A ROCK duo will entertain with their tale of Zen masters on a trip to the North Pole at this year's Ilkley Literature Festival.

Bill Drummond, the founder of the controversial late-80s pop band KLF, and Mark Manning, of Zodiac Mindwarp fame, will headline the festival's PoP TV season in June with a performance combining music, words and videos.

This year's festival has a strong emphasis on youth and includes a range of new events for younger people.

Rock gurus Bill and Mark will shock, astound and amuse audiences with readings from their works, which will probably include excerpts from their latest novel Bad Wisdom which covers their epic journey to the North Pole where an icon of Elvis Presley is sacrificed.

Festival organiser David Porter was very excited about Bill and Mark coming to Ilkley.

"This is wonderful news and it's really what we want for this year's event. We're trying to emphasise that it's been going for 25 years and we now want to look forward, not back," he said.

"We need to interest new audiences as literature is changing and some people may be shocked by some of the performances. Pop TV is a massive departure for us and we are nervous but extremely excited. Expect gritty stuff, some strong language and a large young audience."

The duo toured arts centres and small theatres in Britain last year and were given enthusiastic write-ups in the press.

Mr Porter is confident they will go down well at the Craiglands Hotel on June 7.

Projects aimed at a younger audience also include pop video artists and performance poets such as Atomic Lip, a new visual arts magazine by young people and a fashion week.

The 25th Ilkley Literature Festival is officially launched on March 29.

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