John Cooper Clarke - wikipedia John Cooper Clarke John Cooper Clarke In Cardiff, March 1979 ( 1949 - 01 - 25 ) 25 January 1949 ( age 69 ) Salford, Lancashire, England Occupation Poet Nationality British Website www.johncooperclarke.com At Bedford 's Rhythm Festival, 2006 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 released several albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and continues to perform regularly. His recorded output has mainly centred on musical backing from the Invisible Girls, which featured Martin Hannett, Steve Hopkins, Pete Shelley, Bill Nelson, and Paul Burgess. Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 2.1 Solo success 2.2 Since 2000 3 Personal life 4 Discography 4.1 Albums 4.1. 1 Compilations 4.2 Singles, EPs 4.3 DVDs, Videos 4.4 Compilation appearances 5 References 6 External links Early life Clarke was born in Salford, Lancashire, in 1949. He lived in the Higher Broughton area of the city and became interested in poetry after being inspired by his English teacher, John Malone, whom he described as `` a real outdoor guy, an Ernest Hemingway type, red blooded, literary bloke ''. Recollecting his childhood, Clarke said : 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... His first job was a laboratory technician at Salford Tech. He began his performance career in Manchester folk clubs, where he began working with Rick Goldstraw and his band the Ferrets. His first releases were on Tosh Ryan and Martin Hannett 's independent label Rabid, starting with the EP Innocents in October 1977. Rabid also released his debut LP Où est la maison de fromage ' ? ( catalogue number NOZE 1 ), which was a collection of live recordings, demos and rehearsals. This was reissued by Revolver Records in 1989 ( RRLP 10 ) also making it his last album to date. He toured with Bill Nelson 's band Be-Bop Deluxe in 1978 and was signed by Epic Records, who issued the Martin Hannett produced studio album Disguise In Love in 1978. Clarke has attributed his early success in part to the influence of the English poet Pam Ayres. 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. Career Solo success In 1979 he had his only UK top 40 hit with `` Gimmix ! ( Play Loud ) ''. Clarke toured with Linton Kwesi Johnson, and has performed on the same bill as bands such as the Sex Pistols, the Fall, Joy Division, the 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 ). His set is characterised by lively, rapid - fire renditions of his poems, usually performed a cappella. Often referred to as `` the bard of Salford '', he usually refers to himself on stage as `` Johnny Clarke, the name behind the hairstyle ''. Performing in Cardiff, 1979 Clarke appeared in a 1982 music documentary compilation Urgh ! A Music War, in which he performed his poem `` Health Fanatic ''. The film featured live performances of mainstream artists ( the Police, the Go - Go 's, XTC, Devo ) as well as more obscure bands ( Pere Ubu, Invisible Girls, the Alley Cats, Athletico Spizz ' 80, Chelsea ) using concert footage from around the world. He also starred in another 1982 film titled John Cooper Clarke - Ten Years in an Open Necked Shirt directed by Nick May and produced for the Arts Council of Great Britain and Channel 4. Somewhere between a narrative film, a series of music videos and a documentary, the film features interviews and performances by Clarke and Linton Kwesi Johnson among others. 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. He described this period of his life : `` It was a feral existence. I was on drugs. It was hand to mouth. '' In 1987 he performed live ( on crutches owing to a broken ankle ) at the Albany Empire in London with Suns of Arqa, recorded two tracks ( `` Libera Me '' and `` The Truth Lies Therein '' ) for their album Seven, and featured in the music video for the latter. In 1988 he made an appearance in two UK adverts for Sugar Puffs, taking second billing to the Honey Monster. He returned to live performance in the 1990s, appearing again with Suns of Arqa in 1992 at The Witchwood in Ashton - under - Lyne. His vocals from both of his Suns of Arqa tracks have been used on numerous remixes by the band ever since. Since 2000 After 20 years of performing the same material, Clarke re-established contact with guitarist Ricky Goldshaw, who had founded Blue Orchids and played with the Fall and Nico. Goldshaw began handling Clarke 's affairs and the two toured with the Mescaleros and several times supporting the Fall. 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 ''. Clarke also recorded a song with the band entitled `` Dead Man 's Shoes ''. 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. 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 having aged 30 years since the events depicted in the film. `` Evidently Chickentown '' ( recited by Christopher Eccleston ) is featured in the made - for - television film Strumpet. Clarke receives an honorary doctorate from the University of Salford, 2013. Clarke 's poem `` Out of Control Fairground '' was printed inside the Arctic Monkeys ' 2007 single `` Fluorescent Adolescent '' CD. The poem is also the inspiration behind the single 's video in which clowns brawl. Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys has said he is very fond of Clarke 's work and takes inspiration for lyrics from his poems. Clarke was the subject of a BBC Four documentary, Evidently... John Cooper Clarke, in May 2012, screened as part of the BBC 's Punk Britannia season. In July 2013, Clarke was awarded an honorary doctorate of arts in `` acknowledgement of a career which has spanned five decades, bringing poetry to non-traditional audiences and influencing musicians and comedians '' by the University of Salford. Upon receipt, Clarke commented : `` Now I 'm a doctor, finally my dream of opening a cosmetic surgery business can become a reality. '' His poem `` I Wanna Be Yours '' was adapted by Arctic Monkeys and frontman Alex Turner for the band 's fifth album, AM, released on 9 September 2013. On 13 January 2018 Cooper - Clarke appeared as a contestant on an academic version of Pointless partnered with historian Suzannah Lipscomb ; they reached the head - to - head round. Personal life Clarke has lived, for nearly 20 years, in Colchester, Essex, with his second wife, Evie, who is French. They have one daughter, Stella. Discography Albums Où est la maison de fromage ? ( 1978 ), Rabid Disguise in Love ( 1978 ), Epic Walking Back to Happiness ( 1979 ), Epic ( Live album ) Snap, Crackle & Bop ( 1980 ), Epic - UK No. 26 Zip Style Method ( 1982 ), Epic - UK No. 97 This Time It 's Personal with Hugh Cornwell ( 2016 ), Sony - UK No. 34 Compilations Me and My Big Mouth ( 1981 ), Epic Word of Mouth : The Very Best of John Cooper Clarke ( 2002 ), Sony Anthologia ( 2015 ), Sony Singles, eps Innocents EP ( 1977 ), Rabid `` Post-War Glamour Girl '' ( 1978 ), CBS `` Gimmix ! ( Play Loud ) '' ( 1978 ), Epic - UK No. 39 `` Splat '' / `` Twat '' ( 1979 ), Epic `` The It Man '' ( 1980 ), Epic `` The Day My Pad Went Mad '' ( 1982 ), Epic `` Night People '' ( 1982 ), Epic `` Pity the Plight '' ( 2012 Ill manors album - Plan B) DVDs, Videos Ten Years in an Open - Necked Shirt ( 1981 ) Channel 4 / British Arts Council ( re-released 2015 ) Evidently, John Cooper Clarke ( 2012 ), Click Films / BBC South of the Border - Live ( 2013 ), Click Films / Safecracker Pictures Compilation appearances Short Circuit - Live At The Electric Circus ( 1978 ), Virgin ( various artists, features Clarke performing `` ( You Never See a Nipple In The ) Daily Express '' and `` I Married a Monster From Outer Space '' Urgh ! A Music War ( 1981 ), Warners - `` Health Fanatic '' The Old Grey Whistle Test Volume 3 ( 2004 ), 2 Entertain - `` I Do n't Want to Be Nice '' Poets, Punks, Beatniks and Counter Culture Heroes ( 2010 ), Ozit - includes rare JCC film footage from the 1980s Ten Years In An Open - Necked Video ( 2016 ) Ozit References Jump up ^ `` Evidently... John Cooper Clarke ''. BBC Four. Retrieved 5 June 2012. ^ Jump up to : Strong, Martin C. ( 2003 ). The Great Indie Discography. Canongate. pp. 33 -- 34. ISBN 1 - 84195 - 335 - 0. Jump up ^ Tim Adams ( 6 April 2014 ). `` John Cooper Clarke interview : ' Poetry is not something you have to retire from ' ''. The Guardian. Retrieved 11 June 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` John Cooper Clarke On Life In Higher Broughton ''. Salford Star. Retrieved 8 October 2015. Jump up ^ `` It 's Legend Time ''. Salford Star. Retrieved 8 October 2015. Jump up ^ `` The Bard of Salford ''. BBC Radio 4. 8 May 2008. Retrieved 9 October 2015. Jump up ^ `` Rabid Records ''. Retrieved 3 June 2016. Jump up ^ Adams, Tim ( 2014 - 04 - 05 ). `` John Cooper Clarke interview : ' Poetry is not something you have to retire from ' ''. the Guardian. Retrieved 2016 - 07 - 04. ^ Jump up to : Bell, Nigel ( August 2002 ). `` The Very Best of John Cooper Clarke ''. BBC. Retrieved 23 February 2008. Jump up ^ `` Urgh ! A Music War ''. IMDB. Retrieved 23 February 2008. Jump up ^ `` Ten Years in an Open Necked Shirt ( film ) '' on YouTube. Retrieved on 2 March 2009. Jump up ^ `` John Cooper Clarke ''. Comedy CV.co.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2008. Jump up ^ `` A bit of lip ''. The Age. 28 January 2007. Retrieved 4 May 2009. ^ Jump up to : Hattenstone, Simon ( 29 May 2012 ). `` John Cooper Clarke : ' It 's diabolical how poor I am ' ''. The Guardian. Retrieved 9 October 2015. Jump up ^ `` Arctics go for poetry ''. Ananova. Archived from the original on 30 June 2007. Retrieved 20 August 2007. Jump up ^ `` Lyrical Genius ''. Daily Record. Archived from the original on 2 July 2007. Retrieved 20 August 2007. Alex Turner also has `` John Cooper Clarke '' tattooed on his arm Jump up ^ `` John Cooper Clarke honoured by University of Salford ''. BBC News. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2015. Jump up ^ `` AM ''. Arctic Monkeys. 24 June 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2015. Jump up ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01d09p5/broadcasts/2018/01 Jump up ^ Duerden, Nick ( 23 September 2012 ). `` John Cooper Clarke : The punk poet whose time has come again ''. The Independent. Retrieved 24 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` John Cooper Clarke - Post-War Glamour Girl / Kung Fu International - CBS - UK - S CBS 6541 ''. 45cat. Retrieved 23 May 2014. Jump up ^ ( 1 ) Jump up ^ `` Various - Short Circuit - Live At The Electric Circus ( Vinyl ) at Discogs ''. Discogs.com. Retrieved 23 May 2014. External links Wikiquote has quotations related to : John Cooper Clarke Official website John Cooper Clarke on IMDb John Cooper Clarke performs Beasley Street at Hammersmith Palais on YouTube John Cooper Clarke Interview 2012 John Cooper Clarke Studio albums Solo Où est la maison de fromage ? ( 1978 ) Disguise in Love ( 1978 ) Walking Back to Happiness ( 1979 ) Snap, Crackle & Bop ( 1980 ) Zip Style Method ( 1982 ) with Hugh Cornwell This Time It 's Personal ( 2016 ) Suns of Arqa Angel Eye Michael Wadada Johar Ali Khan Raghunath Seth Martin Glover John Cooper Clarke Steve Hopkins Bryn Jones Chris Joyce Marcel King Graham Massey Prince Far I Prince Hammer Damon Reece Keshav Sathe Professor Stanley Unwin Helen Watson Colin Wood Studio albums Revenge of the Mozabites ( 1979 ) Musical Revue ( 1983 ) Wadada Magic ( 1983 ) India ? ( 1984 ) Ark of the Arqans ( 1985 ) Seven ( 1987 ) White Band Speak with Forked Tongue ( 1989 ) Jaggernaut ( 1989 ) VIAF : 80221742 ISNI : 0000 0000 5810 6925 GND : 13549446X SUDOC : 172038618 MusicBrainz : 7df6e6eb - 8e3a - 4402 - a243 - b5b01f0d9bec Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Cooper_Clarke&oldid=829868992 '' Categories : 1949 births Living people Music in Manchester People from Salford, Greater Manchester People associated with the University of Salford Punk poets English spoken word artists 20th - century English poets English male poets People from Colchester 20th - century male writers Hidden categories : All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from June 2016 Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikiquote تۆرکجه Čeština Dansk Français Galego Italiano Português Русский Suomi Edit links This page was last edited on 11 March 2018, at 08 : 28. 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Question: known as the punk poet who used poetry in their music
Answer: John Cooper Clarke; John Cooper Clarke; John Cooper Clarke; John Cooper Clarke