I have to be very careful when I write about The Pogues. Things can get a little nuts and suddenly someone’s wife is involved and your phone starts ringing with a very interesting area code..(saved that number btw, love caller ID!)
But hey it’s anniversary time for those crazy Irish boys and I simply cannot let the opportunity slide by un announced. C’mon now, my boy Joe Strummer was a Pogue and hell, everyone’s got a bit of Pogue in them- right?
The fabulously animated Shane McGowen and his band of merry men, Spider Stacy (NoLo, YOLO!), Jem Finer, James Fearnley, Andrew Ranken, Phillip Chevron, Terry Woods & Darryl Hunt deserve some mad props for their achievements in music and mayhem. When it comes to stage presence with The Pogues you pretty much know it’s a pub scruffin good time. They’re older, and calmer right? 30 years of mileage from their 1982 arrival on the music scene and a hot mess load of stuff has gone down in that time.
We must give respect where it is due and for all the Shane jokes that can be hurled there is no getting around the fact that this band made a tremendous impact on the punks and maniacs of the 80s.
Well the guys are schlepping it over to Paris for a 30th Hurrah at the Olympia and forget about going cuz its sold out. The concert is being recorded for quick turnaround and will be released as 'Best Of' album and DVD which will be released through Polydor on Monday November 12th 2012. Let’s just hope everyone shows up.
The album tracking is not complete but will (of course) include of Streams of Whiskey, Boys From The County Hell, Rainy Night in Soho, Sally MacLennane, The Sickbed of Cuchulainn, Fairytale of New York and The Broad Majestic Shannon.
If any band member would want to discuss this upcoming milestone with me I would love to speak to you- you have my number.