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Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Cocker in concert, 2006
Background information
Birth name	Jarvis Branson Cocker
Born	19 September 1963 Sheffield, England
Genre(s)	Rock, Britpop
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, keyboardist, guitarist
Instrument(s)	Lead vocals, keyboards, guitar
Years active	1978 - present
Associated acts	Pulp Relaxed Muscle

Jarvis Branson Cocker (born 19 September 1963, in Sheffield, England) is an English musician, best known for fronting the band Pulp.

Cocker is from a musical family - his father, Matthew "Ghion" Cocker-Logan, and uncle were musicians. Fellow Sheffield musician Joe Cocker was a friend of the family and occasionally babysat him, although they are not related.

Cocker founded "Arabacus Pulp" (named after a tradeable commodity seen by Cocker in an economics class) at the age of 15 while he was still at The City School. After numerous line-up changes, and a shortening of the name to just "Pulp", they eventually found fame in the 1990s with the success of the albums His 'n' Hers (1994) and Different Class (1995).

Cocker invaded the stage at the 1996 BRIT Awards to protest against Michael Jackson's performance. Jackson performed surrounded by worshipping children and a rabbi, while making 'Christ-like' poses and performing his then-recent hit, "Earth Song". Cocker and his friend Peter Mansell (a former Pulp member) performed an impromptu stage invasion in protest. In the ensuing confusion, as others attempted to eject Cocker from the stage, a child performer received minor injuries.

Cocker was later detained and interviewed by the police on suspicion of assault. He was subsequently released without charge. Opinions from the press on Cocker's actions were mixed. The March 2, 1996, edition of Melody Maker, for example, suggested Cocker should be knighted, while Cocker's friend Noel Gallagher, of Oasis fame claimed "Jarvis Cocker is a star and he should be given MBE". Gallagher is also quoted as saying of Jackson's behaviour "For Michael Jackson to come over to this country after what's all gone on - and I think we all know what I'm talking about here - to dress in a white robe, right, thinking he's the Messiah - I mean who does he think he is? Me?"^[1] However, other journalists and the organisers of the BRIT Awards were outraged by Cocker's behavior. In response to the ensuing media scrutiny of the action, Cocker responded, "My actions were a form of protest at the 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 recall."^[2]

The resulting press attention saw the band's record sales soar and a waxwork statue of Jarvis Cocker, which costs £30,000, was placed in Rock Circus, London.

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 BBC.

He co-wrote several songs ("Walk Like A Panther", "1st Man in Space", "Drive Safely Darlin'", "Stars On Sunday", and "Happy Birthday Nicola") on The All Seeing I's album Pickled Eggs & Sherbet, released in 1999. He contributed lead vocals to "Drive Safely Darlin'".

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 are now on hiatus. Cocker now lives in Paris with his wife, Camille Bidault-Waddington, with whom he has a son, Albert.

Cocker has also directed some music videos, most notably On by Aphex Twin, Sudden Rush by Erlend Øye and Aftermath by Nightmares on Wax.

He re-emerged in 2003 to promote a new album, under the pseudonym "Darren Spooner", for his new band Relaxed Muscle. Also in 2003, he appeared on the Richard X album Richard X Presents His X-Factor Vol. 1. 2004 then brought Cocker briefly back into the limelight with two collaborations with Nancy Sinatra on her new album, as well as a collaboration with Marianne Faithfull on her album Kissin' Time, with the song "Sliding through Life on Charm."

In 2005 Jarvis Cocker co-wrote three tracks ("La Degustation", "Basque Country" and "Fred de Fred") on French Sheffield-based electronic duo The Lovers' self-titled debut album. He has also contributed to the soundtrack for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, writing and performing three tracks entitled "This is the Night", "Do The Hippogriff" and "Magic Works". He appeared briefly in the film as lead singer of the wizard pop act the Weird Sisters (unnamed in the film owing to a legal scuffle with real-life group the Wyrd Sisters). The fictitious group also featured Jonny Greenwood and Phil Selway from Radiohead, Steve Mackey from Pulp, Jason Buckle from Relaxed Muscle and Steve Claydon from Add N to (X). That same year he also covered "I Can't Forget" by Leonard Cohen as part of the tribute show for the film Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man.

In 2006 Cocker appeared on albums Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited (song "I Just Came to Tell You That I'm Going", co-performed with Kid Loco) and Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys (song "A Drop of Nelson's Blood"). His song "Running the World" appeared over the closing credits of the film Children of Men. Also in 2006, along with Steve Mackey, he 'curated' the 2-CD Compilation, The Trip, which featured a wide selection of tracks by artists as varied as The Fall, Gene Pitney, The Beach Boys, and The Polecats. He also co-wrote lyrics on the Charlotte Gainsbourg album 5:55, with Neil Hannon and members of Air. On October 12th 2006, a fictional Jarvis Cocker was a lead character in a drama on BBC Radio 2, as part of their 'Imagine' competition.

DJ Jarvis. Cocker putting a palazzo through its paces during the opening week of the 2005 Venice Bienniale

Jarvis Cocker is now following a solo career, after his father Matthew Cocker-Logan, suggested he needed him to buy a retirement home - his debut album, Jarvis, came out in the UK on November 13, 2006. In March 2007 he appeared on French band Air's new album Pocket Symphony.

On Valentine's Day 2007, he was chosen to give the award for Best British Newcomer (awarded to the Fratellis) at the Brit Awards.

Jarvis and Beth Ditto (The Gossip) recently collaborated on a cover version of the classic 80s track Temptation by Heaven 17 at the NME Awards in London.

Jarvis is due to Curate this year's Meltdown Festival at the South Bank Centre in London this June. ^[3]

See Pulp and Relaxed Muscle for their respective discographies

• Jarvis (November 13, 2006) #37 UK

• "Running the World" (download only)
• "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time" (January 8, 2007) UK #36

1. ^ Noel Gallagher interviewed by Chris Evans on TFI Friday, 1996
2. ^ http://www.mlp.cz/space/opatrilp/Pulp/the_Brits_96.html
3. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2024716,00.html

• Jarvspace - Jarvis Cocker's Myspace page (created 3 July 2006)
• Jarvis Cocker's record label and management company in UK
• World's Fair label group releases "Jarvis" the album in USA, 4 April 2007
• Jarvis Cocker's stage invasion at the 1996 Brit Awards (text)
• Review of Jarvis Cocker's debut London solo gig at Koko (15 November 2006)
• Jarvis Cocker on Desert Island Discs
• Jarvis Cocker's Music Video for 'Don't Let Him Waste Your Time' + interview with director Dougal Wilson.
• Jarvis Cocker - Live set at Inrocks Festival 2006, Paris (dab radio broadcast).