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(Jarvis Cocker of Pulp - transformed taking the piss into high art)

I was reminded by a reader last night that, while I was mentioning Blur and Oasis, I neglected to mention one of the most influential bands of the mid-90s Britpop explosion, Pulp. Fronted by Jarvis Cocker, whose razor-sharp lyrics were/are a perfect companion to his stage persona, Pulp became one of the most enduring bands from the 90s. Probably something more of cult following here in the States than overseas, even though they've sold over 10 million copies of their albums worldwide. But nonetheless, one of the great bands to come out of that period. Sadly, they split in 2002.

This track, Common People, might be familiar - but I'm afraid it may be more familiar as the version done by William Shatner a couple of years back. I've gotta be honest, I hated that version - it was sacrilegious to me, because Shatner did it as a goof and the song is anything but - just my opinion. At any rate, it's off the 1995 album Different Class and it's one of a lot of great songs off that album.

If you're not familiar with them, I would really urge you to check them out. But if you are familiar - I'm just preaching to the choir.

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(Blur - put Britpop on the map - and we're glad they did)

Blur tonight. From the Popscene ep from 1992 - Mace. I always loved this band. I could never quite figure out the whole Blur vs. Oasis thing - I suspect it was more a publicity device than anything else. It was a bit like the Beatles vs. Rolling Stones supposed rivalry in the 60s. It was and is still possible to like both bands and their music and not play favorites. Especially on a Friday night.

Life is too short anyway.

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(Dodgy - after a brief respite of seven years, back together)

Actually, a reasonably well established band in the UK and ironically issued on an American label (A&M UK), Dodgy have been considered part of the Britpop wave of the 90s (i.e. Blur, Oasis) and having a number of charting singles they appear to be totally unknown here in the States. After an initial burst of success in the 90s, the band dissolved around 2001 and got back together in their original lineup in 2007 and are now touring and recording.

This track, Ain't No Longer Askin' is off their album Free Peace Sweet released in 1996 and climbed to #7 on the UK charts.

If you aren't familiar, here is a taste.

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(The Charlatans (UK) - still very much alive and kicking)

Since I mentioned them last night during my Catherine Wheel entry, I thought I should include the headliners from that 1995 gig, The Charlatans (UK) - or just The Charlatans if you're overseas.

As much as everyone talked nonstop at the time about Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, Inspiral Carpets and the rest of the Madchester scene in the early 1990s, The Charlatans have to be mentioned in the same breath. It's something of a misnomer to consider them Britpop, because they have many more layers than just one you could identify. Testimony to that fact, they are still recording and gigging around, and are just as popular as ever. Even though the band have gone through a number of personnel changes over the years, they are still fronted by Tim Burgess whose distinctive vocals are fresh as ever.

I thought I would refresh your memory with a cut off their second album, actually two cuts since they fade into one another. Weirdo and Chewing Gum Weekend.

And if you've never heard of them before . . . . . where have you been?

Enjoy, Juggalos and Juggalettes.

In some less-than-shocking news, Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher quit the band moments before they were supposed to take the stage at a festival in Europe last week. In a statement released on oasisnet.com, Noel had this to say:

“It’s with some sadness and great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight. People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer... Apologies to all the people who bought tickets for the shows in Paris, Konstanz and Milan.”

Who knows how long this break-up will last, since the band of brothers is notorious for their years of constant scuffles.

I'm a sucker for a great cover tune, and if you aren't then you're just too cool for school!

Quiet Riot's cover of Slade's "Cum On Feel the Noize" is better known than the original. This version by Oasis, apparently well known among more dedicated Oasis fans than this one, is absolutely addictive and has immediately shot deep into my top covers list, along with Jimi's "Like a Rolling Stone" and Jawbox's "Cornflake Girl".

What's on your list?

In this day and age where it's perfectly normal for bands to take years between albums, it's not a lot of news that Oasis won't have another album for five years, but Noel Gallagher does want you to know that he's putting Oasis on hold for a few years to work on his solo albums and because he thinks that his brother Liam is a jerk.

Noel tells Q Magazine that Liam, known for an angelic voice and a terrible personality, hasn't even met Noel's son. "He's rude, arrogant, intimidating, and lazy. He's the angriest man you'll ever meet. He's like a man with a fork in a world of soup." Looks like Noel has gotten much more clever with words since he wrote "I've got to be myself, I can't be no one else" in Oasis's first song.