Customer Reviews
Hazy Pleasures - By: Colin Bradshaw-Jones, 17 Aug 2005 
That young Johnny Clarke's been at it again. More 'produced' than his first outing, but a fine performance from himself & his Invisible Girls. As I get older I tend to prefer his raw unaccompanied solo live rants, but there's a hazy pleasure to be had from the studio tracked backs as well.
I used to think he'd be back.
punk poet at his best - By: mandynolan, 13 Apr 2004 this is probably his best cd & its well worth buying....i have seen him live & he is funny & charming....this cd is powerful & reminds us of the late 70's & early 80's feelings of despairin thatcherite Britain...it is also very funny & witty...if you can go & see him perform live....if not then buy this cd....
The grit hits the fan! - By: , 02 May 2002 This is an album of prophetic genius.
"Chickentown", with its barely concealed undercurrent of restive urban violence, sits up there with some of the "Jam's" early vitriol.
"Conditional discharge", with its seemingly humourous lyrics, is a poignant preamble to the AIDS epidemic.
JCC's picture of sheer hopelessness & despairin the gritty, no holds barred "Beasley Street"
underlines the the caustic spite about to be poured on ordinary, working class peoplein the rampant, right-wing eighties of Thatcherism.
JCC had 'em all sussed!
The Manchester Punk Poet at his best - By: , 29 Nov 2001 This his third album from 1980 finds John Cooper Clarke th his poetic best. Here he describes lifein late '70's britain, the high unemployment & the class gap, fansin the south yorkshire area should check out Phil Murray & the boys from Bury who perform similar ditties, with the legendary Steve Carter at the helm!!!!That's Right
Street poetry at it's best. The man is a genius. - By: , 27 Jan 2000 Having heard the LP version backin the late eighties, I was well & truly hooked. From the opening violence of Chickentown to the wonderfully depressing view of life on a back street of Manchester that is Beasley Street, Clarke's penetrating & disturbingly accurate portrayal of everyday life can be both alarming & humorous. Once you have played it, you will not only never forget it, you will always find it near the top of your collection. A classic album from the North's greatest streetpoet.
