According to consequence.net, Pogues‘s frontman Shane MacGowan has died at the age of 65 years old. An exact cause of death has not been announced but MacGowan had been hospitalized in recent weeks. The late artist’s wife, Victoria Mary Clarke confirmed the passing earlier today on social media by stating:”The love of my life and the most beautiful soul and beautiful angel and the sun and the moon and the start and end of everything that I hold dear has gone to be with Jesus and Mary and his beautiful mother Therese. I am blessed beyond words to have met him and to have loved him and to have been so endlessly and unconditionally loved by him and to have had so many years of life and love and joy and fun and laughter and so many adventures.”

 

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According to loudwire.com, MacGowan was born on December 25, 1957 in Pembury, Kent to Irish immigrant parents. As an avid reader, the late musician was accepted into prestigious British prep schools but was expelled in his second year at Westminster after being found in possession of drugs. In 1976, MacGowan joined his first band The Nipple Erectors.Bassist Shanne Bradley, singer MacGowan and drummer Adrian Fox released the single “King of the Bop”/”Nervous Wreck” in 1978 before changing their name to The Nips. At the same time, MacGowan met tin whistle player Peter “Spider” Stacy and banjoist Jem Finer where they started another band called The Millwall Chainsaws.

Pogues first  began as Pogue Mahone in 1982 where accordion player James Fearnley joined MacGowan, Stacy, and Finer. Combining punk rock’s usual political ethos, MacGowan’s iconic slurred delivery with with the music of the singer’s Irish heritage, The Pogues were known as Celtic punk. After adding bassist Cait O’Riordan and drummer Andrew Ranken, the band released their first single, “Dark Streets of London,” in 1984.

After opening for The Clash on tour, The Pogues caught the attention of Stiff Records. The label put out the band’s debut album, Stiff Roses for Me, in October 1984. Their follow up, the Elvis Costello-produced Rum Sodomy & the Lash arrived in 1985 and featured the songs “Dirty Old Town,” “Sally MacLennane,” and “A Rainy Night in Soho.”

After releasing their fifth album, Hell’s Ditch, in 1990, MacGowan’s behavior became increasingly erratic, and The Pogues ultimately fired him from the band in 1991. The band later recorded two more albums without him. After his termination, the singer formed Shane MacGowan and The Popes. The band recorded two studio albums before MacGowan announced his departure in 2006 where without the group continued as The Popes.

In 2001 Pogues reunited with MacGowan and toured throughout the 2000s and 2010s. Throughout this time, he underwent a number of oral surgeries after losing his natural teeth and in 2015  he began using a wheelchair after fracturing his pelvis in a fall. Then in December 2022, MacGowan was hospitalized for an undisclosed infection and earlier that year, he acknowledged his heath issues in an interview where he described a normal day in his life.

I’m not a morning person, but I am glad to be alive, so I’m grateful to wake up. I have beautiful carers who come and get me out of the bed and into the lime green chair. Usually someone tries to get me to do or talk about something. Sometimes people visit, or we go out to dinner, or sometimes I end up in hospital. If I don’t end up in hospital, I thank Jesus and His Holy Mother and all the saints and angels.”

Following MacGowan’s death artists Amanda Palmer, Laura Jane Grace, Gogol Bordello and others went on social media to pay tribute to the late musician who has touched their hearts through music.

Shane MacGowan, Rest in Whiskey. A short homage: https://t.co/VR5U0EMKKD pic.twitter.com/kuU39ntlWG

— Amanda Palmer 🎹 (@amandapalmer) November 30, 2023

“Shane MacGowan, Rest in Whiskey.”

Forever grateful to have had the opportunity of opening for the Pogues years ago. Shane was a lyrical god to me, always will be pic.twitter.com/YMddYhn8Fn

— Laura Jane Grace (@LauraJaneGrace) November 30, 2023

“Forever grateful to have had the opportunity of opening for the Pogues years ago. Shane was a lyrical god to me, always will be.”

“RIP DEAR SHANE. TOO SAD. Sail on, Captain. Let us be hunted by the ghost of a Holy Spook. #shanemacgowan forever.”

Photo Credit Raymond Flotat