NEWS: Julian Cope @ Riverside

The Arch Drude, Droolian, Lord Yatesbury, Sqwubbsy, erm… Kevin Stapleton. Musician, poet, pagan, antiquarian, holy fool, bonafide popstar, acclaimed author, renowned maniac and your worst Viking biker nightmare comes to Newcastle’s Riverside on Friday 14th February.

Julian Cope stumbles into his mid-sixties with one of the most diverse, prolific and occasionally stunning bodies of work of anyone out there. It’s been 40 years since his Teardrop Explodes glory days, almost that long since he was a Top Of The Pops regular (often tripping balls). But despite some dark years (documented in one of the all time great rock autobiographies, Head On/Repossessed), he’s never stopped releasing music in a myriad of outfits and styles. Last year’s release was a tribute to his friend John Balance of Coil, while his just released Self Civil War is getting reviews that put it alongside classics like Jehovahkill. Julian Cope gigs can be unpredictable in format and content, but for the most part these days you’ll get a hairy man in a big hat telling stories between songs, as shambolic and meteoric and flat-out lovable as the man himself.

Julian Cope plays Riverside, Newcastle on Friday 14th February