Description

Sony Music is proud to announce 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 Its Personal, released 14th October .

Its a match made in the rock n roll heaven of their respective youth and, just as their eyebrow-raising new album says, This Time Its Personal. Featuring classic tracks that they both grew up listening to, the album is the surprising duos 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 pairs 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 Its Personal(produced by Hugh at his own studio) announces Johns debut, at the age of 67, as a lead vocalist, with Hugh playing all guitars. The results are delightful. No one knew he could sing! laughs Cornwell. When you tell people they go Youre kidding me.

With tracks by the likes of Lieber & Stoller, Jimmy Webb, Ricky Nelson, Richie Valens and Conway Twitty, This Time Its Personal sees the duo paying their respects to the music that had played such a part in their musical coming of age.

So it is that Hugh and John are celebrating their musical education in 2016, and this time, just as they say, it really is personal. Its going to be a complete voyage of discovery, they agree. These are great tunes, says John, and weve done our very best to respect them, and to bring them Hughjumps in to complete the thought: back to life.