''Freaks'' (released with the subtitle ''Ten Stories About Power, Claustrophobia, Suffocation and Holding Hands'') is the second
studio album by English
rock band
Pulp, released on 11 May 1987 by
Fire Records.
Release and aftermath
''Freaks'' was released in 1987 to little commercial success and features a much darker sound than its predecessor, ''
It''. Russell Senior sings lead vocals on "Fairground" and "Anorexic Beauty". "Master of the Universe" was released as a single in an alternative version called the "sanitised version"; it replaces the word "masturbates" with "vegetates".
"I Want You" is the only song from the album to have been performed live regularly, most notably during the UK Forest Tour in the Summer of 2002.
The album was reissued and remastered by Fire Records in 2012 along with 1983's ''It'' and 1992's ''
Separations''. This re-release took several delays as the first stated release date was 8 August 2011 while the albums finally came out on 13 February 2012.
An announcement in the interim stated that the albums would be remastered with new bonus tracks to be added to the track listings as well as new artwork and liner notes from music journalist Everett True.
The reissue bonus disc is in fact ''
Masters of the Universe
''Masters of the Universe'' (sometimes referred to as the ''He-Man'' or ''She-Ra'' series) is a sword and planet-themed media franchise created by Mattel. The main premise revolves around the conflict between He-Man (the alter ego of Prince Ada ...
'' compilation aside from two tracks: "They Suffocate at Night" which appears on the album itself and "Master of the Universe (sanitised version)" which again appears on the album without censorship.
Track listing
Personnel
Pulp
*
Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Branson Cocker (born 19 September 1963) is an English musician and radio presenter. As the founder, frontman, lyricist and only consistent member of the band Pulp, he became a figurehead of the Britpop genre of the mid-1990s. Following ...
– lead vocals, guitar, drums on "Anorexic Beauty"
*
Russell Senior
Russell Senior (born 18 May 1961) is a British musician and the former guitarist and violinist of the band Pulp.
Senior was born and grew up in Sheffield. Whilst at University in Bath, he formed the Dada Society (also known as the New Wave Soc ...
– violin, guitar, lead vocals on "Fairground" and "Anorexic Beauty"
*
Candida Doyle – organ, piano, backing vocals on "There's No Emotion"
*Peter Mansell – bass, guitar on "Life Must Be So Wonderful"
*Magnus Doyle – drums, percussion, guitar on "Anorexic Beauty"
Additional personnel
* Jonathon Kirk – mixing assistance
* Graeme Durham – mastering
* The Robert Winterman Design Group – sleeve design
References
*''Truth and Beauty: The Story of Pulp'' by Mark Sturdy (Omnibus Press)
AcrylicAfternoons
External links
''Freaks''at
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second most ...
(streamed copy where licensed)
*
{{Authority control
1987 albums
Pulp (band) albums
Fire Records (UK) albums