Shane Macgowan Discography

Born: December 25, 1957 in Kent, Ireland
Instruments: Vocals, Guitar

In 1976 he sawThe sex Pistols and became part of the punk movement.The same year he made the papers for the first time. He was up front ata Clash gig and a girl cut him in the side of the head with a brokenbottle. Someone took a photo and the picture of him covered in blood madethe papers. They wrote that he had got his ear bitten off and that turnedShane into a semi-legend at the time.

Shane, who had rechristened himself Shane O'Hooligan, worked in a recordstore. He created his own fanzine called 'Bondage' and formedthe group Nipple Erectors with his friend Shanne Bradley (later inThe Men They Couldn't Hang.). Their first single was 'King OfThe Bop' (1976) and it was produced by Stan Brennan, Shane's employerin the record store. They changed their name to The Nips and recordedthree more singles. The line-up was changing all the time and included guitaristJames Fearnley (later in The Pogues) and drummer Jon Moss (laterin Culture Club). They were support acts for The Clash andThe Jam. Paul Weller of The Jam liked them a lot and producedthe single 'Happy Song'. The Nips broke up at the end of 1980and released a live album called 'Only The End Of The Beginning'.

At the same time as Shane was in The Nips he also played guitarin another punkband called The Millwall Chainsaws which featured,on vocals, Spider Stacy. Shane and his friend Jem Finer were also involvedin a backing band for a school teacher. Shane played bass, Jem guitar andOllie Watts from The Millwall Chainsaws was the drummer.

The Millwall Chainsaws became the prototype to what was goingto be Pogue Mahone (and later became The Pogues). In spring1981, inspired by The Dubliners, they renamed themselves The NewRepublicans. Shane was the leadsinger and they played one gig at RichardStrange's club Cabaret Futura. The audience started pelting them with chips,so the management pulled the plugs thinking the band was from the IRA.

Shane began writing new songs like 'Streams Of Whiskey' andhe and Jem began rehersing together in 1981. They tried busking, but theydidn't do well. In Covent Garden a man told them: 'Very few peoplehave come here and failed what we like to call The Covent Garden Seal OfQuality. I'm sorry, you have failed.'

Shane and Jem auditioned their neighbour, Andrew Ranken, on drums, buthe was the singer in another group and did not have the time to participatein another project. Shane remembered that the former Nips guitarist hadtaken piano lessons, so he was roped in an the accordion and showed up onJames Fearnley's doorstep, the accordion in a landry bag. Jem learned toplay the banjo and John Hasler on drums completed the line-up. A few nightsbefore their first gig Shane phoned Spider and asked him if wanted to comea long. The group didn't have a name and among the suggestions were TheMen They Couldn't Hang and The Noisy Boysies. Spider then cameup with Pogue Mahone, gaelic for 'kiss my arse', and itstuck.

Pogue Mahone's first gig was at The Pindar Of Wakefield on Octoberthe 4th 1982. The day after Shane also managed to find a bass player. Itwas Cait O'Riordan, who he had met a few years ago when she bought a Nipsrecord from the record shop he was working in. John Hasler was sacked fromthe band and temporary they used different drummers including Alec Palaofrom The Sting-rays. In March 1983 Shane and Jem's original choice AndrewRanken became a permanent member.

Shane's days with The Pogues ended in November 1991 during a tourin Japan. His story and the band's story differ on whether he quit or wassacked (although one source blamed Yoko Ono). Following his departure fromThe Pogues, Shane recorded a duet version of Louis Armstrong's 'WhatA Wonderful World' together with Nick Cave for Christmas 1992. In 1993he collaborated with the Breton singer Alan Stivell (of The Specials)and the French band Soldat Louis. Shane also formed a new band withMo O'Hagan (guitar) and Berni France (bass) called The London ContemporaryFive. He opened the next year performing at the Brit Awards singing'Gloria' together with Van Morrison.

Shane appeared on The Jesus & Mary Chain's album 'Stoned& Dethroned'. He also recorded his first solo album called 'TheSnake' and his backing band was now called The Popes. Theirfirst single 'The Church Of The Holy Spook' was only releasedin 10.000 ex. The picture on the cover, a crucified Shane, caused a lotof trouble. The second single was 'That Woman's Got Me Drinking'also got a lot of attention because actor and teen idol Johnny Depp playedguitar on it and also appeared in the video. The album was a mix of traditionalIrish music and rock 'n' roll and was produced by The Pogues' oldsound technician Dave Jordan together with Shane. Among the guests wereJem Finer, Spider Stacey, guitarist Brian Robertson (formerly of ThinLizzy) and John Sheahan and Barney McKenna (of The Dubliners).In addition to Mo and Berni, The Popes are: Tom MacAnimal (banjo),Paul McGuiness (guitar), Danny Heatley (drums) and Colm O'Manolaí(whistle). After the record was finished O'Manolaí was replaced byPaul Conlon (whistle), who only lasted until 1995. John Myers (whistle,fiddle) then became a Pope.

In 1994 Christy Moore sang a duet of the traditional 'Spancil Hill'with Shane on Irish TV. Shane then recorded two duets with Sinead O'Connorand Marie Brennan (of Clannad). The first one was a re-recordingof The Pogues' song 'Haunted' (which appeared only on the'Sid & Nancy' soundtrack and on a 7' & 12' single),and the new version appeared in the film 'Two if by Sea'. Thesecond, 'You're The One' was used in the film 'Circle OfFriends' and was a collaboration between Shane and former Pink Floydmember Michael Kamen, who composed the soundtrack. Both were released assingles and a second version of 'The Snake' with the new tracksincluded was released in the US and Europe.

Sadly, in 1995 producer Dave Jordan died of a heart attack in Paris.

In 1996 Shane sang Frank Sinatra's 'My Way' in a Nike commercial.The Popes got a new member in Kerina (accordion, whistle). Shane also appearedat The Pogues' final gig. Berni France (bass) left The Popesand was replaced by Bob Dowling. Shane began recording and co-producinga new album with Brian Robertson. He released the single 'ChritsmasParty E.P. '96' in November. The next year he recorded 'An IrishAirman Forsees His Death' for a tribute album to the Irish poet W.B.Yeats called 'Now And In Time to Be'.

Another single, 'Lonesome Highway', will be released in spring1997 with an album in the summer. His long time girlfriend Victoria Clarkehas written a biography about him and it will also be published some timein 1997.

For a much more complete history of Shane, and for discographies coveringhis work, please visit Shane MacGowan: Paddy Rolling Stone and ShaneMacGowan: King of the Bop