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Nick Morgan and crew
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Concert
Review by Nick Morgan |
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JARVIS COCKER
Shepherds Bush Empire,
London, November 26th 2008 |
| (SPECIAL
WARNING - As Kate, WF's excellent
London-based photographer (aka The Photographer),
didn't provide us with any photographs at all, we're
afraid we were obliged to hand-pick two or three
ourselves. - Ed.) |
| It’s
the thirtieth anniversary of Rough
Trade (Records that is, not the
shops of the same name) which despite its slightly
chequered history remains one of the most influential
independent labels in the UK, with a hall of fame
that includes artistes as diverse as Aztec Camera,
The Smiths, Pere Ubu, Subway Sect, British Sea Power
and Robert Wyatt. And of course Whiskyfun favourite
and Francophile Jarvis
Cocker, who’s been on the road
with his ‘Looking Rough at Thirty’ tour.
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| Jarvis
writes: “Rough Trade has always been about
discovering the new, exploring the unknown &
giving a voice to those who would otherwise remain
unheard. And they’re still doing it 30 years
on. This is no dewy-eyed nostalgia trip –
it’s an on-going revolution. Stand up &
be counted! (Actually, comfortable seating IS available
in most of the venues – should you require
it)”. Not quite true. We’re crammed
into the back of the standing area at the Shepherds
Bush Empire, with a very happy crowd of sardines,
the Photographer not even able to reach the camera,
let alone get a picture. At one point she does manage
a glimpse of Mr Cocker’s knee, and possibly
his long socks. |
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Jarvis
is here with some new band members, some new songs,
and a new, leaner, stripped-down sound, as is becoming
fashionable in these recessionary times (how, I
wonder, might bands like Radiohead fare in these
less extravagant times, when ‘back to basics’
may become the musical rule once more?). He’s
also got a projector and some Powerpoint slides.
Looking like a comprehensive school art teacher,
with beard and shambolic suit, he gives us a short
lecture early in the set on the history of the Bush,
from Music Hall via BBC Studio to its current use.
Later he returns to the subject of Rough Trade,
but it’s not the label that is his focus but
rather the shop, which leads him into a discourse
on retailing, the credit crunch, and of course our
new Westfield
Shopping Centre, a gigantic cathedral to Mamon
which has just opened round the corner, with valet
parking and – wait for it – ‘deluxe
dining’. For Jarvis fans these apparently
rambling interludes, which are often very cleverly
constructed segues (as they say in Italy) into the
next song (although pity the poor drummer who missed
his cue), are just as important as the music –
few artists are indulged quite as much by their
audience as Mr Cocker. |
| But
the songs aren’t bad. From the eponymous Jarvis
we’re given (as I recall) ‘Don’t
let him waste your time’, ‘Fat children’,
‘Big Julie’, ‘Tonite’ and
a rousing ‘Cunts are still ruling the world’
– everyone seemed to know the words to that
one. The new songs would all fall into the category
of ‘promising’ – some much more
so than others. But we enjoyed ‘Caucasian
Blues’, ‘Never told you’, ‘Further
complications’, ‘I’m not deep
I’m profoundly shallow’, ‘Girls
like it too’ and ‘A fucking song’,
the content of which should be self-explanatory
– well, more or less. There’s a new
album here – more or less – which promises
to be very good and probably much in tune with the
moment of 2009. Whether or not the Shaft meets Barry
White finale, ‘I don’t want to loose
you’ makes the cut remains to be seen (the
Yorkshire accent isn’t somehow quite as persuasive
as the late Isaac Hayes’ Memphis drawl). But
it seemed to work on the night, as live concert
gave way to discothèque (remember those Serge?)
for those who wanted to celebrate the birthday long
into the night. |
Now
you’ll remember what a considerate performer
Mr Cocker is. Time was when he’d happily
share his cigarettes with the audience, in the
absence of which he was happy to hand round his
glass of ‘medicinal’ Scotch. But in
between sips I managed to ask him my burning question
of the night: “What should I buy my mum
for Christmas, Jarvis?”. I should have guessed
the answer. “Black
Magic, yeah yeah yeah!” - Nick Morgan
Listen:
Jarvis
Cocker's MySpace page |
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