See Jim Moir aka Vic Reeves paintings for evidence of how broad his impact still is. Leading line: People mention murder the moment you arrive. Leading line: If you like your coffee hot, let me be your coffee pot. 10.00 GBP. City curiosities: an alternative tour of Manchester Part One, Mundane Magic: Oxford Road, River Medlock and a Frenchman. Hes done a great deal and drops a lot of names. He released several albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and continues to perform regularly. I was always more of a Baudelaire than a Wordsworth. I asked him what they were called, and he said The Arctic Monkeys. My late great friend Barry Cryer used to say, Analysing humour is like dissecting a frog. I am but I don't like to analyse it too much. How often do you see a poet's memoir these days! In this autobiography he is engaging and pretty honest (irritating as well). [2], Clarke has attributed his early success in part to the influence of the English poet Pam Ayres. Felt wrong listening to it at my usual 1.5 speed so I set it at normal pace and 15 hours in John's company later I'm going to start again at the beginning. Toppermost of the poppermost. There's no pubs where I live anymore. he followed with my fat friend fell down the stairs last night..we thought eastenders had finished early.. not bad for a sickly Salford boy punk poet, who regularly appears on 9 out of ten cats enjoy cool countdownjust say graphic reference to hard drugs some will find difficult.. thanks John ever in Aylesbury there is a bed here always as room as kids are off to university my mind of man although many music differences, read it as in his own style has never left any associates out to dry and his will nice on the andy warhol factory goings on..lips willed although offers millions ever when doing at time.. solid.. spoiler.. just as good now freed from chain of addiction.. excellent narrated by himeslf he even second guesses you..as I say no matter where you are born, your dreams are valid.. thanks Johnny boy, your london mate..my life mirrowed yours without the talent and adventures..but now clean and boys working towards phd.. but I get slated I believe anything really worth knowing can never be taught, and if I was educated I would be a fool.. but spell I hear you.. a must listen..love to alo. Salford poet John Cooper Clarke has certainly led a fascinating life and documents it in - a lot of - detail in this memoir. I was on drugs. I Wanna Be Yours, (Macmillan), is a groundbreaking piece of literature. 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. Some advice for you. 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. Every single person that visits Poem Analysis has helped contribute, so thank you for your support. He was comparatively old - in his late twenties - by the time punk hit, but he looked and sounded every inch the punky malcontent, and he . I was eagerly anticipating this and got it within a few hours of release; went for the audiobook version because JCC has one of the most characterful and listenable voices in showbusiness. addiction and then the massive comeback as major poet he enjoys today. [28], Clarke has lived for nearly 20 years in Colchester, Essex, with his second wife, Evie, who is French. Theres a whole wide world in those two words; it calls up an emotional response. Im holding you to that, John. 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!). It's the only thing I ever had a natural aptitude for. on 14 August 2015[24] and again on 7 January 2022.[25]. 'It will provide some much-needed employment in a depressed area'. I Wanna Be Yours by John Cooper Clarke is many things. Enter the Dragon, exit Johnny Clarke. John Cooper Clarke was born in England on January 25, 1949. Lifestyle. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he released several albums. His musical albums include Snap, Crackle & Bop; Zip Style Method; Disguise in Love; and Walking Back to Happiness. Nay lads! Oh, those tragic Brit holidays. Having an idea to write such a poem is one thing, but to create such a masterfully crafted text is quite another. A clear favourite among artists and a clear favourite for all ill-fated lovers. I've got to check them out. It is essentially just one joke stretched across a poem, but it showcases Clarkes sense of humour perfectly. Not in the smoothest sense, though: Clarke makes a lot of claims concerning death, unemployment and the passage of time. Authors; . Around this time, he performed on stage with several punk and post-punk bands and continues to perform regularly. It couldn't be more accessible. Dr. John Cooper Clarke is a Salford-born poet and performer who has shared bills with the likes of Joy Division, the Sex Pistols and the Fall, and released multiple albums. Best line: Like a death a birthday party, you ruin all the fun.. British punk poet who set lyrics of rebellion to the music of lesser-known bands. In the 1800s, poetry was perhaps akin to rock n roll, with its proponents being declared mad, bad and dangerous to know. I'm from an industrial city. After a decade or two lost to heroin, John Cooper Clarke was able to pick up his mantle of alternative poet laureate and carry on making us laugh and cry. But really it is another example of Clarke having fun with the written word. is a barrage of questions from the subtle to the absurd, each one laugh inducing and perfectly crafted. I'm smiling. By Paul Henderson. He might consider himself relegated to the realm of the old fashioned but at 73, John Cooper Clarke is as relevant and influential as ever. 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. TWAT."". Perhaps an indication of what would have happened if John Cooper Clarke shunned poetry to sing in a band, the artful defiance and proud cynicism of a friend in need is a friend in debt creates one of Clarkes most compelling creations. He really wasn't limited to any sub-genre. I mean, crikey! They have done me so much good those lads. Grab one of the last remaining tickets for John Cooper Clarke at The Bridgewater Hall here. John Cooper Clarke (born 25 January 1949) is an English performance poet, who first became famous as a "punk poet" in the late 1970s. I believe that all poetry is meant to be heard.. But Clarke is one of a kind, and with this piece he redefined traditional ideas of poetry altogether. For me it will be The Clash, The Slits, The Sex Pistols, The Ramones, Blondie, Siouxsie and the Banshees and of course, The Saints. 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. Leading line: They packed us into the white hotel. 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. So glad Majorca is on the list utter genius and my favourite! 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. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . But I'm glad they don't. Its what we all talk about in everyday conversation, but Clarke converts it to gritty poetry. A master wordsmith, his love of language and humour leaps from every page. It come across as a noir origin story, people with outrageous characters and ending with Clarke himself emerging from the story as a poet ready to take on the world. It's consciously antediluvian., Hes a fan of rap music though, How could I possibly complain? He released several albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and continues to perform regularly. "Don't do it.". Then right at the end, in 2004, hes buying crystal meth. 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. It's Working Men's Club. Evie. I put it down to the smoking ban. And, now, I will have to go and buy some of his poetry! In 1979, he had his only UK top 40 hit with "Gimmix! (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 The term poetic is often used to describe all manner of art: movies, paintings, photographs. The second, post-Pistols half of I Wanna Be Yours sees Clarke encountering just about all of the great, good and downright grim of 70s and 80s music Elvis Costello, Gil Scott-Heron, Nico, Mark E. Smith, Richard Hell, Linder Sterling and legendary NME scribe Nick Kent to name a few but its the obscure local characters, the figures skulking around the peripheries, that are the most entertaining. I Wanna Be Yours by John Cooper Clarke is available to buy now from all good book shops. The constant use of the word fucking functions as a hammer, used to drive the points home. Clarke is unashamed to tell it like it was (for him), to drop names, to joke and tease, and even to give some clever and interesting social perspective to the post war years in terms of style and the way his generation and mine (boom and Blank--he's got about 12 years on me) absorbed and carried on our culture through film, TV, music, and then style and books. Immediately were giggling like old pals. Very sonorous, a kind of mezzo baritone. After 20 years of performing the same material, Clarke re-established contact with guitarist Rick Goldstraw, who had founded Blue Orchids and played with The Fall and Nico. 1. There is the local thug Lemonhead, an embittered nutter who spends his time camped out on waste ground taking potshots at passers by with a sniper rifle. Dr John Cooper Clarke's 2019 autobiography, named after his most famous poem I Wanna Be Yours, (Macmillan), is a groundbreaking piece of literature. Cant find it anywhere :-(. "Ten Years in an Open Necked Shirt", Vintage . Clarke's recording of "Evidently Chickentown" from his album Snap, Crackle & Bop was also featured prominently in the closing scene of The Sopranos episode Stage 5. I'll give you an example whereby I've tried to stay true to myself while dealing with the modern world. 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. [2] Rabid also released his debut LP O est la maison de fromage'? . Unfortunately, the latter half is a repetitive and often boring account of all the numerous ways of taking heroin at various times and locations. A fan of the show for 60 years, he described it as having "all the finality of a suicide note, without the actual obligation of topping yourself". I knew nothing about Clarke but had listened to his interview for Desert Island Discs. It's an alarmingly ridiculous idea. I don't know why more people don't do it. [4] He also duetted with Reverend Jon McClure at a Reverend and the Makers concert at London's Spread Eagle, performing the poem "Last Resort", which would later be released as the B-side for the band's single "Heavyweight Champion of the World". Much older than Johnny Rotten, Pete Shelley and co. (or at least the only one not lying about his age), he always loathed the hippies. The band's Alex Turner has said he is very fond of Clarke's work and takes inspiration for lyrics from his poems. 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. Here are the biggest talking points. If anything rejigged my career, it's the Arctic Monkeys doing 'I Wanna Be Yours., That's how I got into it, from school. I Wanna Be Yours It was too good. He never relies on style. Through his poetry he engaged with disaffection and grit a decade before the punks picked up their pens, with more wit than Joe Strummer could dream of. Around this time, he performed on stage with several punk and post-punk bands and continues to perform regularly. Leading line: Its a sociologists paradise. The state of urban living has long been a strong concern for Clarke, and in Beasley Street he relays that with power. I cant prove this, because sadly there is no recorded evidence, but youve gotta believe me.. 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. Show more Download Higher quality (128kbps) Lower. But, yeah, actors just sound like twats when they get all high and mighty trying to shame talk TV hosts, I give you that. He still performs, and appeared on AM on "I Wanna Be Yours." Ten years on Paul Evangelista updates the list to 12 of the best JCC poems with links! I wanted to enjoy this more, having seen JCC twice,once in his heyday when he was more poet than standup or celebrity,the second time he was slower,less shocking. Bob Mortimer has shared a new lockdown poem in the style of John Cooper Clarke - watch it below . Each day repeats on easy, cheesy, greasy, queasy, beastly Beasley Street. Ten Years in an Open Necked Shirt John Cooper Clarke (born January 25, 1949) is famous for being poet. 9.50 GBP. But unlike any other art forms, everybody gives it a go. Beasley Street JCC goes into . Click the button below to see the extras you get! His set is characterised by lively rapid-fire renditions of his poems, usually performed a cappella. I got hold of your stuff last night and I like your style, the overcoat, the look, the voice, these are all the ingredients to make great records. People think the internet is as reliable as a newspaper. 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. 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. A five star no-brainer for me, but I really wonder how others not having a similar background might feel about it. In the early 1900s, poetry was taken seriously enough that it was part of the Olympics. The only person that I could ever point at that ever made a living out of poetry was Charles Baudelaire. He hastens to add that he values newspapers hugely and doesnt like to see any newspaper collapse. He was later blown away when his adopted nephew grew into one of rocks all-time greats. The frog dies and nobody laughs. I couldn't put it better than the late Baz.. 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. I've never been one of those people that writes poetry as a means of self-expression alone. Leading line: Youre fucking lost and fucking found, stuck in fucking Chickentown. He was known in his pomp as the punk poet. The most striking thing about hearing this poem performed live is the staccato call-and-response nature of the delivery. 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. The worlds defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking whats new and whats next since 1952. His vocals from both of his Suns of Arqa tracks have been used on numerous remixes by the band ever since. Children. John Cooper Clarke is an English performance poet, who first became famous as a "punk poet" in the late 1970s. So witty and clever, with an encyclopaedic knowledge of fashion, music and pop culture. Its at this point Clarke, then a local favourite in the working mens clubs and casinos of the North West, transforms in an instant into the nationally known poet laureate of punk hes still venerated as today. There is Bill Man Mountain Benny, a local gangster and nightclub owner with his own theme tune. I didn't get any encouragement. Please continue to help us support the fight against dementia with Alzheimer's Research Charity. Especially detailed are the account of his early years in a display that threatens to derail his story. [27], In November 2019 Clarke was a participant, alongside Phill Jupitus, in BBC's Celebrity Antiques Road Trip. One of my all time favourite memoirs. Came across JCC through the Arctic Monkeys. His book choice was Against Nature by Joris-Karl Huysmans, his luxury item was a boulder of opium twice the size of his head and his favourite track was "How Great Thou Art" by Elvis Presley. What is John Cooper Clarke most famous poem? 4. Cooper Clarke spent some time in the 80s sharing an apartment in Brixton with notorious femme fatale Nico - famous for singing in The Velvet Underground with rock legend Lou Reed. Every Glastonbury poster and line-up since 1970, Soundtrack Of My Life: Ted Lasso star Phil Dunster, J-hope fulfils another fantasy with his J. Cole collab On The Street, Daisy Jones & The Six: backstage with the TV band everyones going to be watching, Final Fantasy 16 is a lavish RPG twist on Bayonetta and its all the better for it. 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. Part of me dies under my overalls. Now I can add John Cooper Clarke's I Wanna Be Yours to make a list of two. For decades it was seen as corny. Her run of success on the British TV show Opportunity Knocks led both Clarke and his mother to believe that he could make a living at poetry.[8]. I think it was on Sky Arts. There's a certain snobbery that poetry that people enjoy must, by definition, be stupid. Best line: Poverty and pollution have all swept away. Best line: Theyd hang you for incontinence and fiddling your tax. English punk poet John Cooper-Clarke first began performing his verse backed by a local folk group called the Ferrets, but with his rapid-fire verbal delivery and stinging social commentary, he quickly emerged as the poet laureate of the punk movement. In one particularly grim passage he has to arm himself to try and score in the perilous underworld of late-70s New York. John Cooper Clarke 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. The photographs of David Bailey, are quite rightly seen as a poetic take on the 60s. To me, it depends on the artist. Are you happier now than you have ever been? The 2023 GQ Food & Drink Awards shortlist. John Cooper Clarke is a different breed of the poet. John Cooper Clarke's age is 73. I didn't want to work for a living when I was a teenager. Some of the toughest guys I ever knew were all vying for attention with million-dollar words, the slickest of rhymes, and ever more arcane vocabulary, Clarke recalls. Come my old age, my nursing home will have a very different soundtrack to the Hits of the Blitz that the grandparents favoured. In addition, he published two poetry collections, Ten Years in an Open Necked Shirt and The Luckiest Guy Alive. There have been times when poetry was very much in vogue. Sinatra's a case in point. Throughout the 60s, he was a member of a comically inept beat combo whose Spinal Tap-style career is worthy of its own book. Goldshaw began handling Clarke's affairs, and the two toured with the Mescaleros and several times supporting the Fall. Anybody with a pen and a piece of paper can do it. He is a wonderful writer and storyteller but I would have swapped the first 100 pages about his childhood for a longer reflection on his most recent years. WONDERFUL NEW VIDEO FROM SPARKS for new single The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte, Dark Star: Out Flew Reason album review, Watch This! I didnt want the 15+ hours of this to end, and had I the time, Id listen to it again right away. Even his musical tastes were mine in those early days; Dylan and Captain Beefheart. Beasley Street is one of John Cooper Clarkes darker poems. In which I get beaten up says Clarke as introduction to this poem on its live recording. Those are the places they were playing - not pubs. Roger McGough Poet. 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". This poem may be tailored towards a past decade, but its atmospheric despair still rings today. Well, he admits, I got drunk with another fella whod just brought up a previous paella. This may have been the artists worst nightmare, but at least he saw the funny side of it.