Dr John Cooper Clarke

POET; TV AND RADIO PRESENTER; CULTURAL COMMENTATOR;

“One of Britain’s outstanding poets”
- Sir Paul McCartney

“Fantastically entertaining. As a writer of comic prose Clarke is the match of anyone alive, and his turns of phrase are as sharp as his suits” - The Times

“An immensely entertaining memoir that fizzes with wit...It’s impossible not to hear him read every word aloud in your head with that unforgettable Manc drawl” - NME

“Riveting” - The Observer

Literary phenomenon John Cooper Clarke is a British cult hero. Known as the ‘Godfather of Punk Poetry” and the original people’s poet, John’s cultural influence spans literature, music and fashion. From creating some of the most iconic poetry of the modern era, including  “I Wanna Be Yours” ( recently celebrating over 3 billion streams in its incarnation as a hit record by the Arctic Monkeys) to sharing his life story through his 140k selling memoir of the same name . 

The recent release of his new best-selling poetry collection "WHAT" which  is full of John’s much-loved sardonic wit and hilarious ponderings on modern life. WHAT reached number 4 in the Sunday Times bestseller list. 

John is referenced as a major influence not just by the Arctic Monkeys but also by artists across the globe including, The Sleaford Mods and Plan B. Whilst his legendary number “Evidently Chickentown” plays out the penultimate episode of The Sopranos. Watching John Cooper Clarke perform is an opportunity to see a living legend at the top of his game. 

John Cooper Clarke shot to prominence in the late  1970s. Captivating audiences with his unique poetry and delivery style, he clawed his way up from working mens’ clubs and cabaret venues in his native Salford and Manchester, to become one of the most prolific figures in punk. His work, as it grew in popularity, was put to music by legendary producer Martin Hannett and a collection of Mancunian icons including Buzzcocks’ Peter Shelley and The Durutti Column’s Vini Reilly. Seminal tracks such as Beasley St and Evidently Chickentown featured on his hit album Snap, Crackle and Bop, establishing John as one of the most important artists of the Punk era. 

John’s early live shows were renowned occasions, and headline gigs were supported by many soon-to-be superstars including Joy Division, New Order and Duran Duran. John also featured as a special guest with the likes of the Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks and The Clash, carving his own niche as a stand-up poet. His first collection 10 Years in an Open Necked Shirt featured lyrics to tracks from his albums, as well as brand new original material. The book is one of the best-selling poetry anthologies ever in the UK, Canada and Australia. 

John’s success continued as he went on to become globally recognised touring the world, collaborating with artists such as Elvis Costello and Nico. His journey was stalled by a heroin addiction, which hampered his creative output and eventually led to John living a somewhat ferrell existence for much of the 1980s and 90s.

His resurgence in the 00s onwards has been a phenomenon with John’s popularity and creativity reaching new stellar heights as he plays to his biggest audiences yet at large theatres and festivals around the globe. He recently Sold Out the London Palladium for the 5th time 

As relevant and vibrant as ever, John Cooper Clarke’s influence is just as visible in contemporary pop culture, with his trademark ‘look’ resonating with fashion-conscious individuals across all demographics and his poetry featuring in the English national curriculum syllabus. His popularity as a live performer in 2025 is bigger than ever throughout his over 50 year long performing career. 

John's 2018 poetry collection The Luckiest Guy Alive featured 30 new poems, including live favorites such as I've Fallen In Love With My Wife, Beasley Boulevard and Get Back on Drugs you Fat F*ck. His long-awaited 2020 autobiography I Wanna Be Yours is a groundbreaking piece of literature and a “riveting memoir”, going into revealing and fascinating detail about his early life in Manchester, punk superstardom, drug addiction and his comeback as the major poet of today. 

John continues to feature on iconic British TV shows such as 8 out of 10 Cats, Would I Lie To You, Pointless Celebrities and Have I Got News For You. John was a well received guest on the UK’s most popular shows of all time - BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs - describing his appearance on the show as having "all the finality of a suicide note, without the actual obligation of topping yourself".

John’s own film company produced the acclaimed documentary EVIDENTLY JOHN COOPER CLARKE which records and celebrates his life as a poet, revealing his significant influence on contemporary culture over four decades and featuring a roster of household names paying tribute to John including Bill Bailey, Plan B, Steve Coogan, Kate Nash and Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner. 

The punk poet was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Arts by Salford University in 2013, in recognition of “a career which has spanned five decades, bringing poetry to non-traditional audiences and influencing musicians and comedians." Upon receipt of the Doctorate, Mr Cooper Clarke stated “now I’m a doctor, finally my dream of opening a cosmetic surgery business can become a reality.”

In recognition of his efforts as The Bard Of Salford John was honoured to receive The Freedom of the City of Salford in July 2023 from the Lord Mayor of Salford.  Joining only a handful of people including LS Lowry and Albert Finney.

His sense of humour resounds throughout his career, and his latest live show is a mix of classic verse, new material, hilarious ponderings on modern life, good honest gags, riffs and chat. 

In 2025 John became the first poet to headline an arena at Co-op Live in Manchester. Continuing his tour throughout 2025, it’s a chance to see one of the world’s most important and entertaining spoken word artists at his bold and brilliant best. John’s best selling poetry collection, WHAT, was released in paperback on February 13th 2025. 

Website: johncooperclarke.com/
Facebook: facebook.com/johncooperclarke
Twitter: @offical_jcc
Instagram: @johncooperclarke