Shane Macgowan - No Moz

[Johnny]

I was having a little blast of The Pogues this morning for the first time in years.

I couldn't help thinking what an amazing lyricist Macgowan was.Of his generation I can only think of Cave and Morrissey who can rank alongside him

Listening to " A Pair Of Brown Eyes" reminded me of the genius that was The Pogues at their best.

Macgowan's words are poetry at it's very best and would rank alongside anything that Seamus Heaney has written.

The last time I saw Shane "live" was about 6 years ago and it was pretty tragic. It had all the emotional appeal of popping your head around the corner of the local cancer ward. He was literally dying on stage.Slowly.

After that night I really lost interest in his career and preferred to keep my memories of times long gone and the many occassions I had seen the band perform.

Wherever you are Shane and whatever your doing have a Happy Christmas.

 

[Pat McKane]

Re: A Drink With Shane Macgowan - No Moz

John,

Last year I read A Drink With Shane MacGowan, written by his wife Victoria and the man himself. A lovely book, witty, touching, ornery and obscene. There is a classic story involving a tin of baked beans! Very refreshing due to the absence of bullshit.

 

[Johnny]

Re: A Drink With Shane Macgowan - No Moz

> John,

> Last year I read A Drink With Shane MacGowan, written by his wife Victoria
> and the man himself. A lovely book, witty, touching, ornery and obscene.
> There is a classic story involving a tin of baked beans! Very refreshing
> due to the absence of bullshit.

I keep meaning to buy it Pat and have missed out on it a few times on EBAY. I try and limit the amount of music books I read as I tend to read too many.
I have read 2 on Mark E Smith in the last 10 days. One for work and one for pleasure

I inevitably get book tokens at this time of year so I will get it in 2004. Thanks for the reminder.

J

 

['Radar O'Reilly]

Re: A Drink With Shane Macgowan - No Moz

> I keep meaning to buy it Pat and have missed out on it a few times on
> EBAY. I try and limit the amount of music books I read as I tend to read
> too many.
> I have read 2 on Mark E Smith in the last 10 days. One for work and one
> for pleasure

> I inevitably get book tokens at this time of year so I will get it in
> 2004. Thanks for the reminder.

> J

I have got the book, but haven't got round to reading it yet. Shane really wouldn't want any sympathy though, there was a hilarious interview with him in the Independent last week, when asked what is the cruelist thing someone has said about you, his response was:

That I am a poetic genius who has about 20 days left to live. People have been saying that about me for over 10 years.

I last saw Shane MacGowan & The Popes a few years ago, his in between chatter was iratic, but he was still able to carry the songs off.

Shane is on Jools Hollonds Hootenanny special on New Years Eve.

 

[Johnny]

Re: A Drink With Shane Macgowan - No Moz

> I have got the book, but haven't got round to reading it yet. Shane really
> wouldn't want any sympathy though, there was a hilarious interview with
> him in the Independent last week, when asked what is the cruelist thing
> someone has said about you, his response was:

> That I am a poetic genius who has about 20 days left to live. People have
> been saying that about me for over 10 years.

> I last saw Shane MacGowan & The Popes a few years ago, his in between
> chatter was iratic, but he was still able to carry the songs off.

> Shane is on Jools Hollonds Hootenanny special on New Years Eve.

Didn't know he was on Jools. Thanks for that. Any idea who else is on it ?

 

['Radar O'Reilly]

Re: A Drink With Shane Macgowan - No Moz

> Didn't know he was on Jools. Thanks for that. Any idea who else is on it ?

No on else of interest, can't remember exactly though.

 

[Uncleskinny]

Re: A Drink With Shane Macgowan - No Moz

I read the book a couple of months ago, and it's surprisingly good, and a very easy and satisfying read. The way it has been written is more in a 'reporting dialogue' style (can't think of the proper word), and this makes for an entertaining experience.

Sk.

 

[Librarian on Fire]

I'm sure every jukebox in every pub has a copy of "Dirty Old Town" in it. It's a shame that people always invariable associate the Pouges with this song, and of course, that Christmas song which always gets blasted out by drunken forty year old women in pubs.

I'm in a agreement with you Johnny that Shane is up there with the best wordsmiths of all times. Although I don't know if the duet "Haunted" with Sinead can be counted as one of his best songs, I personally like it immensely and that line "I wanted to be haunted by the ghost". Even though they were big It makes you wonder what the Pogues could have gone on to achieve.

I was out watching my fave NZ band play again last night, Goldenhorse and their guitarist was swigging out of a tiny silver hip flask. I know it's all rock and roll, and it's fine to be drunk once in awhile but a drunken lush all the time isn't attractive nor a good look.

Merry Christmas

 

[Librarian on Fire]

Re: A Drink With Shane Macgowan - No Moz

> I inevitably get book tokens at this time of year so I will get it in
> 2004. Thanks for the reminder.

Do you not libraries in Scotland Johnny?

 

[dublin branch]

> I was having a little blast of The Pogues this morning for the first time
> in years.

> I couldn't help thinking what an amazing lyricist Macgowan was.Of his
> generation I can only think of Cave and Morrissey who can rank alongside
> him

> Listening to " A Pair Of Brown Eyes" reminded me of the genius
> that was The Pogues at their best.

> Macgowan's words are poetry at it's very best and would rank alongside
> anything that Seamus Heaney has written.

> The last time I saw Shane "live" was about 6 years ago and it
> was pretty tragic. It had all the emotional appeal of popping your head
> around the corner of the local cancer ward. He was literally dying on
> stage.Slowly.

> After that night I really lost interest in his career and preferred to
> keep my memories of times long gone and the many occassions I had seen the
> band perform.

mcgowan is quite good but overated.once said that anyone who has an album of moz/smiths or a poster is a sad bastard.better than been a sad alco eh shane ?

 

[Johnny]

Re: A Drink With Shane Macgowan - No Moz

> Do you not libraries in Scotland Johnny?

Oh God don't you start ! I get enough GBH of the 'ear 'ole off that daftie Bluenose

 

[jeane]

For those people in Oz, a shameful plug to watch SBS tomorrow might (Boxing Night at 10pm) for a short documentary on that oft-loved, oft-hated Christmas song with Kirsty MacColl and old 'gummy'.

Steve Lillywhite is interviewed as is Shane Macgowan.

Go on, you know you love that winning smile....