'Arry chats to JOHN COOPER CLARKE

Rip It Up, Issue 64, 1 November 1982, Page 4

'Arry chats to JOHN COOPER CLARKE

Arry

It's after midnight and I'm biting my nails till there's nothing left at all. Ed sez interview at 12.30. So after half a dozen Steinies it's time to pick up the phone and speak to the Thin White Fluke. Ullo, is John Cooper Clarke there please? "Yes, this is he." Late as usual. On the other blower, were you. So 'ow did it all begin. Did what begin, I ask myself. We start with a three-second delay. Was it the so-called punk explosion? "Yeah, that was a big break for me. I was working in nightclubs, a totally different environment from the punk scene." Aha, another early starter. But people didn't grasp it as they usually don't. "I was a bit before me time, really." Maybe three months. Things used to be pretty impromptu in the earlier days no formal commitments, just wherever one happened to be at a certain time. A lot of gaps were filled by Cooper Clarke at gigs while bands were changing over. Nowadays it has changed.

"I get booked beforehand now, things 'ave changed, been dragged upmarket. It's not as spontaneous as it used to be, but that's to be expected, really. That was a good way of getting initial attention." So what's 'e been up to lately? "There 'asn't been a lot of work in England lately. It kind of eases off between the months of July and October. It's all because the students go 'ome for summer. That kind of affects gigs an 'ell of a lot in England. But I've been working in Europe a lot. I've just finished a short tour of 'Olland, that was really good. I don't know what they get out of it, given the language barrier, but they seem to enjoy it all the same. I've been around Scandinavia, Italy, New York, Toronto. They all went really well also." No mention of Downunder. "Well, I believe a lot of shows in Australia are sold out already." Pity we can't offer the same, but that's the promoter's problem. So what about backing maybe some music per'aps? "Possibly tapes, but definitely not a band. I never tour with a band. Per'aps some of the new stuff I might do with tapes some of the stuff from Zip Style Method. Most of it will be just raw poetry, you know plenty of roughage." This poses another problem radio airplay. We don't 'ear much down 'ere, so what's it like over there? "I 'ave a problem over 'ere with airplay meself. Only me clean stuff ever gets on air and there aren't that many without at least one swear word in them." What about the music press then? "Well, between the three main ones: The Face, NME and Sounds, they are probably pretty accurate about what is happening, but as you say, you're three months behind. I mean, do you know John Lennon is dead?" Yeah) that was in June, wasn't it? So which form of media is most vital to the modern poet, such as yourself? "TV. I definitely want to work in TV. I do much more work in TV than I do in radio. They're much more liberal than the radio stations, the TV companies." What about the Poetry Olympics.

"It was the first time I met a lot of European Poetry Establishment - people like R. D. Laing, the famous psychotherapist." What about Attila the Stock-' broker. "Yeah, there's 'im and Seething Wells and Little Brother - seems there's quite a few people at it now." ’iiSsjrNßPPWi And Linton Kwesi Johnson. "Yeah, I did an hour with him about six months ago, which went really well. There was two differ- : ent styles of delivery - while I was fast and furious, 'e was slow and ' intense, but •the two styles . complimented each other very nicely. It was very successful. We kind of mutally admire each other and I'm sure I'll work with im again." And New Order - they seem to be very quiet about the tour. "Well, I better keep my trap shut as. well. I've worked with them before, when they were Joy Division." Yes, old Manchester townfolk . never die, they just come down 'ere. 'Ave things changed much since then? "Yeah, the music's changed quite a bit." But nothing said about the feeling. So what about Manchester a very industrious city? "I’m living in Chelsea now and I 'aven't been back for a few months. There's about three times as many unemployed and about three times as many bands since I was last back there. People seem to 'ave a lot more time on their 'ands. Entertainment and the breweries flourish in times such as these." ■So is one looking forward to coming to these parts. "Yeah, it will be a break from the English winter." You've got the sunglasses, but 'ave you packed your shorts? "Nah/I look a cunt in shorts."Will we be 'earing any new poetry, written especially for . down 'ere? "Nah, but I'll probably have a bit of new stuff written by the time I reach there, yeah." I think once you've seen the Queen St nightlife, the Zephyr boys, you'll probably have a. whole new record's worth to go ', 'ome with. "Zephyr Boys?"