Welcome
Welcome to Evidently Chickensounds, the John Cooper Clarke Project. You’ll find everything you need to know about the project here, how things are progressing, who’s doing what, and more importantly how YOU can get involved.
Some of the folk already working on the JCC project include….Chas Smash (Madness), Roland Hartwell (The Icelandic Symphony Orchestra), Matt Berry (The IT Crowd, The Mighty Boosh), Maximo Park, Denis Jones, Bone-Box, The Longcut, Ladytron, Lil’ Fee (The Whip), Kings Have Long Arms, The Ironweed Project, Orphan Boy, Frazer King plus many more. Click here to see the full band listings so far.
Also, Mike Duff, a well established local poet specialising in gritty poems about Manchester, James Quinn (actor, writer and comedian best known for his role as a pot-smoking PC in Craig Cash’s cult TV series Early Doors), Marvin Cheeseman (manchester poet with plenty of published work) and Vince Atta (City life comedian of the year 2007).
About The Project
Fat Northerner Records are working with a group of Manchester creatives to run a new project inspired by the work of John Cooper Clarke. The label is developing projects to re-work John Cooper Clarke’s poetry and music involving exceptional musicians and spoken word artists. These tracks will be recorded and released on a limited edition vinyl record in 2009, to celebrate 50 years of John Cooper Clarke.
For those who don’t know, John Cooper Clarke (born 25 January 1949) is an English performance poet from Salford, Greater Manchester; he is often described as a punk poet, having initially achieved recognition in the late 1970s during the flourishing punk movement. His recorded output has mainly centered around musical backing from The Invisible Girls, which featured Martin Hannett, Pete Shelley, Bill Nelson, Paul Burgess and Steve Hopkins. He is fairly famous as a poet in England and ‘Ten Years In An Open-Necked Shirt’ remains his most popular and successful published work.
Additional projects
Along with a limited edition piece of vinyl, we are producing a book, Directory 2009 (inspired by his publication, Directory 1979). The book will feature stories about John Cooper Clarke from a collection of musicians, ex-managers, radio DJs and contemporaries. The book will also feature poems inspired by John Cooper Clarke, from contemporary spoken word artists. There will also be a documentary made about the process of recording the album.
Get Involved
Fat Northerner has been approaching musicians, spoken word artists and contributors to get involved with the project. However, the label would like to open the project up to up and coming bands, artists, spoken word artists and comedians.
If you want to submit a demo for consideration for the album, please record a demo version of the track and post to: JCC Project, Langley Lane Farm, Langley Lane, Middleton, Manchester, M24 5LJ.
The demos will then be listened to by a panel of John Cooper Clarke fans and friends and the best will be selected. Those selected will have the opportunity to re-record the track with a producer. Collaborations are encouraged.
For more information, contact:
alex@fatnortherner.com
ruth@fatnortherner.com
jeff@fatnortherner.com
Poetry
Calling all poets. Submit a poem for the book. Email your work to alex@fatnortherner.com. We will also hope to include short poems to be included on the vinyl release between each of the band tracks. Each poem needs to be under one minute. Please submit demos to JCC Project, Langley Lane Farm, Langley Lane, Middleton, Manchester, M24 5LJ, or contact Alex, Jeff or Ruth for more info. Also, please feel free to post JCC inspired poems on this blog.
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Spencer Robertshaw 07919 838583 Monday, 2 February 2009
A tribute to John Cooper Clarke an inspiration and very sharp chap
John Cooper Clarke, to name him in the full, vibrant never dull -a master of the verbal prose
Be it sad be it funny ,hard hitting or tickle your tummy, he’s the man with the magic , makes humour from the tragic , tells it sometimes how it is Beasley Street shows he’s the biz
He’s being kung fooed internationally and lived in chicken town, he finished the Sopranos and always brings the house down
A modest man by all accounts, a gentleman to the last , quite a stylish fellow – after him they broke the caste
Each poem or word creation is packed with some kind of punch , others dare not take him on, ding ding their out to lunch
Having heard his spoken word with music and without ,I understand Lulu – ‘you know you make me wanna shout’ – Clarkey you’re a genius and language is your host. You’ve been an inspiration to me when I needed help the most
I write my verse inspired by you and with pen or a pc , I do it now with laptop -Dixons sale was on you see.
Your modesty is genuine when it comes to a production , yep! poet laureate you’d better be set for the great induction
It seems to me you like to be under the radar most – that’s is fine as when you appear the world becomes your host.
These few words cant really be made to sum up the great man , but I have drawn you a little picture – Fill the gaps in when you can.
Spencer Robertshaw Monday, 2 February 2009
Comment by spencer robertshaw February 2, 2009 @ 3:54 pmBond for a day
I’d like to be James Bond for a day
Fast cars, women ,clothes debonair, cut with style and dashing flair
Fighting evil – god save the queen
Efforts ordained on the silver screen
I’d like to be James Bond for a day
He makes Dirty Harry look soft and Gay
When he walks in the villains shiver
And womens workings start to quiver
I’d like to be James Bond for a day
Hit the casino and then I’d say
Bond , James Bond – when asked my name
But the message was there long before I came
I’d like to be James Bond for a day
I have plenty of gadgets to use on the way
Saving the world for her majesty
On her service is where I’ll always be
I’d like to be James Bond for a day
But on one where things go my way
I don’t really fancy getting in a bad scrape
With death at my door and no means of escape
I’d like to be James Bond for a day
Comment by spencer March 16, 2009 @ 2:18 pmAnd when I think about it in a positive way
I wouldn’t matter which day I choose
Have you ever seen James Bond lose ?.
JOHN COOPER CLARKE LATEST ODE
Wicked sense of humour,tells it how it is
as hip now as ever – maybe even more
it’s the man behind the hairdo
the man who knows the score
ladies and gentleman mr john cooper clarke
drainpipe trousers adorn
then a fine pair of boots
dapper jacket worn
attire usually astute
with pleasantly understated power
you’ll not mistake this man
who dances in the shower
to get as wet as he can
his figure appears to a round of applause
reaching the mike as the the audience pause
carrier bag in hand ,full of his works
‘alright’ he grins or maybe he smirks
poetry,jokes,one liners and tales
the captains here with a wind in his sails
cutting his cloth bespoke to the crowd
even a whisper works the same as being loud
you might think I’m biased because I like his style
but it makes both my mum and little girl smile
just have to be careful which verse goes to who
the introduction should suit the person it goes to
much more to say about Johnny Clarke
Comment by spencer May 3, 2009 @ 3:31 pmbut I might spoil an education of the man and his mark
so I sign off here and advise you of this
if you have a weak bladder , give light coloured trousers a miss