Steve Mackey has announced he will not be joining Pulp for their 2023 reunion tour. Read his full statement below. Earlier today (October 28), the Sheffield band confirmed long-rumoured plans for a huge UK and Ireland tour which will take place next summer.

The bassist shared the news he wouldn’t be embarking on tour via Instagram.

“Pulp is a very important part of my creative life,” Mackey wrote. “I’m exceptionally proud of the body of work we’ve created together. Jarvis and I remastered  Pulp’s entire Universal Records back catalogue together just over two years ago at Abbey Road Studios. It was a huge pleasure to do that and review our songs and recordings together.”

He continued: “There have been wide reports of a full reunion for UK concerts today. However, I’ve decided to continue the work I’m engaged in – music, filmmaking and photography projects,  and will not be joining them for these UK  shows just announced.

“Wishing Candy, Nick, Mark and Jarvis the very best with forthcoming performances in the UK and also an enormous thanks to Pulp’s amazing fanbase, many of whom have sent me lovely messages today.”

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Frontman Jarvis Cocker confirmed back in July that the band would be hitting the road next year for their first gigs together since 2012. Pulp drummer Nick Banks also told fans to “stay calm, hug your Pulp records and dream of going mental sometime in 2023”.

After a “big” announcement was teased Thursday (October 27) by Cocker, Pulp shared the dates for their 2023 reunion tour, which features headline slots at Latitude and TRNSMT festivals, two hometown headline shows in Sheffield, a London gig at Finsbury Park and more.

“Three months ago, we asked, ‘What exactly do you do for an encore?’” Cocker wrote in a statement.

The Britpop icons announced their last reunion in 2010, featuring the ‘Different Class’ line-up of Cocker, Banks, Russell Senior, Candida Doyle, Steve Mackey and Mark Webber. Pulp went on to perform a number of shows, including a surprise set at Glastonbury 2011 and headline slots at Reading & Leeds that year.

The group haven’t released new material since 2012’s standalone single ‘After You’, which was produced by James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem.

Speaking to NME in 2015, Jarvis Cocker likened Pulp to “a dormant volcano”.