
John Cooper Clarke, the man dubbed the “punk poet”, is heading to Dundee as part of a nationwide tour.
The Salford wordsmith will give a reading of old and new material at the Gardyne Theatre on Wednesday September 26.
Cooper Clarke shot to prominence in the 1970s as the original people’s poet.
Since then, his career has spanned cultures, audiences, art forms and continents.
His influence is seen in today’s pop culture with his trademark monochrome look and by the impact he has had on modern music.
This includes collaborations with Sheffield indie rockers Arctic Monkeys and rapper Plan B, meaning he has been involved in two global No. 1 albums in the last two years.
One of Cooper Clarke’s best-loved poems, I Wanna Be Yours, was put to music on the Arctic Monkey’s critically acclaimed album, AM.
The 69-year-old was at the forefront of the punk movement in the mid-1970s, sharing a stage with acts including The Sex Pistols, The Clash, Buzzcocks and Elvis Costello.
He is studied by many students and his poetry is prolific within many courses at universities in the UK and Ireland.
His latest show, which is touring the UK and Europe, is a mix of classic verse, new material, ponderings on modern life, gags, riffs and chat.
Tickets, priced £24.50, are available from dundeebox.co.uk.
Doors open at 7.30pm.