Jarvis to be guest editor of the Today programme

On 31^st December 2008, Jarvis will guest edit the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. The morning news and current affairs show traditionally picks a selection of guest editors between Christmas and New Year. It is reported that Jarvis' programme will focus on the credit crunch.

There is a video trailer for the programme on the BBC website.

Jarvis - recent appearances

Jarvis has recently performed at two events in London.

Related pages: Jarvis - Miscellaneous Live Performances

This is Hardcore vinyl reissue

It appears that This is Hardcore is going to be reissued on heavy 180 gram vinyl. Copies of the original double LP have recently been selling on eBay for silly amounts of money and that may have prompted the reissue.

The information below has been gleaned from various online listings and is not necessarily entirely accurate.

The tracklisting is the same as the original vinyl release, and is as follows:

Side A:

1. The Fear
2. Dishes
3. Party Hard
4. Help the Aged
5. This is Hardcore

Side B:

6. TV Movie
7. A Little Soul
8. I'm a Man
9. Seductive Barry

Side C:

10. Sylvia
11. Glory Days
12. The Day After the Revolution

Side D:

13. Tomorrow Never Lies
14. Laughing Boy
15. The Professional
16. This is Hardcore (End Of The Line Remix)

Release date: January 2009 (UK) and 20 January 2009 (USA)
Label: Plain Recordings (PLAIN131DLP)

New songs

Around 10 new songs were played during Jarvis' recent five date UK tour and festival appearance in Taiwan. Some of the songs had already been played during shows in North and South America earlier in the year, while others were completely new.

Jarvis now clearly has almost an album's worth of new material and is likely to start recording early next year.

Related pages: Song list

Jarvis to play at Taiwanese festival

On 6 December Jarvis will play in Taiwan for the first time. He will appear at the Simple Life Festival in Taipei.

Festival website.

Related pages: Jarvis at Simple Life 2008; Jarvis gigography

Jarvis – five UK dates announced

• 25 November - Academy, Sheffield
• 26 November - Shepherds Bush Empire, London
• 28 November - Picture House, Edinburgh
• 30 November - Academy, Manchester
• 2 December - Academy, Birmingham

These concerts under the title Looking Rough At 30 commemorate the 30th anniversary of Jarvis' record label Rough Trade.

Rough Trade press release:

Proud founders of Rough Trade Geoff and Jeannette, have hatched a plan to commemorate our 30th anniversary and in the good sprit of rock ‘n’ roll they’ve decided that five parties are better than one. You’re all invited, all you need to do is make it down to either Sheffield, London, Edinburgh, Manchester or Birmingham on one of the dates below.

Each one will feature special Rough Trade guests including our own in house legend Jarvis, who will be headlining on each occasion and giving a little talk about our history, here’s what he had to say about it all,

Jarvis Cocker:
“Strangely enough, this is also the 30th anniversary of my first involvement with making music (the first incarnation of Pulp was formed during an Economics lesson towards the end of October 1978). How could I have known then that our two destinies would become so intertwined? I’m proud to be part of these birthday celebrations – I know there’s an awful lot of Anniversary Culture out there but this is one that’s actually worth celebrating: Rough Trade has always been about discovering the new, exploring the unknown & giving a voice to those who would otherwise remain unheard. And they’re still doing it 30 years on. This is no dewy-eyed nostalgia trip – it’s an on-going revolution. Stand up & be counted! (Actually, comfortable seating IS available in most of the venues – should you require it).”

Party on Wayne!

Related pages: Jarvis gigography

Born to Cry

Tony Christie has recorded a cover of Pulp song Born to Cry for his new album called Made in Sheffield. The LP was released 10 November, with Born to Cry also appearing as a download only single a week before. The album's other tracks feature material from other Sheffield artists, including the Arctic Monkeys and The Human League, and it was produced by local musicians Colin Elliott and Richard Hawley.

Richard Hawley co-wrote Born to Cry with Jarvis Cocker in 1998 when he was Pulp's live guitarist. It is a somewhat obscure part of Pulp's back catalogue having only been released on the UK version of the Notting Hill film soundtrack in 1999.

Jarvis talks about his second solo album

Speaking to BBC 6 Music, Jarvis commented that: "I think it will probably be louder than the last one. The thing was I wrote that [first solo] record over a period of time and enlisted the help of Steve, Ross and Richard and that to record it. And then went out and played it and kind of luckily discovered that I had a band that could rock. [...] And so what I've tried to do with the new stuff, rather than just sit there and wait for inspiration to come at some point, which takes ages, we've kind of written stuff together and it's kind of a bit louder."

He also said: "I'm playing three shows in America in July in which I'm going to try lots of new stuff out. And see if I survive that and then try and get it recorded as soon as possible really. But I probably won't get it out this year, being realistic, but I would just like to get it out as soon as possible."

Jarvis writes songs for Wes Anderson film

During an interview with Timeout Chicago Jarvis revealed that he has been working on some songs for a forthcoming film animation directed by Wes Anderson. The movie is an adaptation of Roald Dahl's children's novel Fantastic Mr Fox. Jarvis: "I've written three, four songs, and some of that might become bits of the score." (source)