Latest news with #ThePogues
Sunday World
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Shane MacGowan's sister and widow delighted by Bob Dylan's cover of Pogues' classic
Fans have shared clips of the performance online with one describing it as "the most beautiful thing I've ever heard' Shane MacGowan's sister Siobhan and his widow Victoria Mary Clark have both hailed Bob Dylan's cover version of The Pogues' classic 'A Rainy Night in Soho' that he performed live this week. Dylan took to the stage during the opening night of Willie Nelson's Outlaw Music Festival Tour, which the American rocker was co-headlining. The iconic singer and song-writer sat down at the piano at the close of his gig at the Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre in Phoenix, Arizona, on Tuesday, IrishCentral reports. It was the first time he performed the song, which was originally written by MacGowan, who died in November 2023, live. Fans have shared clips of the performance online – with one describing it as "the most beautiful thing I've ever heard." Bob Dylan News in 90 Seconds - May 16th A delighted Siobhan posted on social media that it would have meant the world to her brother. "When I was a kid I listened to the constant sound of @bobdylan playing in Shane's room," Siobhan wrote. Victoria Mary Clark said her husband "spent hours and hours and hours listening to Dylan and watching footage of him and he was very grateful for the mutual respect." The US star had invited The Pogues to open for him during his North American tour in the autumn of 1989 but MacGowan infamously collapsed at London's Heathrow Airport, leaving the rest of the band to fly out to California without him. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Rolling Stone reported afterwards that MacGowan missed all the Dylan shows but was forgiven when Dylan last played in Dublin in November 2022 when MacGowan was special guest at the concert at the 3Arena. During the gig, Dylan only addressed the crowd once, to send a greeting to "one of our favourite artists', Hot Press reported. "We hope he makes another record soon," Dylan said, adding: "'Fairytale Of New York' is close to all of our hearts and we listen to it every Christmas..." MacGowan joined Dylan and his entourage at the InterContinental in Dublin after the gig as, according to friend and manager Joey Cashman: "Bob was very keen to meet up with Shane when he was in Dublin and his people were on a fair bit trying to set it up. "There's a lot of respect there and Dylan was the one who booked the Pogues to open for him back in the day, even though Shane didn't actually make it,' he told the Irish Sun at the time. "I have a theory that Dylan didn't realise Shane never made it out to the States because the band were so good without him. "That tour was crazy and I became good friends with Dylan's son Jesse along the way. "Dylan had his people get in contact and Shane was reluctant because he wasn't feeling well but then he decided he wanted to go, he couldn't miss out on the chance. "We went to the hotel and let reception know that Shane had arrived. Bob was downstairs within ten minutes. "So we had a meal in his hotel on Sunday. It turned into a late one." Last year, the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, hosted the "They Gave The Walls A Talking" exhibition, which was on loan from EPIC: The Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin. Dedicated to the legacy of The Pogues and MacGowan, it was the first time an exhibit dedicated to someone other than Dylan was featured.
CTV News
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Here's the lineup for CityFolk at Lansdowne in September
CityFolk will be at Lansdowne from Sept. 10 to 14. (Photo credit: CityFolk) Alex Warren, Dropkick Murphys, The Pogues, Down with Webster and Melissa Etheridge and Indigo Girls will headline CityFolk this fall. Organizers announced the lineup for the 2025 edition of CityFolk on The Greta Lawn at Lansdowne Park, which will run from Sept. 10 to 14. The lineup also includes Gatineau's Mia Kelly, Ottawa's School House and Canadian acts Tyler Shaw, JunkHouse, Hanorah and Celeigh Cardinal. 'It's a great time of year to stage an event,' Mark Monahan, CityFolk executive and artistic director, said in a statement Tuesday morning. 'People are always up for one last chance to enjoy some great music under the stars, and the musicians always seem ready for more outdoor gigs before heading back to the indoor concert scene.' Here is a look at the lineup: Sept. 10: Alex Warren; Paul Russell; Tyler Shaw; Aaron Rowe; Mia Kelly; Hanorah Sept. 11: Melissa Etheridge and Indigo Girls; Junkhouse; Rum Ragged; Amble; Alex Nichol Sept 12: Morrissey; James; The Devil Makes Three; Kaia Kater; Mint Simon; School House Sept 13: The Pogues; Dropkick Murphys; Hurray For The Riff Raff; Celeigh Cardinal; Loviet; Catbite; Becks Sept 14: Down With Webster; USS; ToBi; BlakDenim; J Morris; Minuscule A one-day presale begins on Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. Tickets go on sale Thursday at 10 a.m. For more information, visit
Irish Examiner
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Sacred and profane: Ecclesiastical furniture and pub memorabilia under the hammer
A once-off selection of antique furniture, lighting, religious art and ecclesiastical brass will come under the hammer at Victor Mee's live online sale of contents from the St Louis Convent in Monaghan and other clients on Tuesday and Wednesday (May 14) at 6pm on both days. The sale is led by a large 19th-century six-door bookcase with a realistic estimate of just €800-€1,200. A 19th-century pitch-pine bookcase at Victor Mee's sale of contents from the St Louis Convent in Monaghan. A 19th-century pitch-pine bookcase, another very large piece, has an estimate of €600-€1,200. At the other end of the sale is a striking pair of 1970s leather club chairs by Bart van Bekhoven (€800-€1,200). Oak refectory tables and a French gilded six-branch chandelier are among the standout lots. Pub mirrors are highly collectable and Aidan Foley will offer a number of them at his online sale on Monday and Tuesday (May 12 and 13) at 6pm on each day. A large Jameson Whiskey mirror at Aidan Foley's sale. A rare Watts Tyrconnell Pure Pot Still Whiskey mirror and a large Jameson Whiskey mirror lead the pack. There are concert posters of Limerick interest featuring U2 and The Pogues at The Savoy, and a large selection of hotel furniture. The catalogue is online and the auction is on view from 11am to 5pm today until Monday at the old Cleeves Toffee factory in Limerick.
Metro
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
The Pogues reveal the most 'insulting' misconception about Shane MacGowan
Shane MacGowan's bandmates from The Pogues have defended the late singer against an 'insulting' misconception about him. The beloved Irish singer-songwriter died from pneumonia on November 30, 2023, aged 65, after enduring a series of health problems in the months prior. He was also diagnosed with encephalitis, an uncommon but serious condition which causes inflammation of the brain. However, The Pogues' Jem Finer believes MacGowan's struggles with addiction are clouding the Fairytale of New York hitmaker's legacy. 'I think it's quite insulting anyway, 'the drunken artist',' the 69-year-old singer told The Times. 'It's not someone who is perpetually drunk: it is someone who enjoys drinking.' He insisted that MacGowan was not 'always drunk' and was someone who worked 'rigorously and hard' for their music. The song A Pair of Brown Eyes went through different iterations, thanks to the singer's hard work, having started life as a protest against the Falklands War. In 1991, MacGowan left The Pogues mid-way through their tour supporting Dylan, reportedly being dismissed over his substance abuse struggles. He was said to be a regular no-show for gigs, culminating in the exit midway through the Japanese leg of the tour. Jem explained: 'It just became impossible. He didn't want to be doing it any more, and because he didn't want to let anyone down, he wouldn't say that he needed a break, which was reflected in the way he behaved and it was untenable.' He insisted that there was no bad blood between the bandmates, evidenced by the fact that after 10 years away, MacGowan rejoined The Pogues. The group stayed together until 2014 when they split once more, with the iconic frontman again reiterating that they are all still friends — just tired of touring with each other. Despite his loud stage persona, The Pogues shared that MacGowan was secretly quite shy. Even when Fairytale of New York skyrocketed the band — with the late singer as the face of it all — to fame, he remained a little uncomfortable in the spotlight. Spider Stacey told The Times that there was an attention shift away from The Pogues as a whole onto MacGowan himself. 'The fact is, Shane was actually rather shy,' he revealed. 'He was in a punk band before the Pogues, which was not for the faint of heart, but I think he was shy about doing Irish music because on our first tour of Ireland he was very reticent about how people were going to react, which I understand. 'I mean, playing the tin whistle to Irish people … it does come with a certain degree of impostor syndrome.' More Trending MacGowan's death left a sizeable hole in the band's lineup for their UK tour this year, which was filled by guest artists for certain songs. When Metro asked about the possible use of AI to bring back Shane's vocals, similarly to the Beatles' track featuring John Lennon, the Pogues gave a resounding 'no'. 'It's very easy to sit here and go, 'oh no, never,' but, I mean, probably no, never,' replied Spider. 'I think I know where you're going, and the answer, really is no.' James Fearnley and Jem gave equally strong replies of 'Oh no' and 'I don't like that idea.' Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
Irish Daily Mirror
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
"We fixed everything and they made one of the biggest albums of the 1990s"
KINGSLEY Ward is leaning against a post in the courtyard. Behind him is the old pig shed where Bohemian Rhapsody was recorded. 'I remember standing in the yard and hearing the guitar solo and thinking, 'That's a bloody good guitar solo',' he says. Welcome to Rockfield in rural south Wales. The studio on the farm. Home to cattle, sheep, horses and some of the biggest bands in the world. This is where The Stone Roses had their Second Coming, where Coldplay went Yellow and where Queen asked the world to do the Fandango. Thirty years ago, Oasis arrived here to make their second album (What's The Story) Morning Glory? From the outset, Rockfield owner Kingsley Ward knew it was something special. 'I told Noel it would sell millions,' says Kingsley. 'He said, 'Do you think so?' and I said, 'Yeah, because you've got four hit singles there.' 'Noel was back here two weeks ago and he said, 'Kingsley got it right.' He remembered it.' Kingsley and his late brother Charles started the studios in the early 1960s after buying some recording equipment and using empty pig feed bags to soundproof the farmhouse loft. Rockfield was born. Over the years, a granary, stable block and pig shed were all converted into acoustic spaces filled with microphones, mixing consoles and moveable walls. It has become one of the most successful studios in the world and is still run by Kingsley and his wife Ann and their daughters Amanda and Lisa. 'Whenever anyone asks, I always say the summer The Pogues were here was the best one. It was just a really special time,' says Lisa. 'They were such a great band, the weather was perfect, the World Cup was on and they befriended everybody in town. Even the poachers.' The Pogues travelled to Rockfield in June 1990 to record Hell's Ditch with The Clash's Joe Strummer as producer and Glasgow roadie Charlie MacLennan tasked with looking after their increasingly wayward singer. 'He stayed up there,' says Kingsley, pointing at a room overlooking a field. 'I went up there one morning about 12 o'clock and it was all dark and like an idiot I opened the curtains. 'This figure rose up off the settee and said, 'Can you close the curtains?' 'It was Shane.' Hell's Ditch would turn out to be Shane MacGowan's last album with the band as fault lines widened between him and the other members, but for the most part it was a happy time with Strummer conducting affairs in a cowboy hat. 'We had The Pogues and Joe Strummer and another band called The Connells and they all got on so well,' says Lisa. 'One of the guys from The Connells loved fishing. He went fishing one afternoon and came back with a tiny trout and he was so proud of this tiny trout. 'And then, I remember Big Charlie [MacLennan] appearing the next day with this enormous salmon and the guy from The Connells was gutted. 'Of course, The Pogues had bought the salmon off one of the local poachers in Monmouth.' Two horses, Hugo and Shamrock, are grazing in the paddock. Staff are cleaning out accommodation, getting ready for the next band. Lisa opens the door of the Quadrangle studio and flicks on the lights. A vintage tape machine is standing in one room. An organ is behind a partition. Microphones, cables and amplifiers are scattered around. Kingsley sits down behind the mixing desk. Irish artists have decamped here for decades with everyone from The Undertones and Ash to NewDad recording at Rockfield. 'Ward is an Irish name,' says Kingsley. 'My great-grandfather came over in the 1800s. We've had all the Irish bands. Everyone but U2.' There follows a mini dispute between father and daughter about whether U2 came to Rockfield to visit Robert Plant or Clannad sometime in the 1980s. Or maybe both. 'They've all been to Rockfield. Paul Brady. The Saw Doctors. Cry Before Dawn. That Petrol Emotion,' says Kingsley. 'Horslips… Bloody hell, great guys. Michael Deeny, their manager, I remember him alright. 'The Hothouse Flowers… one of them got drunk in town and left his boots in the pub. We had to go into Monmouth the next morning looking for the boots. 'We've had the whole contingent. Oasis, of course, they're Irish too.' Oasis had history with this part of the world. The band held initial sessions for Definitely Maybe at nearby Monnow Valley Studios – a former Rockfield rehearsal space that Kingsley's brother Charles turned into a separate business. While there, they visited The Stone Roses at Rockfield during the recording of their Second Coming album with Liam Gallagher and Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs taking a combine harvester for a spin across the fields one night. That set the tone for the Morning Glory sessions in May 1995. 'Men behaving badly,' says Lisa, smiling. 'That's why all the accommodation here is comfortable, it's not boutique. Because things happen in high jinks.' Famously, the Gallagher brothers had a huge bust-up at the end of the first week with a cricket bat, fire extinguisher and dust bin involved in the carnage before the band fled. Lisa opens the door of the Coach House studio where they were working on Morning Glory. The control room looks almost the same as it did in 1995, although the sofas are new. 'We never talked about the fight for years. The press would ask us about it, but we never spoke about it,' says Lisa. 'It happened, it was all fine, it all got sorted. We fixed everything and they came back and recorded one of the biggest albums of the 1990s. 'They're fabulous, we love them. And 30 years later we still have a great relationship with them because they know they can trust us and we know we can trust them. 'That's why Noel was back here doing random stuff for the 30th anniversary of the album. That's why they're welcome back any time.' The grand piano Noel played on Don't Look Back In Anger is in the corner of the studio. Lisa takes the cover off and pulls out a wooden stool held together by black tape. 'That probably sums up Rockfield,' she says, laughing. Don't Look Back In Anger was one of four hit singles on Morning Glory, along with Some Might Say, Roll With It and Wonderwall. The album sold 22 million copies worldwide. Kingsley got it right. 'We've got a wall outside we call our Wonderwall,' says Lisa. 'Noel set up microphones there to record the guitar part of the song. He originally wanted to record it on the wall.' You can hear a snippet of the recording before the opening track on the album, complete with bird song. Last year, The Cure made their comeback album Songs of a Lost World at Rockfield and the studio's legacy keeps inspiring new generations. Even Noel has been to see where Bohemian Rhapsody was recorded in 1975. 'It's the unusual circumstances of where it is, the farm, and it's the bands. Those two things. That's why it's special,' says Kingsley. Lisa points towards her office at the end of the courtyard. 'If I stand outside my office, I can hear guitars in one room and drums in another, the hair still stands up on the back of my neck. And I can wear my wellies all day. 'We've got the best job in the world.' Some might say she's right.
