‘A national treasure? I hate that’

John Cooper Clarke is about to turn into the primary poet to headline a UK area, and is chargeable for the lyrics to one of many world’s most streamed songs of current years. However he has misplaced not one of the sharp-tongued vitriol of his punk origins.

To a sizeable portion of the nation, Clarke’s 50-year stream of biting beat poetry and kitchen sink stand-up comedy ought to qualify him for nationwide treasure standing.

He is horrified on the suggestion.

“I hate that,” he shoots again. “I believe it sounds such as you’re knocking on heaven’s door.

“Nationwide treasure? Shnational shmeasure. Nah, I hate that. Nationwide treasure? Not whereas I am alive. Not until it comes with a beneficiant stipend. Then I will give it some thought.”

This invective is delivered with a sneer, a wink, and at last a cackle of laughter.

The one stipend in his line of labor is the antiquated allowance that is given to the poet laureate.

“What do you get for that, poet laureate? £70 a yr and a barrel of sherry? Not .” He cackles loudly once more.

Clarke has been too rebellious a determine to be thought-about for poet laureate and its sherry-based wage, and on the age of 76 he argues he nonetheless has time to disqualify himself from being a totally paid-up nationwide treasure.

“I may but blot my copy guide. I am that foul-mouthed [person] that you’ve got come to dredge up some grudging affection for, however I’ll but do the mistaken factor.”

For somebody who has all the time gone towards the grain, and sometimes off the rails, it’s arduous to think about what he may do now to decrease his standing, nonetheless.

One honour the Salford-born wordsmith has agreed to simply accept is the 2025 Northern Music Award, which he’ll obtain at a ceremony in Liverpool on Thursday.

Though not strictly a musician, Clarke is carefully related to the music scene – from punk to the Arctic Monkeys, who turned his 1982 poem I Wanna Be Yours right into a tune that was the closing observe on their 2013 album AM.

It was by no means formally launched as a single however has since gone on to be streamed almost three billion occasions by music followers and ranks amongst Spotify’s all-time Prime 40.

Lots of Clarke’s poems have been initially launched with musical backings masterminded by producer Martin Hannett, who was recognized for his work with Pleasure Division.

Clarke has combined emotions concerning the outcomes.

“It was by no means my concept to place my poetry to music however I could not consider an argument towards it,” he says.

“So it was a brand new journey for me, however I believe the outcomes have been patchy. When it was good, it was nice. However I am hyper-critical of my very own stuff.

“It wasn’t my concept, that is all I am saying, however I am glad I did it now. It is put me in line for this award, for a begin.”

Two days after that ceremony, Clarke will obtain one other landmark second when he headlines Manchester’s Co-op Stay area, albeit with a scaled-back set-up in contrast with its full 23,500 capability.

Has he ever carried out in an area? “I’ve performed out of doors reveals that I suppose qualify as an area,” he says. “However I’ve by no means performed an area with a lid on it like this one earlier than.”

It is going to be a far cry from the cabaret golf equipment the place he began out within the metropolis within the 60s, and the punk nights the place he made his identify within the 70s, after profitable over hostile followers who initially aimed spit and bottles in his route.

So what’s extra intimidating – taking part in to a small room of punks, or an area with 1000’s of individuals?

“The extra the merrier,” he replies. “If you happen to’re promoting tickets for a dwelling, the extra the merrier.”

He carried out stay with Pleasure Division, the Intercourse Pistols, Buzzcocks, The Fall and Elvis Costello, reaching cult standing with social-realist poems like Beasley Road and Evidently Chickentown, the delinquent I Do not Wanna Be Good, and the extra surrealist (I Married A) Monster From Outer Area and Valley of the Misplaced Girls.

Nevertheless, Clarke’s stream of consciousness dried up as he fell into heroin dependancy within the 80s. He says he nearly died in consequence, and was lucky to make it by way of these years.

“Properly, I died 4 occasions. I got here again however medical motion was known as for. I am the luckiest man alive. Any person up there likes me.”

Clarke finally bought clear after assembly his spouse Evie, and his skilled revival actually started when Evidently Chickentown was used over the tip credit of an episode within the ultimate season of The Sopranos in 2007.

Fellow poets, comedians and musicians lined as much as hail his affect in a 2012 BBC documentary, with Steve Coogan talking about his “spirit of dissent”, and Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner, calling him “my hero”.

Turner turned him into Britain’s most listened-to poet through the use of his phrases within the Arctic Monkeys’ 2013 tune I Wanna Be Yours.

The unique I Wanna Be Yours is a uncommon instance in Clarke’s catalogue of an unabashed love poem, albeit an unconventional one. “I wanna be your vacuum cleaner, inhaling your mud / I wanna be your Ford Cortina, I’ll by no means rust,” it begins.

Clarke initially launched the poem on document with a kitsch musical backing in 1982.

“It ought to have been performed like Alex does it from the beginning,” he says. “I imply, that’s the definitive model. I like it.”

The Arctics’ model continues to ring a bell with a brand new technology and final yr it had extra streams world wide than another observe over a decade previous.

In the meantime, the poem has additionally turn into a preferred alternative as a marriage studying.

“I might be a billionaire if I had a quid for each person who recited that poem at their wedding ceremony,” Clarke remarks.

He might not have that earnings stream, however he may have bought a fraction of a penny for every of the tune’s three billion streams.

“It provides up, after which there’s the PRS [royalties],” he says.

“So I am not complaining. For a change.” He lets out one other loud cackle.

John Cooper Clarke performs Manchester’s Co-op Stay area on Saturday, 29 March.