The Pogues are an Irish rock/folk band. Their music combines traditional Irish music with the rock-punk energy of the 80s and 90s, where electric guitars combine perfectly with traditional instruments such as the bodhràn, tin whistle, accordion and mandolin. Many rank this Irish band as one of Ireland’s greatest, along with the Chieftains and the Dubliners.
It all began in London in 1982, when a small musical group called “Pogue Mahone” was formed. The name is actually an English transcription of the Gaelic expression “Póg mo thóin”, meaning “Kiss my arse”. At the time, the band consisted of 6 musicians, including :
Their career began on the streets and in pubs, where they played traditional Irish songs as well as original material composed by the band. Over the years, they began to gain notoriety, and were offered the chance to play a few live shows in the media, opening for the Clash in 1984.
In 1985, they decided to take the name “Pogues”, after being rejected by numerous radio stations due to the vulgarity of their first name. They then released their first album, “Red Roses for Me”, which was a great success.
Meanwhile, Phil Chevron joins the band, and the Pogues record a new album: “Rum, Sodomy & the Lash”, under the tutelage of Elvis Costello. The title is actually a reference to a phrase Winston Churchill is said to have uttered about living conditions in the British navy). Bassist Cait O’Riordan announced her departure shortly afterwards, following her marriage to Elvis Costello. Darryl Hunt takes over, and Terry Woods, a multi-instrumentalist, joins in.
It was only during this period that Shane MacGowan began to lead a rather dissolute existence. He juggled drugs and alcohol, put on a lot of weight, became known for his vulgarity and his run-ins with the police. All of which did enormous damage to the image of the entire band.
On the music front, the Pogues took part in a number of projects, wrote film soundtracks and recorded “The Wild Rover” with the Chieftains. In 1988, they released the album “If I Should Fall from Grace with God”, with a hit that would become a worldwide hit: “Fairytale of New York”, a Christmas carol that topped the charts in Ireland and the UK.
Success was boundless, but somewhat marred by Shane McGowan’s increasingly violent and uncontrollable attitude. Although he had been the band’s leader since its inception, MacGowan left the group in 1991, leaving behind a band less effective than in the days when he sang and wrote the lyrics. The Pogues carried on without him until 1996, after the release of 2 albums that were duller than their predecessors. But the band quickly ran out of steam after the departure of their leader, and in 1996 decided to vote for a split.
Exceptionally, the band only reformed in 2001 and 2004, for a few concerts in Europe and the United States, with the exceptional participation of Shane McGowan…
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