November-December 1978

Arabicus formed.

Line-up:

• Jarvis Cocker (vocals, guitar)
• Peter Dalton (guitar, organ)
• Ian Dalton (coal scuttle)

Rehearsals only.

January-March 1979

Ian Dalton leaves. David Lockwood joins on bass.

Rehearsals only.

March-November 1979

Band name changed to Arabicus Pulp.

Mark Swift joins on coal scuttle / drums.

The following super 8 films were made:

• Shakespeare Rock
• Star Trek (With Spaghetti Western Overtones) (spring 1979)
• The 3 Spartans (summer 1979)
• PTV (autumn 1979?)

December 1979

Band name shortened to Pulp.

Philip Thompson replaces David Lockwood on bass.

Rehearsals only.

February
The first Pulp song is released: What Do You Say? from the Ken Patten Demo appears on the Your Secret's Safe With Us compilation LP.

• Bath University (16 January)
• The Royal, Sheffield (27 January)
• Sheffield Polytechnic (Totley Site) 9 February)

10 February
David Hinkler joins the band on guitar, keyboards and trombone.

18 April
The Rotherham Demo is recorded at Kaley Studios.

• Marples, Sheffield (15 February)
• Marples, Sheffield (18 February)
• The Limit, Sheffield (23 February)
• Hallamshire Hotel, Sheffield (28 February)
• The Moonlight Club, London (20 March)
• The Limit, Sheffield (13 April)
• Sorby Hall, Sheffield (Party for the British Association of Young Scientists) (16 April)

July
The band takes a new direction: Peter Dalton and Jamie Pinchbeck leave, and Simon Hinkler joins on bass, keyboards and guitar.

August
Peter Boam joins: initially playing drums and later guitar and keyboards.

The line-up is now:

• Jarvis Cocker (vocals, guitar)
• Simon Hinkler (bass)
• David Hinkler (keyboards, trombone, guitar)
• Wayne Furniss (guitar)
• Peter Boam (drums)

November
Wayne Furniss leaves.

22 August
The Spice Demo is recorded at Input Studio, Sheffield.

• Stars On Sundae, Crucible Theatre, Sheffield (24 October)

27 November to 10 December
Recording sessions for the It mini-LP take place at Victoria Studios, Sheffield.

January
Michael Paramore and Tim Allcard (drums) join the band.

April
Magnus Doyle joins on drums. Michael Paramore leaves. Saskia Cocker regularly does backing vocals.

15 January 1983
A further recording session for the It mini-LP takes place at Southern Studios, London.

4 & 5 June 1983
The Everybody's Problem single is recorded at Southern Studios, London (details).

18 April 1983
The mini-LP It is released.

2 May 1983
First single, My Lighthouse, is released.

19 September
Everybody's Problem (single) released.

• Sheffield University (January?)
• Mr Kite’s Wine Bar, Chesterfield (January?)
• The Leadmill, Sheffield (2 February)
• Sheffield University Maze Bar (7 March)
• City School, Sheffield (March?)
• Crucible Studio Theatre, Sheffield (3 April)
• Brixton Fridge, London (2 May) - cancelled
• Marples, Sheffield (18 May) - cancelled when the PA blew up
• Marples, Sheffield (5 June) - cancelled to make way for recording session
• Marples, Sheffield (19 June)
• Marples, Sheffield (30 August)

September
Russell Senior joins on guitar. Simon Hinkler leaves, soon followed by Peter Boam and David Hinkler. The band's sound and attitude changes radically.

Line-up:

• Jarvis Cocker (vocals, guitar)
• Russell Senior (guitar, violin, vocals)
• Magnus Doyle (drums, occasional keyboards)
• Tim Allcard (percussion, hunting horn, poetry, keyboards etc)

For a while the band is put to one side, and instead the focus is on performing Russell Senior's Dadaist play The Fruits of Passion under the name The Wicker Players.

December
Peter Mansell joins on bass.

January
Bad Maureen Demo recorded at Vibrasound Studio, Sheffield.

• Brunel University, London (7 February)
• Cosmo's, Leeds (March?)
• Library Theatre, Sheffield (6 April)

April
Tim Allcard leaves, and Candida Doyle joins, playing keyboards and doing backing vocals.

8 May
Sudan Gerri demo recorded at the Wicker Karate Rooms, Sheffield.

11 November
Ping Pong Jerry Demo recorded at Castle Table Tennis Rooms, Sheffield.

June
Two demo tracks are released on the Company Classics 3 compilation cassette.

• Heywire Club, Pindar of Wakefield, King's Cross, London (30 May)
• Hallamshire Hotel, Sheffield (3 June)
• Sheffield Art College (20 June)
• Sheffield University (23 June)
• The B-Hive, Sheffield (26 July)
• Broomhill Carnival, Pitsmoor Vestry Hall, Sheffield (28 July)
• Sheffield Art College (30 October)
• The B-Hive, Sheffield (18 December)
• The Leadmill, Sheffield (29 December)

Pulp are interviewed on BBC Radio Sheffield's R.O.T.T. show. Sudan Gerri demo tracks are played.

10 July
Pulp sign their first contract with Fire Records.

November
Jarvis falls out of a window breaking his wrist and ankle as well as fracturing his pelvis. He spends six weeks in hospital.

June
Little Girl (With Blue Eyes) EP recorded at Input Studio, Sheffield (details).

18 November
Little Girl (With Blue Eyes) and Other Pieces EP released.

• Hallamshire Hotel, Sheffield (28 March)
• Limit Club, Sheffield (7 May)
• Gotham City Club, Fascinations Nitespot, Chesterfield (10 July)
• Dolebusters Festival, Sheffield University Octagon Centre (1 September)

The Outrage Tour with Dig Vis Drill and Mr. Morality begins:

• The Leadmill, Sheffield (Outrage Tour) (22 September)
• Moles Club, Bath (Outrage Tour) (23 September)
• Thekla, Old Profanity Showboat, Bristol (Outrage Tour) (24 September)
• Darlington Arts Centre (Outrage Tour) (4 October)
• Adam & Eve's, Chesterfield (7 October)
• Bradford University (Outrage Tour) (17 October)
• Middlesbrough (Outrage Tour) (23 October)
• Sheffield University (25 October)
• The Wellington, Hull (Outrage Tour) (6 November)
• Rotherham Arts Centre (cancelled) (6 December) - cancelled following Jarvis’ accident
• Fulham Greyhound, London (cancelled) (7 December) - cancelled following Jarvis’ accident

22 and 23 February
Recording session for the Dog Are Everywhere EP at Input Studio, Sheffield.

21 to 27 June
Pulp's second album Freaks is recorded at Input Studio, Sheffield (details).

30 June
The Dogs Are Everywhere EP is released.

The following dates featured Jarvis in a wheelchair:

• The Clarendon, Hammersmith, London (Outrage Tour) (9 January)
• The Limit, Sheffield (14 January)
• 1 in 12 Club, Queens Hall, Bradford (Outrage Tour) (15 January)
• Thames Polytechnic, London (Outrage Tour) (17 January)
• Chesterfield Arts Centre (29 January)
• Adelphi Club, Hull (Outrage Tour) - 1 February - probably did not play

• Maze Bar, Sheffield University (29 April)
• Time Box, Bull & Gate, London (30 April)
• Adelphi Club, Hull (10 May)
• The Limit, Sheffield (13 May)
• Rock Garden, London (15 May)
• Chesterfield Library (23 May)
• Chesterfield Conservative Club (31 May)
• Library Theatre, Sheffield (2 July)
• Tropic Club, Bristol (4 July)
• The Leadmill, Sheffield (19 July)
• The Leadmill, Sheffield (8 November)

November 1986
Magnus Doyle leaves, soon followed by Peter Mansell and Candida Doyle. Steven Havenhand takes over on bass, Nick Banks on drums, and Captain Sleep on keyboards. This marks a change of musical direction, based around an East European disco folk influenced sound.

• Adelphi Club, Hull (late November)
• 100 Club, London (4 December)

January
Candida Doyle rejoins replacing Captain Sleep.

Line-up:

• Jarvis Cocker (vocals, guitar)
• Russell Senior (guitar, violin)
• Candida Doyle (keyboards)
• Steven Havenhand (bass)
• Nick Banks (drums)

July
Recording session at FON Studio, Sheffield.

December
Another recording session at FON Studio, Sheffield.

5 January
They Suffocate at Night (single) is released.

30 March
Master of the Universe (single) is released.

11 May
Second album, Freaks, is released.

• The Leadmill, Sheffield (January/February)
• The Limit, Sheffield (3 March)
• Co-Op Building, Chesterfield (6 May)
• The Limit, Sheffield (19 May)
• Barracuda Club, Nottingham (15 July)
• The Leadmill, Sheffield (8 August)
• Liverpool Earthbeat Festival (16 August)
• The Groovy Fishtank, Take Two, Sheffield (21 August)
• 20th Century Club, Derby (8 October)

May
Jarvis and Russell are interviewed on BBC Radio Sheffield. Tracks from Freaks are played.

January
Antony Genn replaces Steven Havenhand on bass.

September
Jarvis moves to London to study film at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. The band is put on hold.

Death Comes to Town is announced as the next single on the FON record label. In the end, it fails to materialise.

• Babylon Revisited, Camden Falcon, London (18 February)
• The Winding Wheel, Chesterfield (26 February)
• Sheffield University Lower Refectory (10 March)
• The Day that Never Happened, The Leadmill, Sheffield (8 August)

November
Steve Mackey replaces Antony Genn on bass.

• Sounds Christmas Party, Dingwalls, London (12 December)

17 July
Demo recorded at Priory Studio, Sheffield.

August
Separations is recorded at FON Studio, Sheffield.

• The Leadmill, Sheffield (8 February)

• Underworld, London (24 January)
• The Venue, London (28 February)
• Wolverhampton Polytechnic (27 March)
• Corn Exchange, Cambridge (30 March)

O.U. tour:

• The Powerhaus, London (6 May)
• The Leadmill, Sheffield (11 May)
• Adelphi, Hull (23 May)
• The Hibernian, Birmingham (26 May)
• Underworld, London (27 May)
• Salford University (28 May)
• Jericho Tavern, Oxford (29 May)

• Newcastle Polytechnic (1 June)
• Waterfront, Norwich (4 June)
• In the Park 1992, Finsbury Park, London (6 June)
• The Dome, London (19 June)
• The Venue, London (20 June)
• Sheffield City Hall Ballroom (13 July)
• Piece Hall, Halifax (5 September)

Babies tour:

• Sussex University, Brighton (7 October)
• Bristol Polytechnic (9 October)
• Wolverhampton University (10 October)
• Wherehouse, Derby (12 October)
• Boardwalk, Manchester (13 October)
• King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow (15 October)
• Cardiff University (17 October)
• ULU, London (23 October)
• Princess Charlotte, Leicester (24 October)

• Camden Palais, London (3 November)
• Sheffield University Lower Refectory (7 December)
• L'Espace Europeen, Paris, France (20 December)
• The Powerhaus, London (23 December)

30 May
Session recorded for Mark Goodier's Evening Session (BBC Radio 1)

October
The Babies promo video is played on The Chart Show (ITV)

17 November
Pulp's first Black Session: a 10-song live session on French national radio.

• L'Olympic, Nantes, France (29 January)

Razzmatazz tour:

• Mayfair, Glasgow (23 February)
• Newcastle University (24 February)
• Liverpool University (25 February)
• Manchester University (26 February)
• Leicester University (27 February)
• Cardiff University (28 February)
• Leeds Metropolitan University (2 March)
• Hull University (3 March)
• Equinox Empire Ballroom, London (4 March)
• South Parade Pier, Portsmouth (5 March)

• ULU, London (17 March)
• Rock Garden, Dublin (20 March)
• The Tower, Hull (4 April)
• Sound City, The Leadmill, Sheffield (5 April)
• Highbury Garage, London (15 May)
• Oxford University (29 May)
• Phoenix Festival, Stratford-upon-Avon (16 July)
• Festivals Les Inrockuptibles, L'Aeroneff, Lille, France (3 November)
• Festivals Les Inrockuptibles, La Cigale, Paris, France (4 November)
• Festivals Les Inrockuptibles, Salle de la Cite, Rennes, France (5 November)

Lipgloss tour:

• Duchess of York, Leeds (8 November)
• Edwards No. 8, Birmingham (9 November)
• Wherehouse, Derby (10 November)
• Manchester University (11 November)
• King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow (13 November)
• Pelican, Aberdeen (14 November)
• Riverside, Newcastle (15 November)
• Wheatsheaf, Stoke-on-Trent (17 November)
• Roadmenders, Northampton (18 November)
• The Mill, Preston (19 November)
• The Leadmill, Sheffield (20 November)
• Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth (22 November)
• LA2, London (23 November)
• Fleece and Firkin, Bristol (24 November)
• Tivoli Theatre, Dublin (26 November)

• Festival Taste of Indie, Nancy, France (4 December)
• The Garage, London (18 December)

19 January
A TV concert recorded at the Astoria Theatre in London. Broadcast on The Beat in February.

7 February
Pulp record their second Peel session: eleven years after the first one.

17 February
Hit the North session recorded (BBC Radio 5).

2 April
Irish TV appearance on JMTV Rocks the Garden (RTE1).

5 April
Live set broadcast from the Leadmill in Sheffield (Sound City '93, BBC Radio One)

23 April
The Warehouse (ITV)

12 August
No Stilletos (BBC2)

20 August
News At Night (MTV)

16 November
Live session on the Mark Radcliffe Show (BBC Radio 1).

17 November
A cameo appearance on Sean's Show (a comedy series) (Channel 4)

19 November
The Word (Channel 4)

• NME "Brat Awards", The Forum, London (24 January)
• New Astoria, London (25 January)
• Do You Remember the First Time? film launch, ICA, London (9 March)
• Sound City, Tramway, Glasgow (4 April)

His 'n' Hers UK Tour:

• The Garage, Glasgow (24 April)
• Riverside, Newcastle (25 April)
• Metropolitan University, Leeds (26 April)
• Manchester University (27 April)
• Hull University (28 April)
• HMV, Sheffield (acoustic) (29 April)
• Octagon Centre, Sheffield (29 April)
• Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton (2 May)
• Leicester University (3 May)
• Waterfront, Norwich (4 May)
• The Junction, Cambridge (5 May)
• The Forum, Kentish Town, London (6 May)

His 'n' Hers French Tour:

• FNAC, Nancy, France (acoustic) (17 May)
• Exo 7, Rouen, France (18 May)
• La Cigale, Paris, France (19 May)
• L'Escale, Nantes, France (20 May)
• Salle des Concerts, Le Mans, France (21 May)
• Dorémi, Bordeaux, France (24 May)
• Le Bikini, Toulouse, France (25 May)
• Rock Store, Montpelier, France (26 May)
• L'Espace Julien, Marseilles, France (27 May)
• Le Forum Rexy, Rion, France (28 May)
• La Salamandre, Strasbourg, France (30 May)
• L'Usine, Reims, France (31 May)

• Stockholm, Sweden (7 June)
• Melkweg, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (9 June)
• Glastonbury Festival (26 June)
• Dour Festival, Dour, Belgium (10 July)
• T in the Park Festival (30 July)
• Reading Festival (27 August)

North American tour:

• Venus De Milo, Boston (15 September)
• Vic Theatre, Chicago (17 September)
• Masquerade, Atlanta (19 September)
• Howling Wolf's, New Orleans (20 September)
• Hollywood Palace, Los Angeles (24 September)
• The Fillmore, San Francisco (25 September)
• Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto (28 September)
• City Academy Theater, New York (29 September)

• Keele University, Newcastle-under-Lyme (4 October)
• Aston Villa Leisure Centre, Birmingham (5 October)
• University of Essex, Colchester (6 October)
• Alexandra Palace, London (7 October)

French tour:

• L'Ubu, Rennes, France (10 October)
• Bataclan, Paris, France (11 October)
• Terminal Export, Nancy, France (13 October)
• L'Oree Du Neuland, Colmar, France (14 October)
• Le Transbordeur, Lyon, France (15 October)

• Pulp Ficton launch party, Ministry of Sound, London (17 October)
• London Lighthouse (31 October)
• Prince's Trust Gala Concert, Docklands Arena, London (6 December)
• Pulp at Christmas, Theatre Royal, London (18 December)

March
Concert filmed at the Astoria Theatre broadcast on The Beat (ITV).

15 March
A second Black Session recorded for French radio (France Inter).

22 March
An acoustic session for the Pete Aherne Show (BBC GLR).

22 March
A performance for MTV's Most Wanted.

4 April
Concert broadcast on BBC Radio 1 from the Tramway Theatre, Glasgow for the annual Sound City event.

16 May
French acoustic radio session for Le Top 50 (Europe 1).

24 May
Naked City (ITV).

27 May
Butt Naked (Channel 4).

2 June
First Top of the Pops appearance with Babies.

2 June
Le Circle De Minuit (TF2, France).

4 June
Le Plein De Super (Canal+, France).

26 June
4 Goes to Glastonbury: 2 songs broadcast (Channel 4).

9 July
Most of Pulp's set at the previous month's Glastonbury Festival is broadcast on the John Peel Show (BBC Radio 1).

7 August
TV in the Park (ITV).

13 September
Mercury Music Prize Awards (BBC Radio 1 and BBC2). Pulp narrowly lose out to M People.

19 September
First US radio appearance. A session for WRAS in Atlanta.

October to December
Five songs from the Reading Festival are broadcast on The Beat (ITV).

5 October
A concert from Birmingham's Aston Villa Leisure Centre is broadcast on BBC Radio 1.

12 October
Another French radio session played (Le Top Live, Europe 1).

22 October
Third Peel Session recorded.

26 December
Babies from The Prince's Trust Gala Concert is broadcast (BBC1).

• Sound City, Anson Rooms, Bristol (21 April)
• Sheffield Arena (22 April)
• Glastonbury Festival (24 June)
• Heineken Festival, Leeds (22 July)
• Lollipop Festival, Stockholm (29 July)

Different Class UK tour:

• The Dome, Morecombe (30 September)
• Barrowlands, Glasgow (1 October)
• Newcastle University (2 October)
• Town & Country Club, Leeds (5 October)
• University of East Anglia, Norwich (6 October)
• Cambridge Corn Exchange (8 October)
• Rock City, Nottingham (9 October)
• De Montfort University, Leicester (10 October)
• Que Club, Birmingham (11 October)
• The Academy, Manchester (12 October)
• Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool (14 October)
• Cardiff University (15 October)
• University of Exeter (16 October)
• The Event, Brighton (18 October)
• Shepherd's Bush Empire, London (19 October)
• The Forum, Kentish Town, London (20 October)
• Sheffield City Hall (22 October)
• Middlesbrough Town Hall (23 October)
• Ulster Hall, Belfast (24 October)
• SFX, Dublin (25 October)

Different Class European tour:

• Fnac Italiens, Paris (13 November)
• Le Zenith, Paris (14 November)
• Brielpoort, Deinze, Belgium (15 November)
• Revolver, Madrid (18 November)
• Papillon Club, Valencia (19 November)
• Zeleste II, Barcelona (20 November)
• Le Bikini, Toulouse (21 November)
• Théâtre Barbey, Bordeaux (22 November)
• Le Rockstore, Montpelier (24 November)
• Espace Julien, Marseille (25 November)
• Transbordeur, Lyon (27 November)
• La Vapeur, Dijon (28 November)
• La Laiterie, Strasbourg (29 November)
• L'Usine, Reims (30 November)
• Exo 7, Rouen (1 December)
• L'Olympic, Nantes (4 December)
• Bataclan, Paris (5 December)
• L'Aeronef, Lille (6 December)
• VK Club, Brussels (7 December)
• Melkweg, Amsterdam (8 December)
• E-Werk, Cologne (10 December)
• Metropol, Berlin (11 December)
• Markthalle, Hamburg (12 December)
• Pumpenhuset, Copenhagen (13 December)

UK Christmas mini-tour:

• Spa Theatre, Bridlington (16 December)
• Empress Ballroom, Blackpool (17 December)
• International Centre, Bournemouth (19 December)
• Brixton Academy, London (20 December)
• Brixton Academy, London (21 December)