A balloon launch to drum up publicity of their hometown of Sheffield did not appeal to too many individuals, he remembers, however one did make all of it the best way to Slovenia. The next 12 months, he lower up a pair of Jarvis Cocker’s trousers into 500 items, “all put in individually numbered envelopes and sent out to fans”.
It was 1993, a decade on from the discharge of Pulp’s debut album, however nonetheless two years earlier than they have been to realize large mainstream success. Just a few years later, they determined to supply Cocker’s previous Hillman Imp automotive, not roadworthy, as a contest prize. “It was crushed, compacted into a cube, someone won it, and we delivered it in a truck to their garden.”
It was genius silliness, indicative of the time. These days, in case you’re a younger fan who loves a band or an artist, you assemble on social media – however again within the Nineties, it was all about signing as much as the official fan membership.
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Some 500 Pulp followers have been as soon as handled to scraps of Cocker’s trousers within the submit. Pic: Mark Webber
For Webber, who began out as a Pulp fan himself, it was a dream job which ultimately led to him turning into the band’s tour supervisor – after which, simply earlier than they hit the peak of their fame, becoming a member of as guitarist.
It isn’t an autobiography as such, however a scrapbook of moments advised primarily by ephemera collected over the past 5 a long time, from pictures and flyers to set lists and press clippings, in addition to different notes and scribblings saved by the years.
Webber went by his hoard in the course of the pandemic lockdown. “It was in disarray at the time,” he says. “I hadn’t looked at it for so long I was finding things I couldn’t even remember what they were.”
‘We have been in a bubble – instantly the world caught up’
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Jarvis Cocker on stage in Wolverhampton in 1992. Pic: Mark Webber
His story with Pulp begins in 1985, when he was an “obsessive” teenage music fan hanging out at a small unbiased file retailer in Chesterfield “where all the weird kids would go”. Again then, the band’s fan base was small, he says, and so they have been “amused” by the “daft, psychedelic kids” who adopted them. They acquired to know them.
Webber ultimately began serving to out with levels units earlier than taking up the fan membership duties. Then his function morphed once more as he was known as on to play guitar and keyboards at stay reveals, and commenced to contribute to songwriting.
He grew to become an official member in 1995 – simply earlier than they grew to become one of many largest bands within the UK with their fifth album, Totally different Class, due to songs reminiscent of Disco 2000, Sorted For E’s and Whizz, and signature monitor Frequent Individuals.
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Within the days earlier than social media, Pulp Individuals saved followers updated. Pic: Mark Webber
“Do you think it’s a coincidence that happened just as I joined?” Webber asks, laughing. “There was this trajectory. There was such a momentum building that it just became clear that, like, every next thing the group did was going to be more successful.”
It was an odd feeling, he says. “Because we were in the bubble at the time, just doing our thing, and suddenly the world had caught up and kind of realised how great Pulp was.”
I am With Pulp paperwork among the milestone moments within the band’s historical past, such because the 1995 Glastonbury headline set, earlier than the discharge of Totally different Class, which took place at quick discover after The Stone Roses have been compelled to drag out. Webber remembers how the band spent the night time tenting backstage.
“That was horrible because I hate camping,” he says. “And the concert, at the time it didn’t feel like such a great show. But everyone seemed to love it.”
Headlining Glastonbury – however tenting in tents
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Pulp performed a secret set at Glastonbury after they first reunited in 2011 – however did not camp that point. Pic: AP/ Mark Allan
Trying again on the roster of current Glastonbury headliners – Elton John, Paul McCartney, Adele, Dua Lipa, The Killers – it is laborious to think about any of them pitching a tent within the mud earlier than performing to 100,000 individuals.
“Well, I’ve never spent the night in a tent since then,” says Webber. “So it changed my life.”
A extra notorious incident in Pulp’s historical past was Cocker dashing the stage throughout Michael Jackson’s efficiency of Earth Track on the Brits the next 12 months.
On the time, it did not really feel as important a second because it has grow to be in in style tradition, Webber says. “There was disbelief in the moment, that he actually dared to do it. And that it was so easy to do. That’s the thing none of us could really understand, that there was no security or anything stopping anyone getting on the stage that easily.”
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Cocker invaded the stage throughout Michael Jackson’s efficiency of Earth Track on the Brit Awards in 1996. Pic: Reuters
The aftermath was extra regarding. “Like, ‘is Jarvis going to go to prison?’ Because we were starting a tour the next day.”
In the end, says Webber, most awards ceremonies and trade occasions are “boring – you have to do something to amuse yourself”.
After splitting in 2002, Pulp reunited for the primary time in 2011, after which once more for reveals final 12 months.
The response was “kind of amazing”, Webber says. It is “quite likely we will play in England before we disappear again”, he hints. “There’s nothing confirmed yet but we expect there’ll be more concerts next year.”
‘I in all probability ought to have loved it extra’
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Webber says his tour supervisor briefcase is one among his favorite objects from his early days. Pic: Mark Webber
The ebook paperwork Webber’s story. The merchandise he was most glad to rediscover, he says, was the briefcase he used throughout his time as tour supervisor, adorned with a classic ‘I am With Pulp, Are You?’ sticker, which offered inspiration for the title.
“I knew I had it somewhere, but what I didn’t expect when I opened it up was that it still contained some contracts, to do lists, itineraries, a Bic biro, a packet of Setlers, and the business cards of various guest houses,” he says. “I used to carry this around everywhere, and in the days before we all had mobile phones, it had to contain everything we’d need for a concert or tour.”
After taking the time to look again, is there something he would change?
“Well, I mean, I probably should have enjoyed it more.” Webber laughs. “I’m always like the slightly glass half-full, grass is always greener type outlook… I did maintain quite a normal life, I didn’t have an address book full of celebrities that I’d go and hang out with – not that that’s something to aspire to, but, you know, maybe I should have been a bit more wild at the time when I had the chance.”
I am With Pulp, Are You, printed by Hat & Beard, is out now, with a launch night time on the ICA in London on 27 November
