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Shane MacGowan

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Shane MacGowan performing on stage

Shane MacGowan (born Shane Patrick Lysaght MacGowan on December 25 1957) is an English-Irish musician. He is best known as the original singer and songwriter with The Pogues, and is considered one of the most important and poetic Irish songwriters of the last thirty years, often echoing his influences such as Irish playwright Brendan Behan and songwriter Dominic Behan in his writing style.

History

MacGowan was born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England. When MacGowan was three months old, his Irish parents sent him to live with his mother's family in Puckane, County Tipperary. While there, he became completely immersed in the traditional music of Irish culture. When he was six, and it was time for him to begin education, his parents brought him back to London. His mother was a great singer and traditional dancer and had worked as a model in Dublin. His father was very interested in literature and writing. In 1971 he earned a musical scholarship and was accepted into Westminster School. Shane was found in possession of drugs and was expelled in his second year[1]. MacGowan got his first taste of fame when, in 1976 at a Clash concert, his earlobe was bitten by a girl he had previously been kissing. A photographer snapped a picture of him covered in blood and it made the papers[2], with the headline "Cannibalism At Clash Gig", turning him into a local punk legend. Shortly after this, he formed his own punk rock band, The Nipple Erectors, later renamed to the "The Nips". He tried busking at Covent Garden but found little success.

Fame

MacGowan drew on his Irish heritage to create The Pogues, a band that he founded, but from which he was away during a long hiatus in the 1990s. Many of his songs are influenced by Irish nationalism, Irish history, the experiences of the Irish in London and in London life in general. MacGowan has often cited the 19th century Irish poet, James Clarence Mangan, as well as author/poet/playwright (and IRA member), Brendan Behan, as influences.

After leaving The Pogues, he formed a new band, Shane MacGowan and The Popes. He no longer plays with them and has recently had numerous successful reunion tours through 2006 with The Pogues.

In 1997, MacGowan appeared on Lou Reed's "Perfect Day", covered by numerous artists in aid of Children in Need. The single entered the charts at number one.

The Pogues and MacGowan re-formed for a sold out tour in 2001 and re-formed again in 2004, 2005, 2006 for two further sold out tours, including headline slots at Guilfest (UK) and Azkena Rock Festival (Spain). In 2005, The Pogues re-released "Fairytale of New York", one of their signature songs, to raise funds for the Justice for Kirsty Campaign and Crisis at Christmas. The single was the best selling festive themed single of 2005, reaching #3 in the UK Singles Charts.

In 2006, he was voted 50th in the NME Rock Heroes List. He has also been spotted many times with former Libertines and current Babyshambles singer Pete Doherty. Many have drawn strong comparisons between the two and they are close friends; MacGowan has joined Babyshambles on stage.

His sister is Siobhan MacGowan, journalist, writer and songwriter, who released her own critically acclaimed album, 'Chariot', in 1998. She has written her first novel, for children, 'Etain's Dream'.

In Early March 2007 it was confirmed MacGowan was set to marry his long time girl friend Victoria Marie-Clarke.

Quotations about Shane MacGowan

"I remember going to the Hope and Anchor [a pub where many folk punk acts played in London]. The Pogues were all on stage and ready, it was a full house, but they hadn't started yet. Then this character shambled in through the door and shambled downstairs. I thought, 'Jesus, you're not letting that guy in are you?'. Then he walked on stage. That guy was Shane MacGowan!" Robyn Hitchcock, speaking on the Folk Britannia television programme, BBC4, first broadcast February 2006

"I don't think anybody has been able to recast a tradition as well as Shane MacGowan did with the Pogues... He took a great Irish tradition and remade it without breaking it." Billy Bragg

"He is an angel near the end who needs support, he's too far gone to stop drinking, he has an illness that cannot be cured and as far as I can see the end is near for him." Sinéad O'Connor[3]

In 2000 "Is Shane Macgowan still alive?" was used as the title of a humorous book about the Irish in Britain by Tim Bradford [1]

Quotations from Shane MacGowan

"The British press have been giving me six months to live for the past twenty years - they must be getting pissed off interviewing me by now."

"I'm just following the Irish tradition of songwriting, the Irish way of life, the human way of life. Cram as much pleasure into life, and rail against the pain you have to suffer as a result. Or scream and rant with the pain, and wait for it to be taken away with beautiful pleasure."

"The most important thing to remember about drunks is that drunks are far more intelligent than non-drunks. They spend a lot of time talking in pubs, unlike workaholics who concentrate on their careers and ambitions, who never develop their higher spiritual values, who never explore the insides of their head like a drunk does."

Selected discography

The Nips/Nipple Erectors

The Pogues

Solo singles

Guest appearance

LPs

Filmography

See also

Westminster School

References

  1. ^ Rogan, Johny (1998-09-26). "Rebel yell". The Irish Post. Retrieved 2007-02-13. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  2. ^ Fortnum, Ian (1997-01). "It's a long way from Tipperary". VOX. Retrieved 2007-02-13. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  3. ^ "Shane Really Opens Up to Crowd..." ShowBiz Ireland news. 2002-12-09. Retrieved 2007-02-13. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)


External links

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