378 Book Roulette with John Cooper Clarke Pt. 2

·1 hr 1 min·5 clips

Tom Rhodes shows John Cooper Clarke his prized copy of 'Confessions of an English Opium Eater,' bought after hearing Clarke discuss it on the BBC.

Tom Rhodes hosts poet John Cooper Clarke for the second part of their 'Book Roulette' conversation. Clarke shows Rhodes his book collection, highlighting a copy of 'Confessions of an English Opium Eater' by Thomas De Quincey, which he bought after hearing Clarke discuss it on a BBC program. They talk about Victorian attitudes toward opium and Clarke's own experiences with drug addiction, including a story about scoring drugs in Amsterdam and nearly missing an encounter with jazz trumpeter Chet Baker. Clarke discusses his musical influences, particularly the American songbook artists like Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra, which he listened to as a child. He explains how childhood tuberculosis led to enforced idleness and voracious reading, including Reader's Digest, which shaped his writing. The conversation turns to fashion, with Clarke detailing his lifelong preference for Ivy League suits and a temporary shift to a Doc Holliday frock coat in Australia. They discuss perfumes like Chanel 19 and Opium for Men, and Clarke shares anecdotes about historical figures like Napoleon and Lord Byron. Clarke recounts Byron's scandalous life, including his affair with his half-sister and exile from England. The episode also touches on Clarke's views on literature, including his avoidance of Shakespeare and appreciation for J.D. Salinger and Balzac. He shares a personal story about his ex-girlfriend Sandra Goodrich, who ran London's first Kissagram agency and left him for the musician Zodiac Mind Warp. The conversation ends with plans for a smoke break.

As heard by us

A fraying scarf leads a funny, rueful wander through books, clothes, taste, and memory.

John Cooper Clarke's book collection becomes a rummage through the objects that give a life its particular shape: Jonathan Meads, Against Nature, high-break jackets, flat-front pants, and a beloved Tootle scarf fraying after 20 years.

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Why you'd press play

Press play when a scarf, a book collection, and an old romantic misadventure sound like a perfectly good afternoon.

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