Is Jarvis Cocker The New Morrissey??

[Ruffian]

You know how it is.. both from working class backgrounds.. both influenced (I'd imagine) by similar things.. sort of similar ages (maybe).. Both write funny and incisive lyrics.. Both have been intrigued by their sexuality and their juvenile fumblings and frustrations.. Both had (have) good bands... Both wear (wore) geeky national health glasses.. both would be considerable, not unattractive, but individually handsome in a strange way..

..and there the similarity ends because..

Jarvis seems to respect his 'fans'.. keeping them up to date with what's going on.. He has remained true to his artistic sense.. Has ignored the lure(??) of California and stayed in the country.. and has maintained a creditable output skirting on the arty side sometimes.. but never dull or disintersting and managing to maintain an image of cult without the distance!!

Well done Jarvis.. take note MORRISSEY..

Ruffian

[Nathaniel]

[gokgok]

Jarvis is one of my favourite songwriters, along with Morrissey (of course), Neil Hannon, Stephen Merritt and a few others.

Jarvis might, JUST MIGHT, be my overral favourite lyricist. Not many people seem to realise he's been going nearly 20 years (hmm!) - and I still think he's very underrated...

> You know how it is.. both from working class backgrounds..

Aye.

> both influenced (I'd imagine) by similar things..

Probably.

> sort of similar ages (maybe)..

Morrissey = 44, Jarvis = 38.

> Both write funny and incisive lyrics..

Aye.

> Both have been intrigued by their sexuality and their juvenile fumblings and frustrations..

Definately!

> Both had (have) good bands...

Yup.

> Both wear (wore) geeky national health glasses..

And they look very sexy in them, too.

> both would be considerable, not unattractive, but individually handsome in a strange way..

Bah! Jarvis and Morrissey were the first people I ever had those sort of "famous people crushes" on. I just love skinny pale geeky intelligent oddly sexual boys... hmm.

> ..and there the similarity ends because..

> Jarvis seems to respect his 'fans'.. keeping them up to date
> with what's going on.. He has remained true to his artistic
> sense.. Has ignored the lure(??) of California and stayed in the
> country.. and has maintained a creditable output skirting on the
> arty side sometimes.. but never dull or disintersting and
> managing to maintain an image of cult without the distance!!

Lure of California? It's not every Brits dream to go over to Yankland, you know. And about keeping people up to date: Pulp's last album was released in '98 - and this month the new album is out. That's a very long time. Not much has been said or done between them, but then again, I didn't see Pulp fans complaing like Moz ones do. Hmmppphhh...

> Well done Jarvis.. take note MORRISSEY..

> Ruffian

[Nathaniel]

[Pagekeeper]

If he was, he'd be better than he is (or was). Phmmppphhhhhh...

[Ruffian]

> Jarvis > Lure of California? It's not every Brits dream to go over to > Yankland, you know. And about keeping people up to date: Pulp's
> last album was released in '98 - and this month the new album is
> out. That's a very long time. Not much has been said or done
> between them,

Yes.. my California fixation is innacurate (i.e. the way it killed Morrissey as a creative artist etc etc.. )..

..However Jarvis was active creatively during this period.. Playing gigs at eading.. DJ'ing.. mixing... working with the 'All Seeing I'.. and appearing at meltdown to play some diverse electronic stuff with a band of friends.. to name but 5 good examples..

But I'm not attacking you at all.. you're a good (man/girl) delete as applicable.. and you are a Jarvis fan!!

[Deku]

> Yes.. my California fixation is innacurate (i.e. the way it
> killed Morrissey as a creative artist etc etc.. )..

Do you really think it "killed" his creative-ness? Maybe you're right - every since he's been in this miserable country (the UK), he's been brilliant - probably because he was poor/unhappy/etc. Ah, America is bad for you, bad I say!

> ..However Jarvis was active creatively during this period..
> Playing gigs at eading.. DJ'ing.. mixing... working with the
> 'All Seeing I'.. and appearing at meltdown to play some diverse
> electronic stuff with a band of friends.. to name but 5 good
> examples..

True, true, very true. At least Jarvis was doing SOMETHING...

> But I'm not attacking you at all.. you're a good (man/girl)
> delete as applicable.. and you are a Jarvis fan!!

*Shakes hand*

[shadowplay]

Though Jarvis is @#!!!ing ugly as sin...

which means little in this world...

[russ t]

[meow]

[meow]

... "Trees" is pretty shocking. However, the new album it comes from has some BRILLIANT tracks (some of the best I've heard in ages!) Let's just hope they release the GOOD singles in the future. Look out for...

Minnie Temperly
The Birds In Your Garden
Bad Cover Version

*all* brilliant singles.

P.S Trees does grow on you a bit.

[Librarian on Fire]

Good point, Ruff. I'm fully convinced that once a band starts making it big time, come off the dole then their createtive peak has finished. One only needs to cite, Morrissey, Pulp and even Belle and Sebastian. A bands first album is normally the best. This is the one which has been dreamed about sitting in bedrooms while writing songs. The first two Smiths albums being examples. A band's second album is where the big name producer is drafted in. Normally it's a expansion of sound and a few added extras are put in. After this the band/artist starting doing overseas gigs, tv interviews and generally loose touch with their roots and sell out. See Oasis as an example of this.

Perhaps one differnce in Cocker Morrissey is that Jarvis seems a better "people manager" than Moz has and ever will be. And that has been part of the success of Pulp. Going through line up changes yet still delievering the same constant good level of pop. Both are students of pop history 101 and are very aware of other artists around before them and in which direction they want to go. Jarvis I think had more of a English Indie(ness) to him more than Moz has.

New Order, Big Day Out Auckland New Zealand, January 2002, thanks for the heads up on that.

LoF