John Cooper Clarke, Royal Festival Hall

John Cooper Clarke is the punk poet par excellence. He began his career in the ‘70s in Manchester folk clubs; today, he plays at sizeable venues like the The Royal Festival Hall, where he’ll be performing on October 4. 

Before today’s proliferation of spoken word poetry, there was 'Johnny Clarke, the name behind the hairstyle,' as he refers to himself. Not much has changed in 2013: his (slightly thinning) mess of tangled black hair, hanging over his black Ray-Ban Wayfarers, is as exuberant as his delivery is deadpan. 

The secret to Clarke's continued success, is in writing poetry that combines humour with biting social commentary. Delivered with his nasal Mancunian twang, Clarke’s verses are full of disaffection and decay—depressing themes leavened by his trademark irreverence. (Listen to Evidently Chickentown and then Twat.) 

It was this that got him picked up by the punk (and later post-punk) scene. Clarke was billed with bands like The Sex Pistols, The Fall, Buzzcocks, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Joy Division. That was the ‘70s. In the ‘80s, he disappeared into the embrace of his girlfriend Nico (a Warhol Superstar who famously collaborated with the Velvet Underground) and, more to the point, heroin. He got his act together in the ‘90s, though, and returned to live performance. 

Since then, Clarke’s career has enjoyed something of a renaissance. He is revered by Plan B and Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner. (The closing track on the Arctic Monkey’s new album is a cover of Clarke’s poem I wanna be yours which also happens to be on the GCSE English syllabus). 

Once upon a time Clarke used to rattle through his poems; now, though, his show is essentially stand-up comedy, interjected with occasional bursts of verse.

Addled relic or punk deity - whatever you think of JCC, don't miss this performance.