John Cooper Clarke October 10, 2012

John Cooper Clarke’s poems have provided the opening soundtrack for some of the biggest bands in the world. Otherwise known as The Bard of Salford, he shot to prominence in the 70s as the original punk poet whose sparse, rapid-fire prose defined the experiences of the working classes on the streets of the UK’s big cities. He became one of the leading voices of youth culture appearing on the same bill as bands such as The Sex Pistols, Joy Division and Elvis Costello.

The vitality of JCC’s work remains as sparky today as it ever did. He is a festival favourite and bands such as Arctic Monkeys and Reverend And The Makers cite him as a major influence and his poem Evidently Chickentown even featured in US TV gangster drama The Sopranos.

Official Website: http://crd.fm/mU