2015 Russell Senior Interview - Bar Italia Forum

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Posted by Ian
I have just stumbled across this article which I don't think I have seen before. 

I don't think that the quote "I'd run out of juice and judging by the album sales the rest had too after I left" is justified. They released "This is Hardcore" a year after he left which was still a number 1 album and sold quite well considering the first three singles. He spoke favourably of the album on Radio 1 around the time of release. Sure, sales weren't as strong as for "Different Class" but even if they played it safe and released "Glory Days" as the first single, I don't think that they would have been that much better. Also, "We Love Life" still made it into the top 10. Presumably both of these (or "This is Hardcore" at least) sold better than "His 'n' Hers" and certainly better than the Fire albums in any case. The quote just seems really odd to me and not something I would expect Russell to say.

 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
I met him for the first and only time 10 years ago this week at the only public promo for the book he did, a small music-based literary weekend in Manchester. An early vape adopter as I recall...

He did do some good radio interviews at the time for BBC, 5Live and 6Music at least. I don't suppose anyone taped them?
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Ian
He features in this one (with Jarvis):
1986-11-08 Pulp Premspeak Interview
and also quite a bit in this one:

1998-03 Pulp This is Hardcore Radio Special

 

Other than those, I don't have any others. 

 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
The most distinctive and opinionated member of the group... surely we can do better than that (although one of my favourite bits of Pulp dialogue is from that '98 Radio 1 doc when he talks about playing to a small group of people in Derby being as important as a big gig)...

I've found one of the 2015 media clips -  the 6Music interview with Liz Kershaw, Dec '15. She talks way too much, the best part is Russell giving his expert opinion on some antique glassware in the last few minutes.

Can you pop this on FCL ?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p03bq60p?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

There was a more extensive interview with Phil Williams on 5Live too. From memory, he actually let Russell speak at length. Annoyingly, even though it was only a couple of months before the Kershaw interview, and it has its own page below, the audio has been removed:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p033y1k5

 

 
 
 
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Posted by Ste
I seem to remember reading (it's probably something I read in Truth And Beauty, but I might be way wrong) that Russell wasn't into the general direction of This Is Hardcore and had seen F.E...eling Called Love as his preferred direction for the band to take. I love Russell and what he brought to the band, but TIH is still my favourite album.

Edit: I also possibly remember him saying he was like the lime slice in a gin and tonic, and thinking how that was a superb way of explaining his contributions.

Oooh, I'd forgotten how much I hated editing posts here

-- Edited by Ste on Saturday 8th of November 2025 02:22:03 AM
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
Everything you mentioned him saying is within the same couple of minutes of the Radio 1 doc Ian linked to above. It's towards the end of one of the segments.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by saraseconds
Breaking my longtime lurking habit because I possibly have something to contribute for a change. So, hello all!

It's not TIH- or even overtly Pulp-oriented, but as far as Russell interviews go, I dug up the 2009 'The Beat Is the Law' podcast he was a part of a while back. He generally discusses Sheffield's music scene, and there's some classic Russell-isms:

www.thebeatisthelaw.com/wp-content/uploads/Podcasts/The_Beat_is_the_Law_Podcast_1_110311.mp3

Apologies if this is well-trodden ground - I haven't happened to see it floating around in my time. It'd be lovely if those old radio interviews did resurface, as Russell always makes for an interesting subject!
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Sturdy
Thanks a lot for posting that, I'd never heard it before. Russell on great form!
 

 
 
 
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Posted by saraseconds
My pleasure! And indeed - the Wayback Machine is a boon.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Jean
Lovely to hear Russell, thank you for posting that. Wonder what he's up to these days.
 

 
 
 
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