Photo: WENN
Punk poet and comedy legend John Cooper Clarke has paid tribute to Arctic Monkeys for using one of his classic poems as the lyrics to their recent track 'I Wanna Be Yours'. Watch him discussing and reciting the song below.
Clarke, who has always had a strong impact on the music scene dating back to Joy Division and The Fall's time in Manchester in the late 1970s, is renowned as one of frontman Alex Turner's most important influences on his lyrics. Turner famously called Clarke "my fucking hero" in the documentary Evidently John Cooper Clarke.
Now, Clarke has returned the favour by honouring "Britain's premieres beat-combo" in a new video unveiled by Arctic Monkeys.
"All credit to my fellow lyricist Mr Alex Turner for spotting the romantic heart of this number," said Clarke," which I always played for laughs in a kind of throwaway fashion. What he's done here is a very difficult thing - he's converted a poem into a song...with a few lines of his own. He's turned it from a semi-comedic piece into a full-on love song."
Watch John Cooper Clarke discussing and reciting 'I Wanna Be Yours' below
Arctic Monkeys plus special guests Tame Impala, Miles Kane and Royal Blood will play London's Finsbury Park on Friday 23 and Saturday 24 May, 2014.
Tickets are on sale now. For more information visit Gigwise gig tickets.
Below: Arctic Monkeys' epic 2013 - the band's finest live photos of the year
