
Cocker travelling the world to look at various forms of
leaving them to be brought up by their mother, now a
Outsider Art.
Conservative councillor.[25]
Places visited included:
Soon after signing to Fire, in November 1985, Cocker
• Simon Rodia’s Watts Towers in Los Angeles
fell out of a window while trying to impress a girl with
• The Rock Garden of Chandigarh by Nek Chand
a Spider-Man impression and ended up in hospital, tem-
• The Garden of Eden by Samuel P. Dinsmoor
porarily requiring the use of a wheelchair, in which he
• The sculpture garden of Las Pozas, Mexico by
appeared during concerts.[26]
Edward James
In 1988, at age 25, Cocker took a sabbatical from Pulp
The series was directed by longtime collaborator Martin
to study Fine Art and Film at Central St Martins, from
Wallace.[16]
which he graduated in 1991.[27]
Broadcasting Jarvis Cocker credits his upbringing, almost exclu-
Jarvis Cocker currently presents his own radio show on sively in female company, for his interest in how women
BBC Radio 6 Music ’Jarvis’s Sunday Service’ ’Jarvis’s Sun- think and what they have to say. He wrote a song ("A Lit-
day Service’] tle Soul" on This Is Hardcore) about being abandoned by
3
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jarvis Cocker
his father, and in 1998 travelled with his sister to Aus- http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/
tralia to meet him for the first time in nearly 30 years. 0,,2024716,00.html. Retrieved 10 March 2009.
Mac Cocker had a successful radio DJ career in Sydney be- [6] PitchForkMedia
ginning with Double J in the 1970s and then Triple J in the [7] "The Culture Show - Jarvis Cocker". BBC News.
1980s, and did not counter a common impression there http://www.bbc.co.uk/cultureshow/videos/2008/
that he was Joe Cocker’s brother or cousin (despite both 06/s5_s1_jarvis. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
being from Sheffield, they are not related in any way). [8] "News". Pitchfork. http://pitchfork.com/news/
By the time of his son’s visit, Mac Cocker had moved to 34783-jarvis-cocker-returns-with-steve-albini-
a hippie commune in Darwin, Northern Territory. Cock- produced-lp. Retrieved 10 March 2009.
er says he has forgiven his father for abandoning them. [9] "Jarvis Cocker.net". Jarvis Cocker.net.
"I don’t feel any bitterness towards him at all. I feel sorry http://jarviscocker.net/news/jarvis-cocker-is-
for him."[25][28] making-an-exhibition-of-himself. Retrieved 13
Cocker lived in Paris from 2003 with his wife, Camille April 2011.
Bidault-Waddington, and their son Albert (born 24 March [10] "Ustream.Tv". Ustream.Tv. 5 May 2009.
2003), known in the family as Alf.[27] In April 2009 he an- http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/1468368.
nounced that they were divorcing "on amicable terms", Retrieved 13 April 2011.
but that he was staying in Paris to remain in his son’s [11] Ferguson, Robert (9 June 2009). "Drowned in
life.[29] Cocker had previously lived in Paris in the early Sound". Drowned in Sound.
1990s, writing lyrics for Pulp’s breakthrough album His ’n’ http://drownedinsound.com/releases/14449/
Hers there, but he never learned to speak French, accord- reviews/4137060. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
ing to Bidault-Waddington.[30] [12] "Mays XIX". http://themaysxix.tumblr.com/post/
He currently resides in East Sheen, London, but sees 5744413958/poetry-jarvis-cocker-is-a-musician-
his son regularly.[30] actor-radio.
In 2010, Cocker was named Cultural Ambassador for [13] LFH (17 November 2005). "Events | Sounds".
Eurostar.[31] National Trust. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/
main/w-vh/w-visits/w-events-sounds/. Retrieved
Discography [14]
13 April 2011.
Jonathan Brown (13 May 2010). "Jarvis Cocker
Main article: Jarvis Cocker discography curates National Trust album". The Independent
See also: Pulp discography (London). http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-
entertainment/music/news/jarvis-cocker-curates-
Albums national-trust-album-1972193.html.
• Jarvis (13 November 2006) #37 UK [15] Helen Pidd (30 December 2010). "From Pulp to
• "Further Complications." (18 May 2009) #19 UK, #155 Prokofiev: Jarvis Cocker narrates Peter and the
US Wolf". The Guardian (London).
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/dec/29/
jarvis-cocker-narrates-peter-and-the-wolf.
References [16] "BFI Film & TV Database – Journeys Into The
[1] COMMON PEOPLE – THE STORY OF PULP, BBC, Outside with Jarvis Cocker". BFI.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/r2music/ http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/30981.
documentaries/pulp.shtml [17] "Pulp – Acrylic Afternoons – Pulp On Tv". Acrylic
[2] ^ "In Search of the Holy Whale". BBC Radio 4FM. 22 Afternoons. http://www.acrylicafternoons.com/
January 2011. tv.html. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
[3] "[SPACE] Jarvis’ stage invasion at the 1996 Brits". [18] "BBC – Today". BBC News. 31 December 2008.
Mlp.cz. http://www.mlp.cz/space/opatrilp/Pulp/ http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/
the_Brits_96.html. Retrieved 10 March 2009. newsid_7785000/7785764.stm. Retrieved 10 March
[4] "Jarvis Cocker reaction to Michael Jackson death 2009.
(Question Time)". youtube. [19] "BBC.co.uk". BBC News. 30 June 2009.
http://www.youtube.com/ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/
watch?v=LCI6zmVOf14&feature=fvw. Retrieved 16 question_time/8124347.stm. Retrieved 13 April
September 2009. 2011.
[5] Higgins, Charlotte (2 March 2007). "Cocker [20] Barnes, Ruth (22 October 2009). "Cocker for 6:
promises high and low culture as Meltdown Jarvis Cocker to present Sunday afternoon show
curator". The Guardian (UK). from January". BBC 6 Music.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/news/
4
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jarvis Cocker
20091022_jarvis_cocker.shtml. Retrieved 30 May menuitem.1d923702d0f3d4b2b5326b10cba0a0a0/
2010. ?vgnextoid=11abd45526869210VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&vgn
[21] "Winners announced for the 28th Sony Radio Retrieved 9 August 2010.
Academy Awards". Sony Radio Academy Awards. [31] "Jarvis Cocker named Eurostar’s cultural
10 May 2010. http://www.radioawards.org/blog/ ambassador". kentnews.co.uk.
category/2010-awards/. Retrieved 30 May 2010. http://www.kentnews.co.uk/kent-news/Jarvis-
[22] "Home – This Recording". Cocker-named-Eurostar_s-cultural-ambassador-
http://thisrecording.com/today/tag/wes- newsinkent35391.aspx?news=local. Retrieved 30
anderson. Retrieved 1 October 2009. April 2010.
[23] "IMDB – Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)".
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0432283/. Retrieved
1 October 2009.
External links
[24] Template:Credits:Harry Potter and the Goblet of • Official website
Fire, Warner Brothers • Jarvis Cocker at Rough Trade Records
[25] ^ "Jarvis Cocker: Lone star – Profiles, People". The • Jarvis Cocker’s Sunday Service at BBC 6 Music
Independent (UK). 23 December 2006. • Jarvis Cocker at the Internet Movie Database
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/ • The Independent
profiles/jarvis-cocker-lone-star-429504.html. • Jarvis Cocker: "BBC 6 Music is worth fighting for"
Retrieved 10 March 2009. Persondata
[26] Sturdy, p.124 Name Cocker, Jarvis
[27] ^ Barber, Lynn (10 June 2007). "Paris match | Pop |
guardian.co.uk Music". London: Alternative names Cocker, Jarvis Branson (full name)
Observer.guardian.co.uk. Short description English musician
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2007/jun/10/ Date of birth 19 September 1963
popandrock.meltdownfestival2007. Retrieved 29
Place of birth Sheffield, England, UK
June 2009.
[28] "Jarvis Gets Real." Interview with Jarvis Cocker by Date of death
Giny Dougary. The Times Magazine, London, 16 Place of death
March 2002.
[29] "Jarvis’ marriage Pulped". The Sun (UK). 26 April
2009. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/
showbiz/bizarre/article2396892.ece. Retrieved 29
April 2009.
[30] ^ Bateman, Nadine (27 June 2010). "My life: Camille
Bidault-Waddington". SCMP (Hong Kong).
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jarvis_Cocker&oldid=457021875"
Categories:
• 1963 births
• People educated at The City School, Sheffield
• Britpop musicians
• English male singers
• English music video directors
• English songwriters
• English voice actors
• Living people
• British expatriates in France
• Musicians from Sheffield
• Pulp members
• Rock DJs
• Rough Trade Records artists
• Sheffield Legends
• Alumni of the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design
• Squatters
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jarvis Cocker
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