RIP Shane MacGowan

[Canard]

Singer from The Pogues. Gone at 65. Too young.

Shane MacGowan, Pogues songwriter and Irish music legend, dies aged 65

One of the all-time great bandleaders and writer of Christmas classic Fairytale of New York, MacGowan invigorated rock with the power of Irish folk music

www.theguardian.com

Live Munich, 1985. 39 minutes.

 

[jp]

Bummer. I loved these guys.

 

[Sal]

He and Kirsty MacColl, together again in time for Xmas.

 

[GGJaguar]

He had his share of problems, but he was unique. RIP

 

[wileypickett]

I bought the Pogues first album when it was released and loved it, and the second was even better.

There’ll be great mourning around the world, but especially in his home country tonight, where he’s very much a national treasure. A flawed and tragic one, but one.

He left the world some very fine songs indeed, and I love how he and his band reinvented the traditional Irish folk song.

RIP Mr McGowan

 

[twocorgis]

I bought the Pogues first album when it was released and loved it, and the second was even better.

There’ll be great mourning around the world, but especially in his home country tonight, where he’s very much a national treasure. A flawed and tragic one, but one.

He left the world some very fine songs indeed, and I love how he and his band reinvented the traditional Irish folk song.

RIP Mr McGowan

+1 to all of this.

I've seen Shane a few times where he was so wasted that he fell of the stage, and always thought (like Keef and Willie) that he would live forever. Looks like I was wrong.

It's been a bad year for Irish music legends.

 

[Guildedagain]

Anyone seen the doc Crock of Gold?

Wife was not amused at my impersonations which just seemed to go on and on...

Wife says just now, all heart "Wow, he made it that long, that's amazing".

 

[Canard]

They played with surprising regularity, I recall, at the Railway Club in Vancouver, a small pub-like venue.

Railway Club - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Canard]

More ...

Story of Fairytale of New York

Shane MacGowan: NYPD bagpiper recalls rollicking shoot of classic Pogues video

When they starred in Fairytale of New York, the Irish-American officers had never heard of The Pogues.

www.bbc.com

Obit:

Shane MacGowan: the poet-musician of dereliction who became a mythic figure

The former Pogues frontman created, for a brief period, songs of incisive beauty before addiction led to his ejection from the band, although his genius shone once more with the Popes

www.theguardian.com

 

[Canard]

More

Shane MacGowan – a life in pictures

Shane MacGowan, musician and songwriter with the Pogues and the Popes has died aged 65. Here are snapshots from his brilliant and at times broken life, both on and off stage

www.theguardian.com

Shane MacGowan’s 10 greatest recordings

The singer was at his snarling, poignant best across these powerful vignettes that put a modern spin on Irish folk traditions and gave us a timeless festive singalong

www.theguardian.com

 

[Canard]

Tributes start to be collected:

‘We’d roll joints and watch Netflix with him!’ Irish folk artists on the creative genius of Shane MacGowan

Lankum, the Mary Wallopers, Lisa O’Neill and John Francis Flynn recall their encounters with late Pogues singer – and explain how his music got to the heart of Irish identity

www.theguardian.com

 

[DrumBob]

I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did, given his penchant for drink.