John Cooper Clarke (born January 25, 1949) is a performance poet from Salford, Lancashire, England, affectionately known as the Bard of Salford. He is often referred to as a punk poet, having initially achieved recognition in the late 1970s amidst the flourishing punk movement. His recorded output has mainly centred around musical backing The Invisible Girls, featuring Martin Hannett, Pete Shelley, Bill Nelson and Steve Hopkins.