Pitchfork

Mark E. Smith photo by Kevin Cummins

Jarvis Cocker and Mark E. Smith have their ways with words. But, though Smith's acid-tongued rants are the stuff of legend and Jarvis is always good for a quote or two, we mostly know them from the tunes they deliver. A pair of events at this year's Brighton Festival, however, will bring us a little closer to the dudes behind the tunes, as each speaks on a few of his favorite subjects. For Mr. Cocker, it will be the art of songwriting, while Mr. Smith will, naturally, be talking about himself.

Jarvis will present "Jarvis Cocker on Song: Saying the Unsayable", an audiovisual lecture in which the former Pulp frontman will delve into such time-tested questions as "Should songs rhyme?" and "Is there anything you can't write a song about?" He'll reportedly explore his own lyrics before undertaking an analysis of the words of Leonard Cohen, Errol Brown of UK pop act Hot Chocolate, Pete Doherty, and Amy Winehouse. What's more, Cocker will attempt to make some sense out of one of the most lyrically oblique songs of all time: "Louie Louie", originally penned by Richard Berry. The lecture takes place May 23 at the Brighton Concert Hall [via NME.com].

As for Mark, well, as mentioned, the Fall frontman will be doing what he does best: comin' at you from the first person. "For the first time", the Brighton Fest website says somewhat cheekily, "Smith offers a candid and wry take on The Fall myth: the infighting, the incarceration, the drugs, the bankruptcy, the divorce, and of course the music." Sounds like a Fall show without the drum kit. Mark appears May 24 at the Old Court House.

Though these are certainly the most interesting music-related lectures, they're not the only ones, as Alex James of Blur and Neil Tennant of Pet Shop Boys will also be chattin' it up at Brighton.

On the musical side of things, there's some intersection with the concurrent Great Escape Festival, as the Theatre Royal will host Vashti Bunyan, Nina Nastasia, the Twilight Sad, Frightened Rabbit, Vetiver, Silje Nes, and Tom Brosseau May 16-17 as part of "FatCat Nights with the Great Escape". Also of note is "Still Black, Still Proud: An Afro Tribute to James Brown", featuring Tony Allen, Cheikh Lô, saxophonist Manu Dibango, Tony Remi, Wunmi, and DJ John Warr of Afrobase. The Brighton Festival runs May 3-25; scope the fest's website for info on the many, many other happenings, musical and otherwise.

Smith also recently caught the attention (and ire) of animal rights activists when he bragged about killing endangered red squirrels in an interview. (Via the Daily Swarm) "Squirrels mean nothing to me," he said. "I killed a couple last weekend actually. They were eating my garden fence. My sisters are animal lovers and they had been leaving food out for these squirrels. They've got rats in the bloody house now. Serves 'em right."

According to the Daily Mail, Smith is currently under investigation by the RSPCA (the Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).

Getting back to the music, then: both the Fall and Jarvis have shows to look out for. While Mark and company will stick to the UK and Europe for the next few months in anticipation of the April 28 release of new album Imperial Wax Solvent, Jarvis has only one engagement beyond the chat next month: his appearance at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago this July. Don't mean to lecture, but, uh, you ought to be there too.

The Fall:

05-03 Salford, England - Maxwell Hall
05-08 Belfast, Northern Ireland - Cathedral Arts Festival
05-10 Bexhill-on-Sea, England - De La Warr Pavilion
06-13-14 Järvakandi, Estonia - Rabarock Festival
07-17-20 Dour, Belgium - Dour Festival

Jarvis:

07-19 Chicago, IL - Union Park (Pitchfork Music Festival) *

* with Animal Collective, !!!, Vampire Weekend, Dizzee Rascal, Fleet Foxes, No Age, Jay Reatard, King Khan & the Shrines, Atlas Sound, the Ruby Suns, A Hawk and a Hacksaw, Occidental Brothers Dance Band International