Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker to host festive ‘Solstice Service’ on BBC 6 Music

1 day ago7 min read4 comments

In a move that feels like the perfect seasonal curation, Jarvis Cocker, the iconic frontman of Britpop legends Pulp, is set to host a special festive 'Solstice Service' on BBC 6 Music, stepping into the coveted slot usually held by the punk godfather Iggy Pop. This isn't just another radio show; it's a carefully composed setlist for the year's longest night, a concept that fits Cocker's artistic persona as snugly as one of his signature vintage suits.The man who gave us anthems of suburban yearning and common people has long been a cultural curator of the highest order, from his Pulp days to his more recent spoken word and radio endeavors, always finding the profound in the everyday. His promise to 'bring some light' with this one-off special is a lyrical mission statement in itself, suggesting a broadcast that will be less about frantic Christmas cheer and more about a reflective, almost spiritual, celebration of the turning year.For fans of a certain disposition, those who find more truth in the melancholic twang of a post-punk ballad than in Slade's 'Merry Xmas Everybody,' Cocker's stewardship of the airwaves is a genuine event. He follows in a grand tradition of musician-DJs on 6 Music, a station that thrives on the eclectic tastes of its presenters, from Iggy's raw rock and roll to Guy Garvey's poetic northern soul.One can only imagine the sonic journey he'll craft—perhaps beginning with the ethereal gloom of a Cocteau Twins track to acknowledge the encroaching darkness, before building toward something unexpectedly joyous and luminous, a musical dawn breaking through the radio static. This is the kind of programming that defines BBC 6 Music's unique place in the British cultural landscape: a refuge from algorithmic playlists, a place where a national treasure like Cocker can act as our guide through the shadows, selecting B-sides and forgotten gems that speak to the season's strange mix of loneliness and togetherness. It’s a two-hour mix-tape from a master, a solstice ritual scored to the sound of a crackling vinyl and Cocker's unmistakably wry, Sheffield-accented observations, offering a moment of collective, contemplative pause before the calendar flips over once more.

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#Pulp

#BBC 6 Music

#radio show

#Solstice Service

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