It breaks my heart, but Shane Macgowan of The Pogues has died. He was 65.
As a young punk in DC and New England, with a love for folk and celtic music, The Pogues exploded into my consciousness with Red Roses For Me. I saw them on tour two or three times, and chatted with Shane and a few others at the shows. Even got invited to an aftershow that I could not attend, sadly.
He was an intelligent, deeply shy man who buried his insecurities in alcohol. That did him no favors and it wasn't until he had some life-threatening health issues in the 90's and 2000's that he tried to clean up his act. It worked pretty well, and he did some performing again, but his body slowly gave out. In late 2022, he was hospitalized in critical condition with viral encephalitis for several months. It appears that that was the last straw, and while he was released from hospital in Spring of 2023 (I think), his health never rebounded. He was back in hospital this past month. That was the end of him, although he put a brave face on it.
His roaring, bold interpretations of traditional and original Irish music and Rock standards pulled in many famous collaborators, and even today are fresh and much imitated. The style of Punk Irish - The Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly and similar bands have drawn from the well that The Pogues created (and they in turn built on the late 70's UK punk tradition, as well as the Celtic Folk revival music of bands like Silly Wizard - yes I know they are Scottish).
He was one of a kind. He left us a pile of treasures worthy of the old traditions but imbued with newness that raised the bar of tradition and let countless other bands to follow in his footsteps. He will be missed.
This is how I will remember him.
Yeah, sad to hear this news, but honestly, not entirely shocked. Based on some of the tales that have been told about him, it's kinda surprising we didn't lose him years ago.
PSN: SpacePProtean
Unsound Methods
The King of Cups Expects a Picnic: A podcast dedicated to the joys and sorrows of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
I never expected him to live to 1990 or so, after seeing him live in the mid-80's. But he was quite special in his own quiet way.
The two sides to every story are true and false, not yours and theirs. Facts are not political; lies are. - Deven Green (Mrs. Betty Bowers)
The first Pogues song I loved was "Sally MacLennane".
That song reminds me of suddenly noticing just how many more empty bottles there were next to the friend I was drinking with than there were in front of me.
Even more so, it reminds me of my not-exactly-girlfriend drumming on the steering wheel during the chorus, during the last big road trip before my college friends and housemates scattered to the four winds.
We walked him to the station in the rain
We kissed him as we put him on the train
And we sang him a song of times long gone
Though we knew that we'd be seeing him again
Far away!
Thanks for the touching note, Robear.
I ask no favors for my sex. All I ask of our brethren is, that they will take their feet from off our necks. - Sarah Moore Grimké
Mix has the right of it. - Stengah
I had never heard of him but I love that "old school" folk from that clip. RIP indeed....
EvilDead, do a run of The Pogues songs on Youtube and see what you are missing.
The two sides to every story are true and false, not yours and theirs. Facts are not political; lies are. - Deven Green (Mrs. Betty Bowers)
Will do!
Edit: My phone is 100% spying on me. In Spotify I just typed in "The" and the first selection was Pogues.
Your phone has style.
"Why don't we call bills teds? Then they can go on excellent adventures." Dr. Incurable as he was going to pay for something.
After watching The Wire several million times, it has been repeatedly communicated to all friends and family that if I die unexpectedly, it is required that I have a wake, and "Body of an American" will be played.