Pulp‘s Jarvis Cocker has spoken to NME about the loss of iconic venue The Leadmill in his native Sheffield – as well as revealing that he may step on its hallowed stage once more.
The steel city legends famously played their first ever public gig at The Leadmill in 1980, returning many times during their gradual ascent to one of the UK’s biggest bands of the ’90s – including the now infamous high-concept failure ‘Day That Never Happened’ show.
Before it was announced that the venue had finally lost their appeal against their eviction notice from The Electric Group this year, 2022 saw frontman Cocker return to join fellow local Richard Hawley for a benefit gig. Addressing the new owners, he said: “They may own the bricks and mortar, but they don’t own the spirit of the Leadmill”.
Ahead of Miles Kane being announced for the final gig at The Leadmill, the venue put out a plea for any artists who’d like to come and play farewell gigs to come forward. Speaking to NME as part of our recent interview around the band’s long-awaited new album ‘More‘, Cocker told us if there was any hope of Pulp gracing their stage once last time.
“I don’t think Pulp would fit into The Leadmill now, unfortunately,” he replied. “Every time I look, we’ve got another member. I know that Richard Hawley is doing something there soon and I might go up there, watch that and maybe go on stage.”
However, he is keen to take home a memento from The Leadmill – a black plaque that commemorates Pulp’s first gig.
“My main thing is trying to figure out how to get that plaque outside off the wall before the new owner moves in,” Cocker told NME. “I vowed that’s what I’d do if it was to close, and now it is. If the next thing you read about me is that I’ve been arrested trying to crowbar off a plaque from the outside of The Leadmill, you’ll know why.”
The venue was first served an eviction notice in 2022 – to the uproar of music fans and artists alike – when it emerged that Electric Group had bought the freehold for the site of the Leadmill in March 2017. The Electric Group runs a number of venues across the UK, including Brixton Electric, and has vowed to keep the building as a music venue that will “continue to be a cornerstone of the live music scene in Sheffield, supporting artists, fans, and community projects for the next 100 years”.
Speaking to NME about how events have unfolded, Cocker said: “It’s a bit like when Starbucks first started and they would close down all the coffee bars to open theirs. Leadmill was already a successful venue but now someone has bought it. They’re not turning it into flats, which is what usually happens.
“It’s a weird thing: that idea that you can invent a scene… This is the first place that Pulp played in Sheffield, it’s developed over a lot of time, and to create a place with that kind of history and atmosphere to it is not something that you can buy.”
And what if Pulp’s touching new song ‘Hymn Of The North’ were to be one of the last songs played there?
“There wouldn’t be a dry eye in the house! We’ll see…”
Fellow Sheffield star and former live Pulp guitarist Richard Hawley will be playing two final shows at The Leadmill this month. Speaking to NME last month, Mercury-nominated singer-songwriter told us about how the plight of the venue was reason enough to change the law.
“I’m trying not to get angry, but it’s very difficult because they say I’m the musician that’s played there the most by a long, long way,” said Hawley. “It’s probably true. I don’t want that to stop, and not just for me but other people. It’s a rite of passage. The people running it now are best placed to do so.”
He continued: “There desperately needs to be a change in legislation. If someone comes along and buys the land under your business and building and throws you out and turns it into flats – which happens all the time – or if they kick you out but steal your business, we’re talking about a serious moral issue.”
Pulp are currently on course for a Number One with their first new album in 24 years, ‘More’. The band are currently in the midst of a UK arena tour. Visit here for tickets and more information.
