Life Could Have Been Very Different, But Then...

Celebrating Steve Mackey, 10th November 1966 to 2nd March 2023.

By sad coincidence, Steve appeared with Pulp in Tuesday's selection. On Thursday, he was gone at the age of 56. Far too soon.

It was when I was reading the tributes that followed that I began to appreciate how much of Steve's contribution to music outside of Pulp was sitting in my collection. So, rather than a straight selection of Pulp songs, I've gone a little wider and deeper.

Steve's partnership with Jarvis Cocker is undeniable and followed into the latter's solo albums and current releases as JARV IS... Steve and Jarvis also produced several remixes as The Chocolate Layers, with three included in today's selection.

 

I had no idea that he'd co-written, produced and later remixed (as Cavemen) M.I.A.'s debut single Galang. Or that he'd been behind the desk for Spiritualized's 2018 album And Nothing Hurt. Or that he'd produced The Long Blondes and Florence + The Machine. He had a hand in Race Of Life by Vangoffey too, a single from the 2015 collaboration between Louis Eliot (Rialto) and Danny Goffey (Supergrass). Steve also joined fellow Pulp members in writing and performing on Marianne Faithfull's 2002 album, Kissin Time.

 

And then there's Pulp. Not just the bass playing, the song writing, but a fringe to die for circa 1996. Far too many songs to choose from, but the selection starts and ends with two of my favourites, with a This Is Hardcore-era demo snuck in somewhere in between.

 

All in, an hour of Steve Mackey, with love and thanks. The title is taken from a line in this selection's final song and a tip of the hat for a life well lived. Rest in peace, Steve.

 

1) The Trees (Album Version By Scott Walker & Peter Walsh): Pulp (2001)

2) Pilchard (Album Version By Steve Albini & Jarvis Cocker): Jarvis Cocker (2009)

3) Weekend Without Makeup (Album Version By Steve Mackey & Richard Flack): The Long Blondes (2006)

4) Sliding Through Life On Charm (Album Version By Jarvis Cocker, Steve Mackey & Clive Goddard): Marianne Faithfull (2002)

5) Kiss With A Fist (Album Version By Steve Mackey & Richard Flack): Florence + The Machine (2009)

6) Galang (Cavemen Remix By Steve Mackey & Russ Orton): M.I.A. (2004)

7) Up A Tree Again (The Chocolate Layers' St. John's Ambulance Mix By Jarvis Cocker & Steve Mackey): Looper (1999)

8) Dirge (Cossack Apocalypse Mix By The Chocolate Layers aka Jarvis Cocker & Steve Mackey) (Edit): Death In Vegas ft. Dot Allison (2000)

9) My Erection (Demo): Pulp (1996)

10) Race Of Life (Album Version By Sam Dyson, Simon Byrt, Danny Goffey & Steve Mackey): Vangoffey (2015)

11) The Facts Of Life (Remixed By The Chocolate Layers aka Jarvis Cocker & Steve Mackey): Black Box Recorder (2000)

12) Am I Missing Something? (Pilooski/Jayvich Late Night Mix By Cedric Marszewski & Julien Vichnievsky): JARV IS... (2021)

13) Here It Comes (The Road) Let's Go (Album Version By Jason Pierce, Darren Lawson & Steve Mackey): Spiritualized (2018)

14) Something Changed (Album Version By Chris Thomas): Pulp (1996)

 

Life Could Have Been Very Different, But Then... (1:00:25) (Box) (Mega)