There can’t be many bands who, when at the height of their success, sack their frontman and principal songwriter, split up completely five years after that, only to reform – with the aforementioned frontman and continue to fill concert halls.
Yes, it’s that time of year again. The shops are full of tinsel – if not actual customers, and Christmas compilation CD’s are being flogged on the telly. What else? Of yes” The Pogues are touring!
This is the band’s sixth annual Christmas tour and as ‘Q’ magazine puts it “They are as fiery and as potent as ever.”
The annual reunion is now as much a part of Christmas as turkey and stuffing, but with an added twist.
Where else but at a Pogues gig can you get the party atmosphere of St Patrick’s Night in December?
Formed in 1982 by Shane McGowan, Spider Stacy and Jem Finer (who are all still in the band), their mix of traditional Irish music with punk rock influences set the band apart from the rest of the crowd.
Heavily influenced by The Clash (whose Joe Strummer handled vocal duties after the sacking of McGowan in 1991), their albums always sold better than their singles.
‘Red Roses For Me’, their debut album climbed to the dizzy heights of #87 in the UK charts, ‘Rum Sodomy & The Lash’ got to #13, and ‘If I Should Fall From Grace With God’ and ‘Peace And Love’ got to #3 and #5 respectively.
Singles-wise however, it took two collaborations for The Pogues to make the Top Ten.
In 1987, they got to #8 in the UK (#1 in Ireland) when they teamed up with Irish music legends The Dubliners on ‘Irish Rover’, and later the same year, they topped the chart again in Ireland and ended up one place lower in the UK with that Christmas classic ‘The Fairytale of New York’ with the late Kirsty MacColl. (In the last three years it has re-entered to #3 in the UK charts – this in 2005, and made the Top Ten downloads in both 2006 and 2007). The music channel VH1-UK has voted it best Christmas song of all time three years running.
It was due to McGowan’s erratic behaviour – he even missed the opening dates of the band’s 1988 US tour – that he was sacked in 1991 and then the rest of the band called it quits in 1996.
However, they reunited, with their errant frontman for a Christmas tour in 2001 and have remained together since.
This year alone they have played three prestigious festivals: T in the Park, Oxegen and The V Festval.
The set will probably be taken from the band’s first three – and best – albums, and you can bet whatever you like that a certain song about New York will get an airing.
As soon as the tour was announced, they had to add an extra date in London due to demand.
So start your Christmas celebrations early with a party like you’ve never seen before.
The Pogues will be appearing at the Manchester Evening News Arena (with special guests The Stranglers) on Saturday 13th December.
Tickets are £29.50 from the box office and usual agencies or on 0844 477 2000.
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