The ultimate punk poet, John Cooper Clarke, will be performing in Blackburn. We spoke to him ahead of the show on June 22.

THE Bard of Salford is bang on form, the accent is as familiar as ever and his love of words is clear.

John Cooper Clarke is playing the North Bar - a one-off gig giving lovers of comedy genius a rare chance to see one of the great characters of modern performance.

"I'm pretty sure this will be the first time I have ever played in Blackburn, " said John.

"I used to have an Auntie Dorothy who lived there and we'd visit when I was a kid but that was a long time ago."

John Cooper Clarke rose to fame alongside the pioneers of punk and New Wave.

With his highly alliterative poems, delivered a breakneck speed, he became an essential part of the music scene, often sharing stages with the biggest bands of the time.

But now it appears as though he's mellowed and a John Cooper Clarke gig these days is likely to see him telling a few jokes and even doing requests.

"Mellowed with age - now there's a thought," he muses with a distinct chuckle in the voice.

"I just think I've learned that you don't have to do everything at 100 miles an hour.

"People have come out for a good time, so why not enjoy it with them. I like to savour the moment."

With albums such as Snap, Crackle and Bop, John Cooper Clarke was at the forefront of performance poetry, paving the way for the likes of John Hegley and others.

But he was not always fully appreciated.

"I don't think the PC brigade every fully appreciated me," he laughed.

"But then I wonder if they actually listened to what I was saying.

"I had an image, I came through the punk scene and that might have put people off."

The combination of an acute eye for detail and a clear love of wordplay make John Cooper Clarke always worth listening too.

"I've got some new poems which I'll be bringing out in Blackburn but I'm not averse to doing the odd request," he said.

"That's the good thing about intimate venues. You immediately get a rapport with the audience.

"It can be a problem when they know the old stuff better than I do but they help me through."

A tour is planned for October, including a date at the Comedy Store in Manchester, but now it will be Blackburn's turn to enjoy an evening in the company of the Bard of Salford.

p> See John Cooper Clarke at the North Bar in Blackburn on Friday, June 22. Tickets are available from Blackburn Record Exchange or on the door.