I Wanna Be Yours

By: John Cooper Clarke

Narrated by: John Cooper Clarke

Length: 15 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

This is a memoir as wry, funny, moving and vivid as its inimitable subject himself. This audiobook, read by the author, will be a joy for both lifelong fans and for a whole new generation.

John Cooper Clarke is a phenomenon: Poet Laureate of Punk, rock star, fashion icon, TV and radio presenter, social and cultural commentator. At 5 feet 11 inches (32in chest, 27in waist), in trademark dark suit, dark glasses, with dark messed-up hair and a mouth full of gold teeth, he is instantly recognizable. As a writer his voice is equally unmistakable and his own brand of slightly sick humour is never far from the surface.

I Wanna Be Yours covers an extraordinary life, filled with remarkable personalities: from Nico to Chuck Berry, from Bernard Manning to Linton Kwesi Johnson, Elvis Costello to Gregory Corso, Gil Scott Heron, Mark E. Smith and Joe Strummer, and on to more recent fans and collaborators Alex Turner, Plan B and Guy Garvey. Interspersed with stories of his rock and roll and performing career, John also reveals his boggling encyclopaedic take on popular culture over the centuries: from Baudelaire and Edgar Allan Poe to Pop Art, pop music, the movies, fashion, football and showbusiness – and much, much more, plus a few laughs along the way.

©2020 John Cooper Clarke (P)2020 Macmillan Publishers International Ltd

Critic reviews

This is not a ‘ponderous trudge through the turgid facts of an ill-remembered life’ but the kind of autobiography Rimbaud might have written if he had been a Mancunian stand-up comedian. (Graham Robb)

John Cooper Clarke is one of Britain’s outstanding poets. His anarchic punk poetry has thrilled people for decades and his no nonsense approach to his work and life in general has appealed to many people including myself for many years. Long may his slender frame and spiky top produce words and deeds that keep us on our toes and alive to the wonders of the world. (Sir Paul McCartney)

I say to people, have you heard of John Cooper Clarke and if they say, yes, yeah he's an absolute genius and you just go, 'oh - ok, you've saved me a lot of time (Steve Coogan)

Poetic Memoir

Dr. Clarke narrates his life as though it was his poetry. This is exactly as it should be! This memoir is a lovely, fascinating way to get to know more about this celebrated yet under-rated poet.

Amazing

The Baird of Salfords outstanding life story through the decades with countless comedic gems and incites into the horror of drug addiction.

Highly recommended!

I didn’t want the book to end. JCC’s performance was outstanding. A true legend. A++++

errant frequency sours perfection!

Some high-pitched frequency intermittently interrupted my absolute rapture during Dr. John's spellbinding stories. It would appear in some chapters, and was pleasantly absent in others seems easy enough to fix with some mastering, but what daft cunt let that slip by in the first place??? they ought to be strung up by their privy parts for marring the good doctors work!

Great narrative, best author-read bio since keef’s!

Not gonna go deep here. When I read a little about the hood dr here, I saw the words; “punk rock poet” and “honorary doctorate”, as well as “read by the author”.
That was enough for me to take a chance.
Take the chance. Smartly written, unbeatable narration.