Shane MacGowan rushed to hospital

[Bridge hibs]

Apologies if already mentioned but I see he has been rushed to hospital. ****ing love the radge and hope he recovers but I dont think its looking too good for him 😞

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/read-this/shane-macgowan-the-pogues-and-fairytale-of-new-york-singer-rushed-to-hospital-wife-pleads-send-prayers-3943600?amp

[He's here!]

The NME report I read suggested it wasn't a life-threatening issue.

Loved the Pogues back in the day. At their peak a night at the Barrowlands in the mid-80s was not to be missed. Even then though MacGowan would toil to last the full set and TBH I'm amazed he's still around. A wonderful lyricist to be sure.

[Pretty Boy]

Guys a genius.

Saw The Pogues live a few years back and he was absolutely out of it. Vomited over the first 3 rows of the audience about half way through the gig. Still put on a hell of a show though.

I follow him on Twitter and he looks almost exactly as you would expect a guy who has lived his life to look. His wife posted pictures of him out and about at his art book launch the other week and didn't look any worse than usual though. Hopefully this is nothing too serious.

[Bridge hibs]

Guys a genius.

Saw The Pogues live a few years back and he was absolutely out of it. Vomited over the first 3 rows of the audience about half way through the gig. Still put on a hell of a show though.

I follow him on Twitter and he looks almost exactly as you would expect a guy who has lived his life to look. His wife posted pictures of him out and about at his art book launch the other week and didn't look any worse than usual though. Hopefully this is nothing too serious.Totally, Ive never had the privelage of attending any of his gigs but I have read his books and what a childhood and upbringing he had.

His liver has to be donated to medical science, he is a living miracle 🤣

[degenerated]

Guys a genius.

Saw The Pogues live a few years back and he was absolutely out of it. Vomited over the first 3 rows of the audience about half way through the gig. Still put on a hell of a show though.

I follow him on Twitter and he looks almost exactly as you would expect a guy who has lived his life to look. His wife posted pictures of him out and about at his art book launch the other week and didn't look any worse than usual though. Hopefully this is nothing too serious.One of the best songwriters in my lifetime. I've seen them a good few times at Barrowlands, SECC and O2 over the years and had some great times.

Saw him with the Popes at punk festival in Morecambe years back too and they were good. I was staying in same hotel as them and whilst down having breakfast they were sitting at next table. MacGowan was sound asleep with what looked like a pint of Bailey's in front of him.

One of the guys in his band saw me with a pint of coke and must have thought it was beer so I was approached by them as they wanted to know where to get beer at 8am. I ended up getting roped into wandering the streets with them to help them find a shop that would sell them beer at that ungodly hour and they just left MacGowan sleeping in the hotel restaurant. Eventually we found somewhere and they bought a case of tennents super and got wired into it in the hotel car park :hilarious

[s.a.m]

What a songwriter - I saw them at Wembley and at the Fleadh in Finsbury Park, where he had to be held upright by Kirsty MacColl. It's kind of ironic that he's the one that's made it this far.

[He's here!]

What a songwriter - I saw them at Wembley and at the Fleadh in Finsbury Park, where he had to be held upright by Kirsty MacColl. It's kind of ironic that he's the one that's made it this far.

Kirsty MacColl would most likely be with us today if she hadn't died in a horrible holiday tragedy.

This is probably my favourite performance by her:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4sZUfQ97po

MacGowan's lyrics were a thing of beauty but he was fortunate he had so many folk prepared to prop him up for so long. A talent like his can be worth waiting for but his inability to perform on so many occasions must privately have been an immense sorce of frustration to his bandmates. I remember seeing Joe Strummer stand in for him on a few occasions and the set was much tighter and more professional. However, the Pogues simply weren't the Pogues without Shane MacGowan.

[degenerated]

Kirsty MacColl would most likely be with us today if she hadn't died in a horrible holiday tragedy.

This is probably my favourite performance by her:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4sZUfQ97po

MacGowan's lyrics were a thing of beauty but he was fortunate he had so many folk prepared to prop him up for so long. A talent like his can be worth waiting for but his inability to perform on so many occasions must privately have been an immense sorce of frustration to his bandmates. I remember seeing Joe Strummer stand in for him on a few occasions and the set was much tighter and more professional. However, the Pogues simply weren't the Pogues without Shane MacGowan.I think it may have been '88 tour where they had Kirsty MacColl for fairy tale of new york. Joe Strummer for a couple clash tunes and lynvall Golding and Neville Staple for some specials and then Frankie Miller to do Caledonia at the end. There was a lot of drink involved, and my fake ID was heavily used at the SECC bars, so I might be wrong :greengrin

[DaveF]

Kirsty MacColl would most likely be with us today if she hadn't died in a horrible holiday tragedy.

This is probably my favourite performance by her:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4sZUfQ97po

MacGowan's lyrics were a thing of beauty but he was fortunate he had so many folk prepared to prop him up for so long. A talent like his can be worth waiting for but his inability to perform on so many occasions must privately have been an immense sorce of frustration to his bandmates. I remember seeing Joe Strummer stand in for him on a few occasions and the set was much tighter and more professional. However, the Pogues simply weren't the Pogues without Shane MacGowan.

What a great clip that is. First time I've ever seen it but that was brilliant.

[He's here!]

I think it may have been '88 tour where they had Kirsty MacColl for fairy tale of new york. Joe Strummer for a couple clash tunes and lynvall Golding and Neville Staple for some specials and then Frankie Miller to do Caledonia at the end. There was a lot of drink involved, and my fake ID was heavily used at the SECC bars, so I might be wrong :greengrin

Christmas '87 at the Barrowlands pretty much mirrored that line-up though my memory is also hazy. I remember being at the Pogues gig in the evening followed by an afternoon SLF gig at the same venue the next day (think they also did an evening gig). Needless to say sobriety was a long way off for the whole of that experience.

[degenerated]

Christmas '87 at the Barrowlands pretty much mirrored that line-up though my memory is also hazy. I remember being at the Pogues gig in the evening followed by an afternoon SLF gig at the same venue the next day (think they also did an evening gig). Needless to say sobriety was a long way off for the whole of that experience.It may well have been that one. I tended to end up spectactularly drunk at pogues gigs :greengrin

The last one I went to at 02, possibly 2010, was really good. macGowan actually seemed to be sober and his voice was in great form.

I've got a book called Hibs and the pogues that I keep meaning to get into, a task for the festive break. It's quite a big book and I'm banned from reading books like that in bed after I dropped a rather weighty tome about the Spanish civil war on 'er indoors head as I dozed off one night :hilarious

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hibs-Pogues-Calum-Bruce/dp/1910223859?ref=d6k_applink_bb_dls&dplnkId=51642f54-3416-436e-8f3f-0d15e4f3a5a1

[bringbackbenny]

I remember being at the Pogues gig in the evening followed by an afternoon SLF gig at the same venue the next day (think they also did an evening gig

They certainly did a matinee - remember it vividly as my first visit to the Barras

[WeeRussell]

Songs don’t come much more beautiful than ‘A rainy night in Soho’

Hope he gets well quickly.

[davy67 +]

His health hasn't been great since he broke his hip , hopefully he'll make a recovery from this latest issue.

[Jim44]

I think I’ve heard all the usual Christmas songs on the radio, so far this year. Reading this thread made me realise I haven’t heard Fairytale of New York at all. It’s usually played non stop around this time.

[w pilton hibby]

I think I’ve heard all the usual Christmas songs on the radio, so far this year. Reading this thread made me realise I haven’t heard Fairytale of New York at all. It’s usually played non stop around this time.

I think some people don't like some of the lyrics. Like these.

You're a bum
You're a punk
You're an old slut on junk
Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed
You ****bag, you maggot
You cheap lousy faggot
Happy Christmas your arse
I pray God it's our last

[Jim44]

I think some people don't like some of the lyrics. Like these.

You're a bum
You're a punk
You're an old slut on junk
Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed
You ****bag, you maggot
You cheap lousy faggot
Happy Christmas your arse
I pray God it's our last

I’m aware of the controversy surrounding this song, but it seems just a wee bit odd that it’s not being played at all this year.

[Hibernia&Alba]

A great songwriter, it's amazing he is still alive. I don't know anything about his life story, has he ever sought help with his drinking, or has he never considered it an issue and been too busy just enjoying it?

[WeeRussell]

I’m aware of the controversy surrounding this song, but it seems just a wee bit odd that it’s not being played at all this year.

Yeah I’m sure they started just blocking out some of the ‘less friendly’ lyrics in recent years?

Would be a shame if the best Christmas song in history was suddenly not being aired on radio at all because of a few words.

[Hibernia&Alba]

Yeah I’m sure they started just blocking out some of the ‘less friendly’ lyrics in recent years?

Would be a shame if the best Christmas song in history was suddenly not being aired on radio at all because of a few words.

Absolutely. Context is everything.

[OldEast]

Absolutely. Context is everything.

Who cares about context when there's something to find offense at?

[Santa Cruz]

Who cares about context when there's something to find offense at?

It's my fave Cnristmas song. I didn't even notice anything offensive in the lyrics until it was highlighted about 25 years after it's release. Must admit I think I was distracted from the lyrics by the video. I was besotted with Matt Dillon in my younger years :greengrin

[greenginger]

Just heard the Fairy Tale a few minutes ago on Radio Forth.

Lyrics have been doctored. No “ cheap lousy faggot “ . Changed to you’re cheap and you’re haggard.

Sounds pretty awkward

[OldEast]

Just heard the Fairy Tale a few minutes ago on Radio Forth.

Lyrics have been doctored. No “ cheap lousy faggot “ . Changed to you’re cheap and you’re haggard.

Sounds pretty awkward

Somebody will be along soon to tell us why that's a good thing.

[marinello59]

Songs don’t come much more beautiful than ‘A rainy night in Soho’

Hope he gets well quickly.

One of the best songs ever written. Absolute genius.

[WeeRussell]

One of the best songs ever written. Absolute genius.

I’m glad someone agrees. I still spend the whole song hanging for “you’re the measure of my dreams. The measure of my dreams”

So nice and haunting.

[Bridge hibs]

One of the best songs ever written. Absolute genius.Agree, up there with the best

[Pretty Boy]

It's my fave Cnristmas song. I didn't even notice anything offensive in the lyrics until it was highlighted about 25 years after it's release. Must admit I think I was distracted from the lyrics by the video. I was besotted with Matt Dillon in my younger years :greengrin

Tbf the alternative line often used on radio these days was recorded whilst Kirsty MacColl was still alive so the suggestion it is problematic isn't a completely new phenomenon. What is new is the ability of social media to blow up a niche issue into something bigger than it is and companies and other organisations overreacting to that noise. Someone needs to be braver and start a trend of not bowing to that pressure every time it occurs.

For me both Shane and Kirsty are playing characters in the song. It's two bitter people, it's a lament and it obviously takes the form of an argument. If Shane MacGowan came out publicly and said 'I hate faggots' I'd find that problematic and shameful. If a character in a film calls another character a 'faggot' then I'm not an idiot so I am capable of separating the words of a character from that of the actor.

[Pretty Boy]

A great songwriter, it's amazing he is still alive. I don't know anything about his life story, has he ever sought help with his drinking, or has he never considered it an issue and been too busy just enjoying it?

Many years ago Sinead O'Connor grassed him to the police to try to force him into rehab for heroin use. It worked as well and he's since admitted she probably saved his life.

He stopped drinking for a long period in about 2016 after being hospitalised and then subsequently properly detoxed. He was having a glass of wine with Gerry Adams just the other week though so I think he still partakes from time to time.