I Wanna Be Yours

By: John Cooper Clarke

Narrated by: John Cooper Clarke

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.

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)

The bookshop shelves have been clogged up for years by musicians and artists who made their debuts in the sulphurous days of 1976-7, but I Wanna Be Yours, the autobiography of the "punk poet" John Cooper Clarke, aka "the Bard of Salford", knocked most of the competition into a cocked hat.

Any autobiography that features both Bernard Manning and Nico is unlikely to disappoint; even less so when it’s written with such brilliantly Dickensian vigour by the Bard of Salford, John Cooper Clarke . . .this fast, funny book catches his life in its lines

Manchester punk poet John Cooper Clarke takes a rather different approach to heroin addiction, treating it as a source of humour in his sharply observed, entertaining memoir . . . “Relentless tragedy is always hilarious,” he notes of his eventual recovery. “At some point the laughter has to stop.”

[I Wanna Be Yours] might be the funniest book published this year. Few memoirists have had better material to work with: heroin addiction, years living in a squat with Nico, endless love affairs and a TV appearance with the Honey Monster. Talk about getting the most out of life.

The godfather of British performance poetry

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)

John Cooper Clarke uses words like Chuck Berry uses guitar riffs melody and anger, humour and disdain in equal measure. He's the real deal, really funny and really caustic, the velvet voice of discontent. (Kate Moss)

...nothing short of dazzling (Alex Turner)

There are a legion of new young poets who rightly pay homage to Cooper Clarke (Julian Hall)

It’s impossible not to hear Clarke’s voice, rhythmic & deadpan, while reading his memoir. Like his poetry,his prose style is wry and dry . . . Mad anecdotes & whimsical gags abound, but wisdom often lurks beneath the wordplay.

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++++

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.

Entertaining life story of one-of-a-kind

John Cooper Clarke tells of his determination to be a ‘commercial poet’ from an early age, vividly portraying the many scenes he passed through on his journey with humor. His distinctive voice is infectious and you may find yourself speaking like him after a long listen. I would have liked it to include more of his poetry but definitely recommend it!

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!