John Cooper Clarke

Born on January 25, 1949, in Manchester, England, John Cooper Clarke first took to the stage reciting his poetry with the local folk outfit the Ferrets. The year 1977 marked a turning point when he joined the Rabid Records roster and issued the Martin Hannett-produced single "Psycle Sluts." His lightning-quick delivery and sharp social observations soon positioned him as the punk movement’s unofficial poet laureate, leading to opening slots for the Sex Pistols and the Buzzcocks; that same momentum yielded the 1978 Epic album Disguise in Love. After joining Elvis Costello & the Attractions on their landmark Armed Forces tour, he notched a Top 40 single with "Gimmix." A live album, Walking Back to Happiness, surfaced in 1979, followed a year later by the studio release Snap, Crackle & Bop. Despite strong audience demand for his concerts, record sales remained modest, and Zip Style Method in 1982 closed out his Epic tenure. Though he continued to command stages, Clarke’s visibility waned through much of the 1980s amid a struggle with heroin addiction, during which he also shared a relationship with former Velvet Underground chanteuse Nico. By the 1990s he had overcome his dependency, resuming live performances and publishing regularly in poetry journals. From 2000 onward he sustained his presence through assorted collaborations and media spots, among them an appearance on BBC Two’s Never Mind the Buzzcocks and a turn as a DJ on BBC Radio Six. Not until 2016 did he issue another full-length project, teaming with ex-Stranglers member Hugh Cornwell on the covers album This Time It's Personal.