- Thank you very much indeed for your e-mail and the information about new JCC site. Before I go to see it I must tell you that I have been thinking of you and feel a bit ashamed in his moment for not writing you before as I promised - in the meantime I was in London and met JCC twice. Of course I mentioned you and was very glad I told him I am in touch with you. He saw your previous site and he liked it very much. We had a plan to make interview but, alas, I got a flu and later he had to go to Manchester etc. because he is always travelling for his readings.
I saw him performing in a certain pub/club in Stoke Newington in east London and he was excellent as always. I hope that I shall go to London this summer and I shall meet him for again I am sure. If we make the interview, I shall send it to you. Thanks again...
Boro - E-Mail
Ok, we're all waiting patiently for the interview...
- I'd love to hear JCC doing some new material and mixing it up with the current crop of rapper/DJs. I think he can bring a completely fresh angle to 'sample based' music.If you read this, Mr. Clarke, I'd love to produce trax with you... Thanx for the informative site!!
Andy, Australia - E-Mail
- Just found your web site today and am VERY impressed. It has been great to find a lot of JCC's stuff that I didn't know and will definitely be back regularly. It is also a nice comforter for me having moved away from my home in Manchester last year to come and live in London. To hear Mancunian cynicism at its best makes me feel that bit closer to home! You've definitely made my day.
cheers, dsj - E-Mail
No prob... link to the 'new' Martin Newell site has now been established in the spirit of webness...
- Hi, my name is Paul Wilkinson I'm from Sidcup, Kent, England.I'm putting a Martin Newell web site up. It's very much in it's Infancy. I'd like to put a link to your site on it because yours is a great site.Perhaps you'd put a link to mine...
Cheers, Paul. - E-Mail - Martin Newell Web Site
No prob... link to the 'new' Martin Newell site has now been established in the spirit of webness...
- Dear John Cooper Clarke, I admire your work very much, and wish you would come to Watford. I am a poet myself:
Rabbits build warrens / Birds build nests / Come over here and I'll tell you the rest
I live my life without you / And its rich tapestry / Takes your place / But all the webs I weave and wind / Illustrate your face.
Melanie - E-Mail
nice one
- As a heathen (if not heretic), never did work out what "Some like it hot, some like it cold, some like it in the pot 9 days old" was all about and it's chewed away in my head ever since. Maybe "any Romans out there" could enlighten me. Saw him maybe a year and a half ago (after a gap of something like 16 years), loved the jokes, but couldn't remember any the next morning (sign of a good do). Will keep an eye out for any London Venues. Cheers
Robin - E-Mail
anyone....
- Your web site is funfuckingtastic, and there is a growing number of Finns I know who've logged on to it, printed out poems (usually Evidently Chicken Town and/or I Mustn't Go Down to the Sea Again - for some reason those two strike a special chord here) and have them pinned on their walls at work etc. This is mainly because I've been sending my friends your web link. Another 'feather in your cap' is, because of your site, the fan JCC has in Bombay, India - the writer and investigative journalist P. Sainath (his name won't mean much in the West), who reckons Chicken Town is a modern Everyman's poem and that every country has its fair share of chicken towns....Finland certainly has.
Please put me on any e-mail lists you have. The words are spreading!
Mark - E-Mail
Not only are we a public service, we're a global public service...
- I'm well impressed to discover this website about Clarkie. I remember when he used to knock about with Space Dave and Geoff Parry, living in one o' them drums just outside Sedgely Park, in Kersal. Saw him a few times, in the phone box in Sedgely, in his leather pants, furious dialling God-knew-who. Remember stumbling into some flat, tripping, one night in '83 (?), and he was there, slumped in a corner, in a daze... It's hard here in the U.S. to obtain anything by him. It's probably hard wherever you are. Cheers. Keep up the good work. Up the Reds!
Ian, Massachusetts - E-Mail
I assume you mean Manchester United...
- I was astonished and very pleased to find this site. I have known John very well for about twenty years (for obvious reasons) and do about ten gigs a year with him (I organise gigs as well and have put him on many times). Well done - it's a great site... take care.
Attila the Stockbroker - E-Mail - Web Site
- Good to see a page dedicated to JCC, especially good is the pages of poetry, now I can fill in all those words that just didn't get through. A friend of mine was talking to him after his performance on Irelands' the "Late Late Show" a few weeks back and said that John sounded interested in doing some Irish gigs, especially up around Donegal. Are there any immediate plans for Irish gigs, if not would he be interested in some.
Paddy - E-Mail
Your guess would probably be better than mine on that... but you never know.
- I've just found this site having been reminded of JCC when one of my younger colleagues had just anounced he'd been to the clinic with a dose. I'm very impressed with the site and pleased to find other people who think as highly of JCC as I do. I remember not being able to find any other fans when I was at school and at 35 and working in the 'City' I've got no chance. However at the risk of being a bit of an anorak I'm going to take issue with you on one point. I had the original copy of 'Snap Crackle and Bop' complete with pocket book (though goodness knows where it is now) and I'm sure the book contained poems and song lyrics to just about everthing but the songs on the album. If I'm wrong somebody please correct me. This of course is a ridiculously minor point but as I get older it always seems to be the small points that niggle the most. Once again it is a great page and please put me on your mailing list.
Phil - E-Mail
Can someone please dig up their copy of the book that came with the album and please put this matter to rest... Thank you!
- Hello JCC-fans... I happened to see the great man live in Lund, Sweden in 1979. Elvis Costello & The Attractions played at Olympen in Lund. When John Cooper Clarke came on stage to read a handful of poems, the crowd 'weel, almost everybody, but not all of us' went furious. I actually thought that it would end in a riot, when JCC suddenly walked off stage. But a few minutes later, he came back and faced the crowd with a slow recitament (if thats the word...?) of Brand new track suit. Well, as you might imagine, I had the time of my life. A couple of weeks later I owned a couple of his albums and has been a fan ever since. His appearance was extraordinary: constantly smoking, sipping beer from a can and chewing a gum while reading in ultraspeed in his northernenglish accent. A genius, a true star!
Kind regards from Joakim Karlsson - E-Mail
- Hi, Great site - I've been a JCC fan since 77, saw him live and met him many times. I found a poem by a "John Cooper Clark" in a Manchester magazine called Grass Eye International from October 1970. The poem is called "For Joan", I will scan it and send it to you if it is of interest and genuine.
Joey - E-Mail - Web Site
Joey was a man of his word and sent us 'For Joan'. Check it out in the Poems Section.
- Have you heard about the Independent advertisements yet? I would be very interested to find out whether or not video of this exists on the web. The ad has to be one of the best I have seen for for a media campaign and that is not just merely being biased. Hope to here from you. Thanks.
John - E-Mail
Not only have we heard of them, thanks to Kevin G., we've now got 4 of them on the site. No video yet, but we're always hoping.
- I'm concerned that there are no future gig's listed - is this because John's in a post Xmas stupor ? or is he waiting for the new millenium
Worried of North London
I know... I'm worried too. Anyhelp with gig listings is always appreciated. (Johnny never has his diary handy when we need it). I predict he'll be around someplace though
- There was a poem recited on a BBC R4 programme (Circa Nov/Dec 1998) about the Teletubbies which was attributed to JCC. Can anyone tell me more about it. Where I can get a copy etc. My girlfriend's 5 yr old son thought it was great. He's just moving from the Teltubbies to tThunderbirds and wants to try and learn the poem. Any help much appreciated
Thanks Charlie - E-Mail
- The other day I got a messge from my dear friend Mr. John Cooper Clarke calling me to get in touch with him. In the Internet I found your address so I am getting in touch.
I was writing much about Mr. Carke - a description of one of his gig appears in my novel and we met several times. In the meantime, I got an offer from one of Croat newspaper to go to London early next year and to make interview with Mr. Clarke and that would be an opportunity to prometo semo of his latest poems and jokes here in Croatia. Ten years ago I was trying to organize Mr. Clarke's gig in Zagreb but then the war broke and we couldn't make it. I don't know is it possible to do it now either.
Much obliged, Boro
- Hi there! Just a quick note to say how impressed I am with your John Cooper Clarke site. I've known John for many years because he shared a house with a good friend of mine. Happy Christmas and keep up the excellent work!
David Fisher - E-Mail - Web Site
Long story short here... David is also a musician and recording artist, and his 1998 Christmas CD single actually features JCC performing as the the Fairy on the Tree... (See the new page in the Discography Section for more info and listen to a sample).
- Hi just found the site-great stuff.I guess you know this... John appeared on the Jack Docherty show on channel 5. They tried to get him to do a poem but he wouldn`t so it was just an interview. He was also on a show on Channel 4 about the 100 best LP's of all time - no he wasn`t included! - he was talking about Frank Sinatra.
Danny E-Mail
- Please add me to the JCC mailing list. Love the site.
Best Wishes, Adrian
E-Mail
- First and foremost, the John Cooper Clarke home page is truly wonderful. thank you so much. I never knew how many fellow JCC fans I had; any time I mention him I draw blank stares.
Which brings me to the point. I'm a DJ at a college radio station in Boston, Massachusetts. For the past year or so, I've been rabidly (no pun intended, ha ha) hunting down JCC records in order to do a lengthy Clarke retrospective.
The station at which I work -- which has a very good punk/new wave collection in general -- has nothing at all by him, except the Twat/Splat 7", so I had to start from scratch. After rummaging through the "C" section in every second-hand store I've gone into (little did I know, until visiting the home page yesterday, that it's all been re-issued on CD!) I've found all the LPs, the 'Walking Back To Happiness' 10", and the Innocents and Post-War Glamour Girl 7"s -- no easy feat to find all of these things here in the states.
So, to get to the point: I now have much, but not all, of the complete discography. I would love to either borrow or buy the missing items from fellow JCC fans. If someone were to lend me an item, I would pay them for their troubles, give extensive mention on the radio of any web site they might have, etc. etc.
We are a non-profit station wih a tiny budget, so any help would be hugely appreciated.
In addition to the missing 7"s and compilation tracks, I would love to buy or borrow rarities and oddities of all sorts -- taped interviews, demos, you name it.
And, of course, the event would be made complete by tracking down Mr. Clarke himself for an over-the-phone interview.
If you can reply to me personally and/or post this message on the site, I would appreciate it very much. The tentative date for the radio broadcast is January 16th-17th.
Thanks, Dan
If you didn't read Dan's personal message for help on the front page, you'll find it reprinted in the
misc/trivia section.
- Fantastic site! I've been trying to find 'Are You The Business' for months.
How can I get ahold of Hanging Gardens of Basildon or Menstrual Cycle? Are they just live rumours or do they exist? The names are fantastic...
Ross
E-mail
I guess you'll have to wait like the rest of us and consider the possibility we'll never know the lyrics... But rest assured they'll be posted here the moment I find them...
- With the sad death of Poet Laureate, Ted Hughes today it was suggested to me that a campaign to get JCC the job should be started, whaddya think!
John B
E-Mail
I think it's a great idea but I doubt if the people who decide whoever the Poet Laureate should be would go for it... Though something along the lines of Twat would be pefect for the Queen Mum's 100th birthday poem.
- Congratulations on the John Cooper Clarke site very impressive.
I've been trying to track down a copy the 'Ten Years In An Open Necked Shirt' video so I'll let you know if I have any success. Anyway keep up the great site.
Regards, Dave G.
E-mail
Try Concorde Video in Ipswich... I'm told they have it
- Please add me to the JCC mailing list. Fabulous!
Adrian
E-Mail
- Like Minnie I saw JCC when he toured Australia all those years ago and played at the Trade Union Club - still have the almost life size chicken town poster.
For Australian based people Rage still plays the 10 years in an open necked shirt video from time to time, usually around 4.30am!!! I got from the Manchester special they put together in around '89 which featured heaps of Hannet produced stuff.
A really really enjoyable site.... Back to chicken town
PB
E-Mail
- Hi, great page.It is really good to see the bard being apprieciated as he deserves to be. I have been listening to his work since 1978 and buying it since 1981(the first time I had money having just left school). Buying since '81 means of course the only album I ever got new was 'ME AND MY BIG MOUTH'. Strange as it may seem for a compilation album it is also the most rare to find a back up copy of, at least in seventeen years of searching I have only ever seen one copy, and that too bad for purchase. It was also great to see lyrics, the end line of GIMMIX had confounded me for years, now I know it is “or a cooper clarke”.
In answer to a point I read on one of the pages about a programme for the BBC he featured on regularly, I think it was a schools and colleges prog... from the early '80s called “SIXTEEN UP”. He did a couple of poems written for the prog on each episode,I dearly wish I had owned a video then.
Also a point about an appearance on the INNIS BOOK OF RECORDS, well it is true, he did appear on an episode doing “Chicken Town” and I DO have a copy of that. It starts with Neil Innis shaving in a bathroom mirror, but instead of his own reflection JCC replaces it. A short Marks brothers routine follows as he copies Innis in his movements, then a cut to a close up portrait of a clean shaven and very youthfull JCC doing a shortened and bleeped Chicken Town. Great unusual footage.
Once again, brill site. Keep up the good work and I hope to be sending some pictures soon as I intend to get a video capture card. I also have a personal photo I took when I met him 30/Mar/93 at Poole Arts Centre, a long awaited moment , a truly cool bloke, spontaneously funny and I came away with a dedicated signiture on my CD copy of "disguise".
I leave my E-MAIL addresse in case anyone else wishes to swap info on the one and only PUNK POET.
TaTa for now. Chrisso
E-Mail
- Great page. I'll be returning regularly. If only because i'ts the only way I can read JCC's poetry, but I'm still searching for the printed words. Did anyone else catch him on a Channel 4 English schools program about love poems. He was reading 'I Wanna Be Yours' and explaining some of the thinking behind them. The only thing that sticks in my mind is that Ford Cortina had been changed to Morris Marina because it was funnier and 'cold' had been changed to pneumonia because it didn't fit (created urgency). It was broadcast last Monday I think (13/Oct/98) but it may have been on before I don't generally watch schools programs.
Regards, Cameron
E-Mail
If anyone taped this, please let me know... thanks.
- Attended the gig last night at the Norwich Playhouse - near sell out. good turn out because a couple of other comedy shows were on in Norwich that night. My mate Andy should be doing you a review for you
Cheers, Elaine
E-Mail
- I'm still reciting lines from JCC having been a student 'Mancunian' 25 years ago when Johnnie Claaarke was doing the rounds locally. So it was great to find this site. Hope he's still mostly in one piece and still doing it. A bit of recent biography would be interesting.
Bill
E-Mail
- I was just looking about when up popped a name I havent heard much of in 20 years. Your page is Great!!! Do you know if John will ever come back to Sydney Australia? I'd love to go see him. Thanks Mate :-)
Drowl
E-Mail
I can only say you shouldn't hold your breath...
- Great web page! Thought I would advise 28 Nov Tower arts centre Winchester is another gig for your list.
Colin
E-Mail
Cheers... Everyone appreciates upcoming gig notifications.
- Thought you might be able to use the enclosed
pic of me and JCC rockin' out!
Regards... John
E-Mail
And a nice pic it is too... what's the story to it?
- The John Cooper Clarke gig at the Reddings, Moseley, Birmingham went really well. 177 in the audience and John did a 2 and quarter hour gig...he told me afterwards it was his longest ever (?). I think he certainly enjoyed himself..he was singing in my car afterwards and trying to get me to sing along with him.
Anyway, thanks for all your help...I praised your website to JCC himself.
Regards, Martin
E-Mail
- Hello, well you probably won't believe me but my mum used to be mates with John and his manager Eric, we used to go round to his place a lot, lived in Salford, few doors down from us, Eric taught me to play the guitar... my mum was a bit of a junkie, like john himself at the time... anyway my mum found a few of his poems and discovered a few about herself, she had an argument with him and we moved away. I was just wondering if he ever published a poem called ''the sofa loafer'', cause mum, never let me read, it, cause as you can imagine John was quite dangerous with the truth, and mum didn't like what she heard ! if youve got it I'd love to read it........wow, I can't believe he has this many fans, I always used to think of him as the wierd bloke who sat in the corner with the funny hair who was in the sugar puffs advert, with a notebook and pencil ! never dreamed any one else had heard of him, even if you haven't heard of it let me know.
Thanks, Hayley , Manchester
E-Mail
John, if you're reading this, how about giving us the words to sofa loafer... for Hayley's sake.
- I did a search on JCC and was surprised when I come across your site. The site is excellent and very informative, you have obviously done a lot of research. I'll try and get you some flyers or photos from the gig in Oct. The last time we caught up with John after the gig in the bar and kept him talking for another hour, rib tickling stuff mate. He almost didn't play the gig 'cos he was arrested for possession of some herbs.
All the best, Andy
E-Mail
- My name is sharon, I'm 22 from Israel. I got to know JCC about a year ago through a cyber friend, but only through this web site, so well done. I look forward to witnessing a gig someday, hopefully soon. In the meantime I'll settle for reading printed htmls of his poems...
Sharon
E-Mail
- Cracking site, about time JCC had his own cybercell. I have several pictures at hung up at home here by Steve Maguire, used hang out around Bury with him, before moving to Aberdeen. His pencil is still pretty sharp. Is it just my imagination or does JCC keep appearing in the background on the BERT IS EVIL site?
Tim B.
E-Mail
- I've been a fan of the man for the last twenty one years. Saw him when he recently came up to aberdeen and but now stuck in holland, so hurry up and get some more gigs over here! i saw him on the tour with Pauline Murray and the invisble girls as well. excellent... Pauline, where are you now?
Tim
E-Mail
- Hi... I used to be a fan of JCC in the 70's and saw him live when he toured Australia. Being on the other side of the planet I had no idea he was still performing! Great to see he is... I also really enjoyed this site...
Minnie
E-Mail
- Nice to hear that the Bard is still alive and well. Last time that I saw him he was supported by Pauline Murray & the Invisible Girls. Fab.
Ian
E-Mail