O PENETRA DO BRITPOP
Em 1995, a Inglaterra vivia uma efervescência musical que a imprensa rotulou de "Britpop". Bandas como Suede, Oasis e Blur haviam estourado fazendo um som que remetia a grandes artistas britânicos (Bowie, Beatles, T-Rex e Smiths), com sotaque carregado e letras que descreviam o estilo de vida do Reino Unido.
O Pulp já existia há quase quinze anos, mas nunca havia feito muito sucesso. Lançara uma série de álbuns que iam do folk ao technopop, e que hoje em dia estão basicamente esquecidos (embora eu pessoalmente goste bem de "Separations", de 1992). A coisa começou a mudar em 1994, quando lançaram o excelente album "His 'n' Hers", produzido por Ed Buller (que já havia produzido os dois primeiros discos do Suede). As letras do vocalista Jarvis Cocker eram crônicas britânicas perfeitas. Daí foi só ele tirar os óculos e meter uma chapinha na franja para se tornar o mais novo herói do britpop.
"Different Class", de 1995, é dos melhores álbuns da época, que trouxe além do hino "Common People", grandes hits como "Mis-shapes", "Disco 2000" e "Sorted for E's and Wizz". Eu já gostava da banda desde o disco anterior, e lembro que a primeira vez que ouvi "Common People" foi no programa do Kid Vinil, na Brasil 2000, porque um amigo meu ligou e pediu para ele tocar para mim. (Pois é, 95, nada de Internet. Para ouvir coisas mais alternativas era nessa rádio, em lojas de CD especializadas ou no máximo no programa "Lado B", da MTV.)
Claro que Suede sempre foi minha preferida - sempre me identifiquei mais com os freaks do que com os nerds - mas Pulp foi das grandes bandas da minha adolescência. E eu nunca tinha visto ao vivo, até ontem.
O show no Via Funchal foi impecável. A banda é bem melhor ao vivo do que eu pensava. Jarvis Cocker continua em grande forma, em todos os sentidos, voz idêntica aos discos, grande performer, espevitado e simpaticíssimo, conversou o show inteiro com a plateia, tentando ler palavras em português de uma cola. Estava cheio, mas não estava lotado. Todo um povo da minha geração - indies trintões, na maioria heterossexuais. Fui com a Fabbie, ex-namorada do final dos anos 90, e encontrei grandes amigos da época. Dançamos todos como se o século não tivesse acabado.
Fabbie era uma menina indie, que hoje se tornou grande empresária e produtora de shows, e amiga para a vida toda.
Agora voltei a ouvir Pulp. A banda merece todo meu respeito. Pena que não lançam nada novo desde 2001 - a turnê é aquela coisa nostálgica de grandes sucessos. Mas não dá para negar a genialidade das letras do Jarvis:
"Don't bother saying you're sorry / Why don't you come in
Smoke all my cigarettes again / Every time I get no further
How long has it been? / Come on in now, wipe your feet on my dreams
You take up my time / Like some cheap magazine
When I could have been learning something
Oh well, you know what I mean, oh / I've done this before
And I will do it again / Come on and kill me baby
While you smile like a friend / Oh and I'll come running
Just to do it again" ("Like a Friend")
Ou
cos he's sitting on his own again this evening.
I know you're gonna let him bore your pants off again.
Oh God, it's half past eight,
you'll be late.
You say you've never been sure,
though it makes good sense for you to be together.
Still you bought a toy that can reach the places he never goes.
Oh, now it's getting late.
He's so straight.
Do you remember the first time?
I can't remember a worse time.
But you know that we've changed so much since then,
oh yeah,
we've grown.
Now I don't care what you're doing,
no I don't care if you screw him.
Just as long as you save a piece for me,
oh yeah ("Do you Remember the First Time").
Ou a letra de "Common People"
She came from Greece she had a thirst for knowledge,
she studied sculpture at Saint Martin's College,
that's where I,
caught her eye.
She told me that her Dad was loaded,
I said "In that case I'll have a rum and coca-cola."
She said "Fine."
and in thirty seconds time she said,
"I want to live like common people,
I want to do whatever common people do,
I want to sleep with common people,
I want to sleep with common people,
like you."
Well what else could I do -
I said "I'll see what I can do."
I took her to a supermarket,
I don't know why but I had to start it somewhere,
so it started there.
I said pretend you've got no money,
she just laughed and said,
"Oh you're so funny."
I said "yeah?
Well I can't see anyone else smiling in here.
Are you sure you want to live like common people,
you want to see whatever common people see,
you want to sleep with common people,
you want to sleep with common people,
like me."
But she didn't understand,
she just smiled and held my hand.
Rent a flat above a shop,
cut your hair and get a job.
Smoke some fags and play some pool,
pretend you never went to school.
But still you'll never get it right,
cos when you're laid in bed at night,
watching roaches climb the wall,
if you call your Dad he could stop it all.
You'll never live like common people,
you'll never do what common people do,
you'll never fail like common people,
you'll never watch your life slide out of view,
and dance and drink and screw,
because there's nothing else to do.
Sing along with the common people,
sing along and it might just get you through,
laugh along with the common people,
laugh along even though they're laughing at you,
and the stupid things that you do.
Because you think that poor is cool.
Setlist do show
Do You Remember the First Time?
Pink Glove
Underwear
A Little Soul
Disco 2000
Sorted for E's & Wizz
F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E.
Acrylic Afternoons
Like a Friend
Babies
Party Hard
This Is Hardcore
Sunrise
Bar Italia
Common People
Bis:
she studied sculpture at Saint Martin's College,
that's where I,
caught her eye.
She told me that her Dad was loaded,
I said "In that case I'll have a rum and coca-cola."
She said "Fine."
and in thirty seconds time she said,
"I want to live like common people,
I want to do whatever common people do,
I want to sleep with common people,
I want to sleep with common people,
like you."
Well what else could I do -
I said "I'll see what I can do."
I took her to a supermarket,
I don't know why but I had to start it somewhere,
so it started there.
I said pretend you've got no money,
she just laughed and said,
"Oh you're so funny."
I said "yeah?
Well I can't see anyone else smiling in here.
Are you sure you want to live like common people,
you want to see whatever common people see,
you want to sleep with common people,
you want to sleep with common people,
like me."
But she didn't understand,
she just smiled and held my hand.
Rent a flat above a shop,
cut your hair and get a job.
Smoke some fags and play some pool,
pretend you never went to school.
But still you'll never get it right,
cos when you're laid in bed at night,
watching roaches climb the wall,
if you call your Dad he could stop it all.
You'll never live like common people,
you'll never do what common people do,
you'll never fail like common people,
you'll never watch your life slide out of view,
and dance and drink and screw,
because there's nothing else to do.
Sing along with the common people,
sing along and it might just get you through,
laugh along with the common people,
laugh along even though they're laughing at you,
and the stupid things that you do.
Because you think that poor is cool.
Setlist do show
Pink Glove
Underwear
A Little Soul
Disco 2000
Sorted for E's & Wizz
F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E.
Acrylic Afternoons
Like a Friend
Babies
Party Hard
This Is Hardcore
Sunrise
Bar Italia
Common People
Bis:
O.U. (Gone, Gone)
Razzmatazz
Live Bed Show
Mis-Shapes
Razzmatazz
Live Bed Show
Mis-Shapes
Bis 2:
Something Changed
Jarvis é foda.
