Taking its name from the Michael Caine film of the same title, Pulp is a Sheffield, England-based band that has gone through multiple reincarnations and lineup changes since its formation in 1978 by Jarvis Cocker. Dealing with a slew of tempestuous relationships with record labels in the 1980s--certain labels attempted to convince the band to alter its direction to commercial pop, while others consistently pressured it to meet impossible deadlines that limited its creativity--Pulp didn't achieve commercial or critical success until the release of His 'n' Hers in 1994. Though the band consistently shifted its sound in conjunction to its various incarnations and labels, it finally settled on a melodramatic post punk-Britpop fusion, leading Pulp to be grouped alongside greats of the time such as Blur, Suede and The Stone Roses. While the height of the group's fame occurred throughout the 1990s and it disbanded for a period of time for Cocker to deal with a drug addiction and a focus on a solo career, 2011 found Pulp reformed and performing at festivals throughout Europe and the UK.
