You should read the book “Drinking with Shane MacGowan” – it’s brilliant. His wife, a journalist, wrote it based on a series of interviews that she did with him. Well worth reading.
There’s a documentary that came out in the last couple of years about him that I would love to get my hands on.
A video that perfectly encapsulates Shane MacGowan’s “tragic genius” is the one where he and Nick Cave are singing “What a wonderful world” by Armstrong. So sad, yet so powerful. http://youtube.com/watch?v=VxCM9dellRs
I’ve got the book: right now we’re paring down books in prep for a move out of state, but I won’t let that one go. I’ve also got the video, “If I Should Fall From Grace with God.” Fantastic! I’d love to get a copy of the making of that that video. I saw it on Paddy’s day back in 2002 – on HBO, maybe? It might even have been better than the video itself.
Particularly telling was one of the Clancy Brothers (if memory serves) talking about MacGowan’s defensive psychology. He turned around the Pogues’ “Broad Majestic Shannon” and sang:
Take my hand
Dry your tears, Shane
Take my hand
Forget your fears, Shane
There’s no more pain
No more sorrow
They’ve all gone
Gone into the years, Shane
AHAHAHAHAHA!
Shane McGowan’s mouth is the best advert against heroin out there.
It was the meth (speed, amfethamine) that ruined his teeth
Poor bugger.
I don’t know why he doesn’t get falsies. But hey, his music is great.
Whack fol me daddy, thanks for that! Shane: a tragic genius.
You should read the book “Drinking with Shane MacGowan” – it’s brilliant. His wife, a journalist, wrote it based on a series of interviews that she did with him. Well worth reading.
There’s a documentary that came out in the last couple of years about him that I would love to get my hands on.
A video that perfectly encapsulates Shane MacGowan’s “tragic genius” is the one where he and Nick Cave are singing “What a wonderful world” by Armstrong. So sad, yet so powerful.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=VxCM9dellRs
Oh, and while you’re at it, check out the video for “Henry Lee” by Nick Cave – it also has P.J. Harvey. One of my all-time favourite songs!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=uHdNCHomHlU&feature=related
I’ve got the book: right now we’re paring down books in prep for a move out of state, but I won’t let that one go. I’ve also got the video, “If I Should Fall From Grace with God.” Fantastic! I’d love to get a copy of the making of that that video. I saw it on Paddy’s day back in 2002 – on HBO, maybe? It might even have been better than the video itself.
Particularly telling was one of the Clancy Brothers (if memory serves) talking about MacGowan’s defensive psychology. He turned around the Pogues’ “Broad Majestic Shannon” and sang:
Take my hand
Dry your tears, Shane
Take my hand
Forget your fears, Shane
There’s no more pain
No more sorrow
They’ve all gone
Gone into the years, Shane
Chokes me up to this day.