Culture That Made Me: John Cooper Clarke on Poe, Presley and Pam Ayres 

The punk poet is a regular visitor to Ireland, and here reveals some of his formative influences 

John Cooper Clarke performs in Cork and Dublin. 

John Cooper Clarke, 73, grew up in Salford, England. He began his career as a performance poet in working men’s clubs around the UK. He became a prominent player in the punk era, performing on the bill with the likes of the Sex Pistols and the Clash. 

In the 1990s, his work was added to the UK’s school syllabus. In 2020, Picador published his autobiography, I Wanna Be Yours. He will perform at Cyprus Avenue in Cork on Thursday, May 5; and the Olympia, Dublin, Monday, May 9