I think I've got that. [26] He has also been a panellist on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown. I was tempted to count all the words in Pest and see what percentage of them actually began with P, but realised in the nick of time what kind of a nerd that would make me. He released several albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and continues to perform regularly. There's no pubs where I live anymore. It refers to macaronis who were kind of pre-Beau Brummel dandies from 200 years ago. Well, I'm a fan so I found this autobiography super charming. His life is as extraordinary as youd expect and had me wondering if it is actually a privilege to be working class. A book of two halves by Britain's "bargain basement Baudelaire" as poet John Cooper Clarke writes an autobiography of sorts. He embodied its ethos before the concept even existed. With kind-of-terrible, kind-of-hysterical comments Like a nightclub in the morning, youre the bitter end every claim is unleashed like a bomb. I can only think of one instance where a poem has become a song. [1] He released several albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and continues to perform regularly. As he reveals in his book of the same name, we have the compilers of the 1990s GCSE English syllabus, who included three of Clarkes poems, to thank for it. He's the most straightforward interpreter of a song that it's possible to get. I'll mither my daughter to Goggle [sic] them on her Skyper. [2][9] Clarke toured with Linton Kwesi Johnson, and has performed on the same bill as bands such as the Sex Pistols, the Fall, Joy Division, Buzzcocks, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Elvis Costello, Rockpile and New Order (including at their May 1984 Music for Miners benefit concert at London's Royal Festival Hall). Along the way we get treated to some of John Cooper Clarkes finest writing and maybe as we gained a poet, we lost an author. In memory of Bernard Nyland who has finally got to The lists of people he knows and has worked with is impressive, from Bernard Manning to Gil Scot-Heron, from The Clash to Nico, from Plan B to Chuck Berry to list a very few. British punk poet who set lyrics of rebellion to the music of lesser-known bands. They have done me so much good those lads. [2] He lived in the Higher Broughton area of the city and became interested in poetry after being inspired by his English teacher, John Malone,[3] whom he described as "a real outdoor guy, an Ernest Hemingway type, red blooded, literary bloke". John Cooper Clarke (born 25 January 1949) is an English performance poet who became famous during the punk rock era of the late 1970s when he became known as a "punk poet". The sartorially suave punk poet grew up in the Higher Broughton area of Salford, opposite the Rialto Picture House where he spent a lot of time immersed in the movie world that inspired much of his work. His musical albums include Snap, Crackle & Bop; Zip Style Method; Disguise in Love; and Walking Back to Happiness. SNAP, CRACKLE & BOP CD. Technique. Finally, we get back onto the subject of Radio Four and another shared love:Im Sorry, I Havent a Cluewhich has survived many personnel changes from the deaths of Willie Rushton and Barry Cryer as well as long time presenter, Humphrey Lyttelton making way for Jack Dee. He has a great deal of respect for the tabloid hack who puts themselves in danger for a good story. For me it will be The Clash, The Slits, The Sex Pistols, The Ramones, Blondie, Siouxsie and the Banshees and of course, The Saints. I'm from an industrial city. "Don't do it.". I grew up with much the same memories: UCP cafes, meat and potato pies, running home on a Friday night to watch Ready Steady Go, and the Twisted Wheel and Jigsaw clubs in Manchester. I just wanted to take the line of least resistance. John Cooper Clarke (born 25 January 1949) is an English performance poet who first became famous during the punk rock era of the late 1970s when he became known as a "punk poet". He never relies on style. A Music War, in which he performed his poem "Health Fanatic". I mean, crikey! John Cooper Clarke rose to fame as a 'people's poet' in the 1970s, and is one of Britains best known spoken word artists (Photo: Paul Wolfgang Webster) By Louise Rhind-Tutt October 13, 2017. The only two things I disagree with him on are a) Genesis (dude, you've confused them with the Grateful Dead--that's the band with the 30 minute guitar solos) and b) that an artist should never avow their politics. I remember him from the 70s and from assorted TV appearances. He kicked me in the balls and said something profound. The name of a group is important and that one is unforgettable. Around this time, he performed on stage with several punk and post-punk bands and continues to perform regularly. How so? Features 30 new poems, including the favourites; I've Fallen In Love With My Wife and Get Back on Drugs you Fat F*ck. He said, 'He taught me how to knock the poetry out of it. Follow us on Vero for exclusive music content and commentary, all the latest music lifestyle news and insider access into the GQ world, from behind-the-scenes insight to recommendations from our Editors and high-profile talent. On three separate occasions Clarke has to be resuscitated from the point of death. This the man who first taught him that poetry should be heard, not read, and who managed to transform his classroom into a hothouse of proto-rap battles. I loved what they did with [my poem] I Wanna Be Yours. Simple yet utterly perfect, Evidently Chickentown is a stark depiction of a location so grim that Clarke can only adequately express this by using a stream of continuous expletives. Upon receipt, Clarke commented: "Now I'm a doctor, finally my dream of opening a cosmetic surgery business can become a reality. His recorded output has mainly centred around musical backing from the Invisible Girls, which featured Martin Hannett . John Cooper Clarke: a poet with a fondness for the f-word The influential English punk poet is still full of piss and vinegar after five decades By Liisa Ladouceur Apr 9, 2018 Gerald. I saw people like John Lee Hooker, The Animals, The Who. anarchic punk poetry John Cooper Clarke is . This is perhaps a reflection of his upbringing in Salford which he describes in a way that highlights the fact that it is a dirty, grimy area this can often inform his poetry. Despite a pretty grim situation occurring He kicked me in the balls and said something profound you cant help but laugh at his lines, because they paint an entertaining picture. Best Poems does not have poems published by this Poet yet. . John Cooper Clarke (born 25 January 1949) is an English performance poet, who first became famous as a "punk poet" in the late 1970s. JCC goes into fascinating detail about his early life in Manchester leading up to punk superstardom, drug addiction and then the massive comeback as major poet he enjoys today. Though he needs no such affirmation, it cements Clarkes status as one of the most distinctive voices in pop cultural history its impossible not to hear him read every word aloud in your head with that unforgettable Manc drawl and reveals much about a remarkable life and career. His life and career spans a big timescale, and with his constant demons this is no mean feat. (For adults and teenagers). Please whitelist confidentials.com to continue to our site and enjoy an Ad-Light experience. I love playingWheres Wallywith poems find the metaphor, spot the simile detour relationship never really went beyond that which is strange because I love music and essentially lyrics are just poems to music. The only person that I could ever point at that ever made a living out of poetry was Charles Baudelaire. In 1988, he made an appearance in two UK adverts for Sugar Puffs, taking second billing to the Honey Monster. I Wanna Be Yours explores the feelings of love and want, cleverly articulated by Clarke wishing to be the everyday things that come into close physical contact with the object of his affection, such as raincoats, vacuum cleaners and coffee pots. A fat book by a thin man that I felt didn't get to the heart of the matter, and I was left not knowing if I like him, knowing he wouldn't give a fuck about what I think. Near the end hes given up drugs, married and has a grown up daughter. Evie. Punk poet John Cooper Clarke upset some of his fans with 'transphobic' content at a gig in Sheffield (Photo: Getty) Posting on Twitter, he said: "Walked out of @official_jcc gig. Dont worry, we wont ask who. 14.00 GBP. However, I laughed out loud and thoroughly enjoyed the book once he started performing. John Cooper Clarke (born 25 January 1949) is an English performance poet who first became famous during the punk rock era of the late 1970s when he became known as a "punk poet". Evidently Chickentown I was surprised that the reviews and descriptions made no mention of Clarke's addictions. To me, it depends on the artist. Here are the biggest talking points. Nico and Clarke famously lived in south London together in the 80s. Anybody with a pen and a piece of paper can do it. Even one hes never read. Oh, those tragic Brit holidays. Simple and timeless, it addresses the realities of raw feelings as Clarke expresses a desire to be the electric heater youll get cold without. I also recommend his love show! Contents John cooper clarke twat on after dark 1982 Confidentials Manchester, Dublin weekend: history, seafood, literature and shiny chests. John Cooper Clarke - Haiku. You go outside if you like fresh air that much.. 9.50 GBP. (I Married A) Monster From Outer Space(I've Got A Brand New) Track Suit23rd36 hoursA Distant RelationAction ManApart From The RevolutionAre You The BusinessArts N' CraftsBeasley StreetBelladonnaBronze AdonisBunch Of TwigsBurnleyConcussionConditional DischargeCycle AccidentDay My Pad Went MadDay the World Stood StillDrive She SaidDumb Row Everybody else has been teachers, librarians or whatever. I'm seeing the value of pubs now because they've been banned. And, no, I will not burn my copy of "Ou est la Maison de Fromage," for I love you live and solo as you are best heard. Came across JCC through the Arctic Monkeys. It's Working Men's Club. We have a small favour to ask. A serious note is being struck here and this poem looks at a life after revolution. I want to talk to John about eating and drinking out. Perhaps the reason why people hold this particular poem in such affection is because of the Beasley Streets that we all know, the fully furnished dustbins that lurk in provincial Northern towns or London outskirts. He was the original punk. He also starred in another 1982 film titled John Cooper Clarke Ten Years in an Open Necked Shirt produced for the Arts Council of Great Britain and Channel 4. It's a great achievement for a poet to get on the National Curriculum and as Clarke shows it gave him another generation of fans like Arctic Monkeys, and a bit of regular money. They drive the book, his difficult life and the mean spirit which is probably not his true self. In October of 1981 Clarke appeared in episode 2 of series 3 of The Innes Book of Records (TV series), reciting "Evidently Chickentown". John Cooper Clarke is an English poet who is regarded as a "punk poet." He became famous in the late 1970s and released several albums. Clarke lost much of the 1980s to a heroin addiction, when he lived in a flat in Brixton with Nico, the late singer and muse of the Velvet Underground; he dislikes any attempt to glamorise that. When you hear his version of Lost In Music you realise that even when Sister Sledge did it, it was always a Fall tune.. John Cooper Clarke is an English performance poet, who first became famous as a "punk poet" in the late 1970s. The worlds defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking whats new and whats next since 1952. I used to think trees were dirty, because when I was a kid in Salford you'd climb them and come off filthy, it was like you'd been up a chimney and even if you got a stretch of park you just had to scrape the grass and there were, like, cinders underneath it was horrible[5], His first job was a laboratory technician at Salford Tech. Pest is ostensibly about someone urinating in public but really is Clarke delighting in his mastery of the English language. The projected track list included The Beat Goes On by Sonny and Cher, Love is Strange by Mickey and Sylvia, Welcome Home by Peters and Lee, I Just Want to Stay Here by Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorm, and Thanks for the Memory by Bob Hope and Shirley Ross. Feargal Kinney gave us his top 10 John Cooper Clarke poems. 10.00 GBP. In one particularly grim passage he has to arm himself to try and score in the perilous underworld of late-70s New York. Extra charming, in fact, because I clandestinely downloaded the audio book to hear the great poet's self-defined adenoidal Mancunian Yiddish and Cockney slang-laced voice reading his life to me. He explains in an interview . The gutturally nasal Northern machine gun verse of John Cooper Clarke, as full of vitriol as it is humour and irony, is as inimitably his own as the black hairspray explosion and 28 inch waist black drainpipes still omnipresent in his 70s (70s!). Ive been a fan since my teens and its always nerve-racking meeting your heroes. John's 2018 poetry collection The Luckiest Guy Alive features 30 new poems including the favourites; I've Fallen In Love With My Wife and Get Back on Drugs you Fat F*ck. Poetry with swearing in it.. What kind of poet is John Cooper Clarke? It doesnt say much, but it goes to great lengths to say it. Suspended Sentence His unique poetry and delivery style was recorded and put to music by legendary producer Martin Hannett. I listen to it on a Friday to see if I'm on it.. Beasley Street- a punk poem by John Cooper Clarke Far from crazy pavements - The taste of silver spoons A clinical arrangement On a dirty afternoon Where the fecal germs of Mr Freud Are rendered obsolete The legal term is null and void In the case of Beasley Street In the cheap seats where murder breeds Somebody is out of breath Throughout the 60s, he was a member of a comically inept beat combo whose Spinal Tap-style career is worthy of its own book. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he released several albums. I didnt want the 15+ hours of this to end, and had I the time, Id listen to it again right away. [18], In July 2013, Clarke was awarded an honorary doctorate of arts by the University of Salford in "acknowledgement of a career which has spanned five decades, bringing poetry to non-traditional audiences and influencing musicians and comedians." With more and more millennials beginning to search for political clarity through poetry, sales of Clarkes work are currently soaring high. Clarkes time spent sharing a Brixton flat with actor and songwriter Nico, while both were deep in the mire of serious heroin addiction, is well-documented. His wife Evie, whos French, is the better cook. And I've never really shook that off.. "One of Britain . In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he released several albums. John Cooper Clarke shot to prominence in the 1970s as the original 'people's poet'. Theres a reason why John Cooper Clarke was dubbed the first punk poet: his words have long delivered an honest exposure of urban Britain. Series 15: Episode 1", "Pointless Celebrities Next on BBC One", "BBC Radio 4 Desert Island Discs, John Cooper Clarke, poet", "BBC Two Celebrity Antiques Road Trip, Series 9, Episode 7", "John Cooper Clarke: The punk poet whose time has come again", "John Cooper Clarke Post-War Glamour Girl / Kung Fu International CBS UK S CBS 6541", "Movie Highlights | Interviews, Quizzes & More", "Various Short Circuit Live At The Electric Circus (Vinyl) at Discogs", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Cooper_Clarke&oldid=1142709900, People associated with the University of Salford, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, "Pity the Plight" (2012 Ill manors album Plan B), This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 23:42. Interspersed with the most unlikely offerings that came with the disco era. Some extracts taken from an interview with Punk Poet - John Cooper Clarke. Sort of rave kids. He hastens to add that he values newspapers hugely and doesnt like to see any newspaper collapse. If anything rejigged my career, it's the Arctic Monkeys doing 'I Wanna Be Yours., That's how I got into it, from school. The saddest of all, however, is when he realises that an emaciated, greasy heroin dealer is in fact Chet Baker, once jazzs handsome, charismatic Prince of Cool, now a shadow of his former self. The band's Alex Turner has said he is very fond of Clarke's work and takes inspiration for lyrics from his poems. Unfortunately, the latter half is a repetitive and often boring account of all the numerous ways of taking heroin at various times and locations. By 1978, he was opening for the Sex Pistols and the Buzzcocks, and . [1] In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he released several albums. Much later down the line, now a successful performance-poet, he spent time as the de facto frontman of The Invisible Girls, a band assembled to provide musical accompaniment that included an eye-watering number of bona fide legends including Buzzcocks Pete Shelley, Joy Division and New Orders Stephen Morris, The Falls Karl Burns, 10ccs Paul Burgess, Be-Bop Deluxes Paul Nelson and the Durutti Columns Vinni Reilly. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. In Johns fantastic memoir,I Wanna Be Yours, he talks a lot about his friend, the lateMark E Smith. You never meet an artist who isn't a fan [of Mark]. I cant prove this, because sadly there is no recorded evidence, but youve gotta believe me.. I Married a Monster from Outer Space is a top ten MUST. Media City ain't Ordsall any more than The Vatican City is Rome, he says, The modern priestly class of show-business is kept apart from the hoi polloi of Ordsall. Having an idea to write such a poem is one thing, but to create such a masterfully crafted text is quite another. All rights reserved. Best line: Theyd hang you for incontinence and fiddling your tax. On Sale POETRY QUOTE BLACK T-SHIRT. At 5 feet 11 inches (32in chest, 27in waist), in trademark dark suit, dark glasses, with dark messed-up hair and a mouth full of gold teeth, he is instantly recognizable. He shot to cultural prominence in the Seventies, producing and performing poetry that tackled real-life matters with zero fear and total vibrance. Its what we all talk about in everyday conversation, but Clarke converts it to gritty poetry. In this autobiography he is engaging and pretty honest (irritating as well). One of his more playful numbers, this tale of take away violence at the hands of an embryonic Bruce Lee was released as a b-side to single Post War Glamour Girls in 1978, and its light hearted nature echoes the nightclub circuit in which Clarke cut his teeth before the punk era. I've got to check them out. On Sale 1. He toured with Bill Nelson's band Be-Bop Deluxe in 1978 and was signed by Epic Records, who issued the studio album Disguise In Love, produced by Hannett, in 1978. He really wasn't limited to any sub-genre. I mean, he is in my house, but in general houses. But, yeah, actors just sound like twats when they get all high and mighty trying to shame talk TV hosts, I give you that. Clarke also recorded a song with the band entitled "Dead Man's Shoes". Seminal tracks such as Beasley St and Evidently Chickentown featured on the album Snap Crackle and Bop, one of 4 hit 70/80s album releases. About John Cooper Clarke. Please continue to help us support the fight against dementia with Alzheimer's Research Charity. I didn't get any encouragement. This brings us to our shared love of specialised languages like Yiddish, which Inotice John lends from a lot, and Polari. I was born one year after JCC and about three miles from where he was born, so it was pretty obvious this was going to resonate with me. I'll give you an example whereby I've tried to stay true to myself while dealing with the modern world. Last time he came to Manchester he enjoyed a bit of zhuzhed up marrowbone at The Bull & Bear but dont worry, hes still a man of the people, I'm a fussy eater but I'm not snobbish about it. I can see the worth of a Martin's meat and potato pie. Their common problem is that theyre not someone else. It is essentially just one joke stretched across a poem, but it showcases Clarkes sense of humour perfectly. A book that I did not want to end, so I tried to eke it out rather than devour it. Come my old age, my nursing home will have a very different soundtrack to the Hits of the Blitz that the grandparents favoured. Cant find it anywhere :-(. Was Jesus Christ a decent bloke?. the girls are on the shelf. John then interviewed Kevin Eldon a week . You can finesse the way you approach any part of the song. At the same time, you had people like Wordsworth, waxing lyrical about the Lake District. It might have been useful to have more of his poems in the book. I was always more of a Baudelaire than a Wordsworth. It also contains the line 'Keith Joseph smiles and a baby dies, in a box on Beasley Street'. . John reckons literacy has always been important in Manchester, the birthplace of The Manchester Guardian. His poetry concerned itself less with daffodils and summer days and more with the squalor and ridiculousness of the world around him. Lifestyle. The term I'm looking for here is the common touch. '''Twat"", one of his most famous poems. John Cooper Clarke shot to prominence in the 1970s as the original 'people's poet'. Manchesters hidden musical treasures: who knew? Leading line: Time flies slides down the wall. John is warm and effortlessly funny and before I hang up, he agrees to have a glass of wine with me next time hes in Manchester for his two (now almost sold out) shows at The Bridgewater Hall. Its a great word. Credit: Getty Images. In addition, he published two poetry collections, Ten Years in an Open Necked Shirt and The Luckiest Guy Alive. John Cooper Clarke up against Damo Suzuki and Georgia Ruth. Leading line: People mention murder the moment you arrive. Every single person that visits Poem Analysis has helped contribute, so thank you for your support. What is John Cooper Clarke most famous poem? If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. So hes still out there wild mane and grungy tailored look intact soon set to embark on his 2019 British tour. The combative stage persona he developed with his formative gigs at Bernard Mannings Embassy Club meant that shows in front of these viscious, drunken, delinquent, blocked-up punks held no terrors for me, and his sharp stage get-up was perfectly suited to the scene. Australian Premiere/UK] THE POPEYE, FEB 27, 2023. Immediately were giggling like old pals. I'm annoyed at myself for finishing this book so quickly but I couldn't bloody help it ! John Cooper Clarke is a phenomenon: Poet Laureate of Punk, rock star, fashion icon, TV and radio presenter, social and cultural commentator. Igr kvll underhll han hela Hammersmith Apollo med sin legendariska performancepoesi och den dr clarkeska deadpanhumorn. With Lauren Laverne. [10], Clarke appeared in a 1982 music documentary compilation Urgh! Twat Again we are presented with a nightmarish vision of the future that may sound unnecessarily alarmist these days, but as Tom Robinson once pointed out, just because it didnt go the way of military repression or fascists taking over the Conservative party, that doesnt mean to say it couldnt have done. The 70s were scary times and Clarke mirrored these concerns. Clarke was born in Salford, Lancashire, in 1949. Think about it; the North Pole is no place for the higher primates. But Clarke is one of a kind, and with this piece he redefined traditional ideas of poetry altogether. Among the revelations of I Wanna Be Yours, however, is the fact that the two distinctly voiced flatmates came extremely close to recording an album of duets under the name Nico And Johnnie. The subject of the piece remains unnamed (lucky guy), but the ambiguity of the poem deems it one of the Salford lads finest pieces. In. May he rest in peace. [12], Clarke released Zip Style Method in 1982, but thereafter performed his live act less frequently, spending much of the 1980s mired in heroin addiction, living in a "domestic partnership" with singer and fellow addict Nico. Bob Mortimer has shared a new lockdown poem in the style of John Cooper Clarke - watch it below . On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Have you got a sense of humour? They sound like my sort of band. Im relieved. Clarke's poem "Out of Control Fairground" was printed inside the Arctic Monkeys' 2007 single "Fluorescent Adolescent" CD. Site by. An odd staple of many wedding ceremonies, I Wanna Be Yours was the first John Cooper Clarke poem to make the GCSE syllabus in 2002, and introduced a young Alex Turner to the art of the well crafted verse. Hes done a great deal and drops a lot of names. 7 alternative places to go for Valentine's Day in Manchester, Department: the most beautiful shop on Barlow Moor Road, Manchester Architecture: A History. In the 1800s, poetry was perhaps akin to rock n roll, with its proponents being declared mad, bad and dangerous to know. I wanted to like this book, I'm a fan of John Cooper Clarke's work and have seen him on stage a couple times and loved his shows. In the early 1900s, poetry was taken seriously enough that it was part of the Olympics. Of all the artists who appear in the book, The Fall, Clarke says, were the best of the best. ", I'm seeing the value of pubs now because they've been banned. [27], In November 2019 Clarke was a participant, alongside Phill Jupitus, in BBC's Celebrity Antiques Road Trip. A light hearted look at songs that could have been famous, this is Clarke at his most whimsical as he lists songs with titles that are almost familiar, such as Some Enchanted Afternoon and Greasy Kind Of Love. Clarke's recording of "Evidently Chickentown' was also used in the penultimate closing scene of one of modern TV's most famous and respected television shows, "The Sopranos". He first encountered Mark E. Smith when the late singer was a schoolboy, and Clarke ended up becoming an unofficial uncle to the future Fall frontman you know, the type of uncle who doesnt give a fuck what you get up to, as he puts it. The most surprising influence of all, however, is the agony aunt section of his mothers Womans Own magazine, one of the first places he fell in love with the written word. A lesser known Clarke number but amongst his most literary and witty, Are You the Business? I don't know why more people don't do it. I've never been one of those people that writes poetry as a means of self-expression alone. A live performance of the same poem appears in the film Control, with Clarke portraying himself in a re-creation of a 1977 concert in which he supported Joy Division, despite being 30 years older than the events depicted in the film. He released several albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and continues to perform regularly. Four of Clarke's five lots made a loss, giving a total loss of 233.54. Nay lads! The first half of the book acts as a social history of Salford and Manchester in the 50s and 60s and it's a fascinating read and it flew by. Then right at the end, in 2004, hes buying crystal meth. Among poets, John Cooper Clarke is the closest thing to a rock star our contemporary times can offer. Clarke often seemed to bear beats in mind when writing and performing, possibly indicating there is a frustrated rock star hiding under the poetic exterior.