It’s five o’clock in the morning and Steve Diggle of The Buzzcocks and John Cooper Clarke are both pleasantly wasted. What better time to dispense wisdom to the young folk of Greenstead, Essex, UK.

A message for the teenagers of Greenstead: Stay away from my fucking car.”

Gee. Words to live by… I guess.

This was shot during the annual Latitude Festival in Suffolk.
 

 
Perhaps the Salford-born bard was an odd choice to put in TV commercial aimed at kids, but the paycheck probably kept him in heroin for… weeks.
 

 
Ten Years in an Open-Necked Shirt is a thoroughly entertaining 1982 documentary about poet, songwriter, punk comedian and recording artist John Cooper Clarke. Among Clark’s many accomplishments: he was the only poet to open for The Sex Pistols and The Buzzcocks.

This is the first part of my life story.
Again.
Take a look at me now.
Genius or a madman.
All the answers are forth… the answers are forthcoming in the following chapters.

Ten years in an open neck shirt.
The real story.
From slums to stardom.
Well, not even slums.
Not even… I used to dream of living in…
The Gyp… Gypsies used to come ‘round and complain about me.
No, wait a minute, that’s their version.
See, I’ve written a censored version for the “News of the World”.
Don’t want to offend anybody, do I?

Right then.
John C. Clarke, that’s me.
Right?

Long out of print, Ten Years in an Open-Necked Shirt is a ramshackle affair, filled with exuberant energy, very much like the brilliant raconteur himself.

The film features Clarke’s good friend Linton Kwesi Johnson.