Pogue’s lead singer, Shane MacGowan, tragically passed at 65.
By Percy Steele
The Pogues lead singer, Shane MacGowan performing ‘Fairytale Of New York’
Tragedy strikes as The Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan has passed away the 30th of November, this happened recently after he was diagnosed of encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).
MacGowan was born on the 25th of November 1957 in Kent, England. He was born to Irish parents, and this sense of Irish pride can be heard through his songs, being mainly influenced by Irish nationalism and Irish history. Macgowan began his music career by joining a band called the ‘Nips’ (initially known as the Nipple Erectors) which was formed in 1976 by Shane, but at the time he went by ‘Shane O‘Hooligan.’
During this time he met guitar player James Fearnley. After leaving the Nips in 1982, MacGowan created a new band with Fearnley, Peter “spider” Stacy and Jim Finer called The Pogues. The Pogues were most known for their famous Christmas song ‘Fairytale of New York’, released in 1987, the song topped the Irish charts, and it also became no.2 for the UK it had seemed the two years it took to write the song had really turned the song into a fan favourite Christmas song that has went on to become the 3rd most streamed Christmas song of all time. The Pogues reached their peak during 1988 with their critically acclaimed album ‘if I should fall from grace’.
MacGowan left the band in 1991 due to a falling out with the other members; he then rejoined the band in 2001 for reunion tours and stayed until 2014.
MacGowan is held in high regard when it comes to punk, and his legacy will forever be immortalised in his songs, The Pogues are important for Celtic punk and Irish culture, multiple artists who have collaborated with MacGowan such as nick cave, have shown their respects to the punk legend. The impact he has left on this planet will forever be known.