His only prose work is I Wanna Be Yours, a memoir. 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. Best line: If you like your coffee hot, let me be your coffee pot. 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. was an indian famous poet (May 7, 1861 August 7, 1941) Thomas. He released several albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and continues to perform regularly.His recorded output has mainly centred around musical backing from the . Discombobulated youths, confined spaces Clarke gets it all spot on. 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 really wasn't limited to any sub-genre. John Cooper Clarke up against Damo Suzuki and Georgia Ruth. John Cooper Clarke interview: 'Poetry is not something you have to What it sounds like is the most important part of any poem. One of the greatest and coolest things I've always been able to tell people is that, not only do I live in the town where Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Humpty Dumpty were written, but that the captivating individual that is John Cooper Clarke lives here. I never really understood that. Throughout the 60s, he was a member of a comically inept beat combo whose Spinal Tap-style career is worthy of its own book. 2023 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. I knew nothing about Clarke but had listened to his interview for Desert Island Discs. They were all Coca Cola and amphetamines. 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. But hes never mannered. John Cooper Clarke is a poet and musician who was most popular during the late 70s/early 80s but has had widespread success in recent years. The effect of this is to hammer home the points made. John Cooper Clarke - John Cooper Clarke Poems | Best Poems [4] During an April 2018 episode of Steve Jones' radio show Jonesy's Jukebox, Clarke revealed one of his early inspirations to be the poet Sir Henry Newbolt, reciting from memory a portion of Newbolt's poem "Vita Lampada". Please whitelist confidentials.com to continue to our site and enjoy an Ad-Light experience. John Cooper Clarke's memoir 'I Wanna Be Yours' - the big talking points Features John Cooper Clarke's bracing new memoir 'I Wanna Be Yours' - the big talking points The veteran poet. Its what we all talk about in everyday conversation, but Clarke converts it to gritty poetry. Benjamin Zephaniah Writer. All the things that didn't use to be crimes. A newspaper is answerable to libel laws for a start.. I Wanna Be Yours John Cooper Clarke is an English performance poet, who first became famous as a "punk poet" in the late 1970s. [22], 2015 saw Clarke present a documentary on Thomas De Quincey's Confessions of an English Opium-Eater in the BBC's second series of The Secret Life of Books. They have done me so much good those lads. John Cooper Clark is a performance poet who first became famous in the late 1970s. His musical albums include Snap, Crackle & Bop; Zip Style Method; Disguise in Love; and Walking Back to Happiness. I asked him what they were called, and he said The Arctic Monkeys. Clarke also recorded a song with the band entitled "Dead Man's Shoes". The same way that somebody who's a good painter back in them days would have been a commercial artist. 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. Around this time, he performed on stage with several punk and post-punk bands and continues to perform regularly. Everything that they wanted to achieve, I wanted to stop happening, he writes. It is through you visiting Poem Analysis that we are able to contribute to charity. Fascinating for anyone interesting in recent history, music history, fashion and pop culture. Credit: Getty. John Cooper Clarke shot to prominence in the 1970s as the original 'people's poet'. I didn't want to work for a living when I was a teenager. In October of 1981 Clarke appeared in episode 2 of series 3 of The Innes Book of Records (TV series), reciting "Evidently Chickentown". With more and more millennials beginning to search for political clarity through poetry, sales of Clarkes work are currently soaring high. The result of that time was this a piece of poetry that feels more like a piece of meditation. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Apart from the revolution, its another working day.. Poetry with swearing in it.. Dr John Cooper Clarke - I Wanna Be Yours - The Eric Morecambe Centre When will Manchester City achieve European Champions League glory? John Cooper Clarke shot to prominence in the 1970s as the original 'people's poet'. And today he turns 70. 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. [2], Clarke has attributed his early success in part to the influence of the English poet Pam Ayres. British punk poet who set lyrics of rebellion to the music of lesser-known bands. They were speaking my language. I know he likes his food, saying in a recent Guardian interview that the only foods he wont eat are flapjacks, falafel and tripe. (For adults and teenagers). The first, Ten Years In An Open Necked Shirt was released in 1983. He has a great deal of respect for the tabloid hack who puts themselves in danger for a good story. He released several albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and continues to perform regularly. All rights reserved. A lesser known Clarke number but amongst his most literary and witty, Are You the Business? "Don't do it.". 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. 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. John's 2018 poetry collection The Luckiest Guy Alive. John Hegley Poet. Wise words from punk poet John Cooper Clarke - British GQ '''Twat"", one of his most famous poems. Way back In 2012 As part of their Punk Britannia season, the BBC celebrated punk performance poet legend John Cooper Clarke through BBC4 documentary Evidently John Cooper Clarke with a month of Radio 6Music specials. Are You the Business? His life is as extraordinary as youd expect and had me wondering if it is actually a privilege to be working class. I am but I don't like to analyse it too much. John Cooper Clarke - Wikiwand The shock and awe of those times would not seem to be particularly fertile ground for a poet to thrive in, but, hidden in the depths of Salford, a young poet was getting ready to do exactly that. Poems covered in the Educational Syllabus. Evidently Chickentown It's an alarmingly ridiculous idea. I Wanna Be Yoursis very different from a lot of the poems that have been analyzed on Poem Analysis. Leading line: People mention murder the moment you arrive. I mean, crikey! When you hear his version of Lost In Music you realise that even when Sister Sledge did it, it was always a Fall tune.. Ive worked with the best of them, but The Fall I would watch night in, night out, Clarke remembers. John Cooper Clarke, punk poet and the Bard of Salford is in danger of becoming a national treasure. [20] On their 2020 eponymous debut album, English band Working Mens Club pays homage to the poet in the track John Cooper Clarke, referencing his poem "Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman" and book The Luckiest Guy Alive. I Dont Want To Be Nice He was known in his pomp as the punk poet. I cant prove this, because sadly there is no recorded evidence, but youve gotta believe me.. If it's got some kind of lasting value, you say it's poetic. Wise words from punk poet John Cooper Clarke, Kurt Cobain's sunglasses taught a whole generation of kids how to be cool, Mark three years without David Bowie by listening to his best songs, James McAvoys lowkey watch is a people's champion, Meet the men paying to have their jaws broken in the name of manliness, 10 of the best GQ-approved first watches money can buy. I wasn't a punk, but a signed-up drippy hippy, and the music I was into then Pink Floydian and trippy, but I rushed out quick and bought his Gimmix single, though with safety-pinned punks I had to mingle. In Majorca, he offers a playful perspective from Spains crowded holiday resorts, noting its hysteria but also kind of embracing it. It's not a place for a first date, is it? Best line: The carpet was monotonous, its pattern gave the impression of small animal crapping at regular intervals.. Each day repeats on easy, cheesy, greasy, queasy, beastly Beasley Street. Sometimes a band hit . "Id been halfway out the door when the proprietor told me that some young men in a band wanted a word because theyd done my poetry at school. 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". One of his more upbeat musical compositions accompany this one, the delivery of which veers startlingly close to a sung melody. 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. "Two ugly sisters from Fordham Took a walk one day out of boredom On the way back A sex maniac Jumped out of a bush and ignored 'em." John Cooper Clarke 8 likes Like "I don't have any lifestyle advice." John Cooper Clarke 5 likes Like "Hooker goes up to a Yorkshireman and sez: "Will you sleep with me for a 100?" Dr John Cooper Clarke: I Wanna Be Yours with special guests 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. 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. [citation needed]. Confidentials Manchester, Dublin weekend: history, seafood, literature and shiny chests. 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'. Enter the Dragon, exit Johnny Clarke. Credit: Getty Images. Of all the artists who appear in the book, The Fall, Clarke says, were the best of the best. He completely dismantles it sometimes and puts it back together. This poem may be tailored towards a past decade, but its atmospheric despair still rings today. His life and career spans a big timescale, and with his constant demons this is no mean feat. Id consider killing you if I thought you were alive. Best line: Dancin In The Daylight, Singin In The Smog, You Aint Nothin But A Hedgehog., All Selections by Banjo you can find his authors archive here. 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. John Cooper Clarke punk poet, bard of Salford has had a chequered life, from growing up in post-war austerity Britain, through hardcore drug abuse, to being a kind of national treasure. [2] He returned to live performance in the 1990s, appearing again with Suns of Arqa in 1992 at The Witchwood in Ashton-under-Lyne. Hes even on the GCSE curriculum these days! Like having a cig and a pint at the same time and being able to swear about current events. When I phone John Cooper Clarke at his home in Colchester, hes been listening to Radio 4s obituary show, The Last Word. I bought this book because I like his poetry. In a way it kind of cramps my style.. Technique. A serious note is being struck here and this poem looks at a life after revolution. 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". Rhythm machines at the ready, his cultural performance is about to kick off Theres a real sense of artistic perception when Cooper Clarke is on stage, because he doesnt just stand there and read lines of words. John reckons Jack has done a terrific job of maintaining Lytteltons air of lugubrious resignation. John Cooper Clarke (known as Alice Cooper) has this important message about heroin addiction, saying the best prevention is never starting. Introduction to the English rock singer and poet, Sir John Cooper Clarke, and reading of two poems "I wanna be yours" & "I've got. 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. THE VERY BEST OF JOHN COOPER CLARKE - CD. He is considered a major figure in punk poetry and punk literature . I always thought, who would like this? It's the only thing I ever had a natural aptitude for. 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. There was a cut off in the 80s where people like me were just rendered completely old fashioned. 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. Authors; . In the 1800s, poetry was perhaps akin to rock n roll, with its proponents being declared mad, bad and dangerous to know. The first half of the book is an exercise in nostalgia as Clarke details growing up in the 1950's, 60's and early 1970's and the social and cultural developments in Britain during those decades with a welter of information about his favourite films, books, comics, songs, bands and much more. 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. Opening and closing your mouth. His wife Evie, whos French, is the better cook. I like learning about poetry, the nuances and the cleverly picked phrases. His recorded output has mainly centred around musical backing from the Invisible Girls, which featured Martin Hannett . Discover John Cooper Clarke famous and rare quotes. 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. Leading line: Youre fucking lost and fucking found, stuck in fucking Chickentown. On this rare occasion that Clarke took a writing trip away from socialism, he proved his leading status as a hopeless romantic. Instead we get perhaps John Cooper Clarkes hardest hitting poems. John Cooper Clarke: 'I've made a living out of dirty language' The band's Alex Turner has said he is very fond of Clarke's work and takes inspiration for lyrics from his poems. They drive the book, his difficult life and the mean spirit which is probably not his true self. I've never heard anybody with an Ordsall accent in employment in MediaCity.". For decades it was seen as corny. 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 what they refuse to see is the absolute madness of it all. Subscribe to Louder Than War and help keep the flame of independent music burning. 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. Read John Cooper Clarke's poem for Topman's show at London Collections Men. In one particularly grim passage he has to arm himself to try and score in the perilous underworld of late-70s New York. In memory of Bernard Nyland who has finally got to Apart From the Revolution A Music War, in which he performed his poem "Health Fanatic". Sort of rave kids. A relatively simple yet typically colourful condemnation of an unnamed individual; all the best components of Clarkes work are found here. John Cooper Clarke - Haiku. His unique poetry was put to music by producer Martin Hannett and a band of Mancunians The Invisible Girls.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. You could still smell the polycell. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. I was watching a programme about Motown. It is not Clarke that embraced punk, however, but the other way around. Leading line: Far from perfect strangers; Id like to keep it that way. You call the shots, I wanna be yours. But I don't want to overanalyse what I do. John Cooper Clarke Poetry - Poem Analysis An exercise in acute alliteration that saw such excessive use of a plosive P that Clarke advised the first 16 rows of his audience to watch out. It is essentially just one joke stretched across a poem, but it showcases Clarkes sense of humour perfectly. Anywhere else in a pub, the landlord or landlady would say, There's a room for that kind of language. To be honest, [women] wouldn't want to go in The Vault. One of. After a 40 odd year career, its perhaps surprising that John Cooper Clarke has only actually released two books of poetry. Looks like you might have an AdBlocker on. This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers. He believes The Guardian now pushes a narrow set of beliefs, insisting he was always more of "a red top guy. [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". His unique poetry was put to music by producer Martin Hannett and a band of Mancunians The Invisible Girls. Dr John Cooper Clarke's 2019 autobiography, named after his most famous poem I Wanna Be Yours, (Macmillan), is a groundbreaking piece of literature. [21] In October 2020 Clarke published an autobiography which took its title from his poem I Wanna Be Yours. 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. 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. Cant find it anywhere :-(. [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". How so? Get help and learn more about the design. The Road to Mandalay by Rudyard Kipling. Especially detailed are the account of his early years in a display that threatens to derail his story. The memoir all obsessives of the self-professed Bargain Basement Baudilaire have been waiting for. He said, 'He taught me how to knock the poetry out of it. I think it was on Sky Arts. For all the ludicrous stories of drug-smuggling and evading the police, there are some truly harrowing moments. One of my all time favourite memoirs. Does Rock 'N' Roll Kill Braincells?! - John Cooper Clarke - NME You go outside if you like fresh air that much.. Best line: The fucking scene is fucking sad, the fucking news is fucking bad, the fucking weed is fucking turf, the fucking speed is fucking surf. It refers to macaronis who were kind of pre-Beau Brummel dandies from 200 years ago. Its a great word. On Sale Website. S. Eliot was an English poet and critic. His set is characterised by lively rapid-fire renditions of his poems, usually performed a cappella. Around this time, he performed on stage with several punk and post-punk bands and continues to perform regularly. The worlds defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking whats new and whats next since 1952. 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. Instead we get perhaps John Cooper Clarke's hardest hitting poems. The book is also an at times bleak account of his descent into heroin addiction, always written with a lightness of touch, but never swerving in its mission to bare all. Kae writes in a kind of language that I don't really use, addressing a public that I have no knowledge of.