POGUE MAHONE!



Pogue Mahone 1983



This is an updated version of an item I wrote in 2003 for a website run by my  Rockin' Boppin' Lunatic friend Macrua here: http://shane-macgowan.co.cc/ about my life long love affair with The Pogues.  And as it is an entirely personal account I would implore my readers to have a look at http://www.pogues.com/
to find out more about the wider trajectory of what I regard as an incredible Rock 'n' Roll institution. 

As a teenage fan of The Jam I got interested in a London based band called The Nips, because Paul Weller produced their brilliant single Happy Song, 

and Jam Leader Weller was a keen advocate not only of the band but also of their leading light, a mercurial genius called Shane MacGowan.  So, there was I, a budding young Nips fan living in suburban North Birmingham at the time, following their story via the pages of the rock inkies, pop mags and BBC Radio 1 John Peel Show.

The Legendary John Peel

And I can remember vividly being in my cousin Noel's Bromsgrove bedroom in 1980 when I read the piece about the NIPS splitting up in his copy of SOUNDS.

Then a bit later in the early 1980's I gradually got more interested in folk and country music, courtesy of the Johnny Cash, Clancy Brothers and Dubliners records owned by my Irish parents. And one night in mid-1984 I heard John Peel again mention Shane and The NIPS and he immediately played a new record called Dark Streets of London (listen to the demo version here: ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvhyyPqDxNM) by a new band called POGUE MAHONE.  That moment changed my life!





Andrew, James, Jem, Caitlin, Spider, Shane

The beautiful ballad 'KITTY' can be heard here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUXpwfGX06w

I was now 18 and could get to gigs of The Pogues. I saw The Pogues 53 times in two years and also saw The Men They Coudn't Hang (more on them later) 26 times during the same period.  The first Pogues gig I went to was at the Birmingham Digbeth Civic Hall on December 6th 1984.  I stood at the front of the stage in my long overcoat and befriended Julie Walsh (who I fancied, but quickly realised was going out with Shane at the time) and Julie Pritchard who was going out with Darryl Hunt who was then the 'Roadie'. 

After the gig, the Julies invited me and my mates Mick Cahill and Don O'Rourke upstairs to the bar where the band were allowed to have a drink after hours.  I was a fairly naive 18 year old, but I liked a drink and still do.  All the Pogues were in the bar with their new manager, Frank Murray, who Cait 'Rocky' O'Riordan, the Pogues fearsome original Bassist accused of looking like Bono's Dad!

Caitlin O'Riordan

Shane then walked into the bar and was immediately harangued by Julie Pritchard and Cait, both of whom accused him of being an ugly, toothless bastard who they were going to 'sort out'.  Shane responded by advising them to FUCK OFF and buy us all a drink! 

Shane MacGowan

Welcome to the crazy world of Shane and the Pogues!  Subsequently, Shane, Cait, the Julies, Andy P. Davies and his pals spent the entire night and early morning getting completely bladdered and increasingly absorbed in conversation about the merits of the recently disbanded Buzzccocks, Redskins and Dexys Midnight Runners.  We eventually walked Shane and Julie Walsh to New Street Railway Station - Shane had borrowed Daryl's Donkey Jacket. 

Paddy on the Railway:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGL4ZtvDN0o&feature=related

And after getting home at 3.00 am in the morning via the West Midland Travel (WMT) Number 51 Night Service Bus I dutifully (for a non-believer), but somehow happily, went to 10.30am Mass with my Mum and Dad at The Holy Name in Great Barr. 


The Holy Name R.C. Church