This Time It's Personal

The coming together of two influential gents within their own fields of the arts. Acclaimed poet Dr John Cooper Clarke and esteemed singer / songwriter (and founding member of The Stranglers) Hugh Cornwell have teamed up to release their first album, 'This Time It's Personal'. It's a match made in the rock 'n' roll heaven of their respective youth and, just as their eyebrow-raising new album says, 'This Time It's Personal'. Featuring classic tracks that they both grew up listening to, the album is the surprising duo's first collaboration. The fact that these two giants of punk and new wave are together on record for the first time is remarkable enough. But the album, which features ten hand-picked songs reflecting the pair's shared love of classic American and British pop they grew up with, has a knockout punchline. With not a spoken word in sight by Dr Clarke, nor a distinctive growling Cornwell vocal, 'This Time It's Personal' (produced by Hugh at his own studio) announces John's debut, at the age of 67, as a lead vocalist, with Hugh playing all guitars. The results are delightful.