Pulp have signed a new record deal with Rough Trade amid rumours of an album coming in 2025.
A brief press release, shared today (December 12), reads: “Pulp are pleased to announce that they have signed a record deal with Rough Trade Records.”
The Sheffield band wrote: “Rough Trade have managed Pulp for over 30 years so it feels great to be finally on the label. We did it!”
Jarvis Cocker and co. reunited last year for the first Pulp shows since 2012. They have played various new songs while out on the road, such as ‘Farmer’s Market’, ‘Spike Island’, ‘My Sex’, and ‘You’ve Got To Have Love’.
Over the summer, it was reported that the group were “back in the studio” after frontman Cocker was spotted in Walthamstow, London. The singer was pictured carrying an orange Rough Trade tote bag while waving at the camera.
Pulp’s live comeback extended into 2024, and the band have already announced some dates for next year. These include a huge homecoming gig at Tramlines 2025 in Sheffield, and a headline set at Bilbao BKK in Spain.
Pulp have signed to Rough Trade Records.
The band say “Rough Trade have managed Pulp for over 30 years so it feels great to finally be on the label. We did it!”#pulp pic.twitter.com/TKVcQDLao1
— Rough Trade Records (@RoughTradeRecs) December 12, 2024
Pulp’s seventh and latest studio album, ‘We Love Life’, came out back in 2001 via Island Records. They then shared ‘After You’ – their first single in over a decade – through Rough Trade in 2012, as part of their first reunion. The track was produced by LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy.
Other yet-to-be-released songs to have been performed by Pulp on their current comeback run include ‘Background Noise’ and ‘A Sunset’.
Speaking to NME earlier this year, Cocker suggested the latter track – co-written by Richard Hawley – could be officially released at some point. “Richard gave me a recording of him playing the chords quite a while ago,” he said at the time. “I wrote some words for it.”
NME then asked Pulp guitarist Mark Webber about the rumours of a new album last month. “I guess at some point we’ll have to decide if we’re going to do something with these [new] songs,” he responded. “For the moment, that’s still hanging in the balance.”
As for what’s next for the band, Webber said: “I don’t know. We’ve got some shows confirmed, and I think it’s quite likely we’ll continue to do things.”
He also reflected on the experience of airing new material in a live setting, explaining: “People seem to be excited at the fact that we have some new songs. If you play a new song, then it’ll take the audience a while to digest it – it’s not like they’ll be in ecstasy immediately.
“It’s been good, and it’s good for us to do something different. As great as the songs are, it can get boring playing the same thing again and again.”
In October 2023, drummer Nick Banks downplayed the chances of Pulp releasing a new album soon, and said their reunion concerts were “more about getting the party back”.
“I’m not sure if any of us have a real appetite for that because you have to put three to five years of your life into it,” he told NME. “In terms of writing, recording then touring, it would be really difficult. I can’t see it happening myself – we’ve got other things to do.”
