This Is Hardcore released

It was during this period of intense fame and tabloid scrutiny that longtime member and major innovator in the band’s sound Russell Senior decided to leave the band, saying, “it wasn’t creatively rewarding to be in Pulp anymore”. The band were due to begin working on a new album in late 1996. However, Cocker was having difficulty with the celebrity lifestyle, battling cocaine addiction and a break-up of a long-term relationship. When the band came to begin work on the next album, they had only one song – ” Help the Aged “. This creative inertia meant the band took over a year to finish the next record. Indeed, it was Cocker’s disillusionment with his long-desired wish for fame that made up much of the subject matter of This Is Hardcore , which was released in March 1998. The album took a darker and more challenging tone than that of Different Class and lyrical topics – pornography (the title track), fame (“Glory Days”) and the after effects of drugs (“The Fear”) – were dealt with more earnestly than on previous records. Also in 1998, Pulp collaborated with Patrick Doyle on the song “Like A Friend” for the soundtrack to the film Great Expectations . The song was also used in the Adult Swim cartoon The Venture Bros. season 4 finale ” Operation: P.R.O.M. “