Visionary ranting from one-time FT contributor Robin Carmody on Pulp and “Common People” and pop before and after the Britpop boom. Stirring, on-form stuff. Probably because he doesn’t hoist his banner (ironically or otherwise) for or against the “Poptimist” cause, Robin is one of the few writers who can still fleetingly convince me of how much pop directly matters, or used to, and make me feel a little ashamed for treating it as simple entertainment.