Evidently John Cooper Clarke

Evidently Chickentown and countless other acerbic odes to Northern working class life established Cooper Clarke as the most popular poet of his generation.

Recent years have seen the original ‘punk poet’ – who toured with the Sex Pistols, The Clash, Buzzcocks, and The Fall – revisited and re-evaluated by a new generation of writers and musicians.

His rapid-fire delivery, snarling Salford brogue and cutting language clearly resonated with punk crowds, and soon enough JCC was selling records and filling venues with his name atop the bill.

Today, his work is perhaps more widely acknowledged than at any time in his 40+ year career, notable fans including Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys.

Describing the still wiry wordsmith as “a huge inspiration”, the world conquering rockers recorded a version of Cooper Clarke’s dark romantic poem I Wanna Be Yours’ on recent hit album AM.

Rapper Plan B also asked him to appear in his directorial film debut Ill Manors, and their duet Pity The Poor Fellow appears in the movie and on the soundtrack.

Tickets from £24 at blackpoollive.co.uk, 0844 856 1111.