JARVIS COCKER

On a level with The Hollywood Sign and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, the storied Chateau Marmont is a landmark forever entwined in the history of Hollywood filmmaking (and thus American popular culture at large.) One particular suite of the distinguished hotel became the subject of Room 29 , a concept album by British songwriter—and Pulp frontman—Jarvis Cocker and Canadian composer Chilly Gonzales. The record explores the tales of just a few of the Chateau’s many famous (and infamous) guests.

In this extended Q&A, Jarvis Cocker talks in greater detail about his personal history with the hotel, the connection he established with television at an early age, and the research which went into writing the record. [Note: These are extra portions of our interview with Jarvis Cocker, quotes that didn’t make it into our main print article on Jarvis Cocker and Chilly Gonzales.]

Austin Trunick ( Under the Radar ): Do you recall what your impressions were on your first visit to the Chateau?

Jarvis Cocker: Well, it would have been in the mid’90s when I first stayed there. Like a lot of people, I suppose I’d heard of the hotel. I’m trying to remember, because a lot of the information for this record . Andre Balazs, who bought the hotel in the mid-1990s, did this anthology of writing about Hollywood, and specifically the Chateau. It’s a really good anthology of writing; actually, there’s some Raymond Carver stuff in there, and Eve Babitz—it was the first time I’d read anything from her. I can’t remember whether I bought that book before I stayed at the hotel, or after. I do remember [Pulp] stayed at the hotel and I was ill. It was one of the few times I ever had to cancel shows. And so, I ended up being alone in the hotel for three days while the rest of the band went off and enjoyed themselves whilst I recover from this illness. So my first visit was quite strange, really, because I wasn’t in a state to enjoy my stay. I wasn’t very well.