大象传媒

From Jerry Lee Lewis to Doris Day.

Poet John Cooper Clarke, shares his castaway choices with Lauren Laverne.

John first achieved fame with his poetry during the punk rock era of the late 1970s. Despite some initially hostile receptions from audiences waiting for the Sex Pistols or the Buzzcocks, he acquired a cult status, going on to release five albums of his poetry set to music by former Joy Division producer Martin Hannett.

By early 1980s, he was also in the grip of a heroin addiction which would see him write very little for over a decade. He cleaned up in the early 90s after marrying his second wife, Evie, and having a daughter, Stella.

His star began to rise again in 2007 when one of his poems was used in an episode of The Sopranos and others were included on the GCSE syllabus, which led to collaborations with artists like Plan B and Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys.

First broadcast on 大象传媒 Radio 4 in July 2019.