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| INCREDIBLE SHANE |
| Special thanks to reporters and the best regards to all Shane's fans all over the world |
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| This section contains the latest rumours, news, gossip, reviews I find rummaging about Pogues/Popes/music sites/messageboards/guestbooks and is dedicated to |
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| HOW I CAME TO LOVE THEM fans' love stories |
| 05.11.2003 NEW RELEASES Jools Holland has compiled another all-star cast for the third installment of his Small World Big Band album series. 'Small World Big Band #3' has been named 'Jack O' The Green' and will be released in the UK on November 17. The tracklisting is: 1. Buddy Guy 'She Suits Me To a Tee' 2. Terri Walker 'Misfit' 3. Smokey Robinson 'You Really Got A Hold on Me' 4. David Gray 'I Think It's Going To Rain Today' 5. Solomon Burke & Eric Clapton 'Message To My Son' 6. Shane McGowan 'Just To Be Home With You' 7. Steve Earle 'Play It' 8. Nick Cave & Sam Brown 'Kiss of Love' 9. Paul Rodgers 'I Told the Truth' 10. Sugababes 'Please Can I Talk' 11. Ringo Starr 'Boys' 12. Ruby Turner 'When I Get Home' 13. Prince Buster 'Enjoy Yourself' 14. Eliza Carthy 'Sweet If You Like' 15. Michael McDonald 'Cry Myself To Sleep' 16. Kirsty MacColl 'Shutting The Doors' 17. Peter Gabriel 'Washing of The Water' 18. Suggs 'Jack O The Green' 19. Ronnie Wood 'Ooh La La' 20. Soloman Burke & Eric Clapton 'Mabel' 21. Jimmy Scott 'I'll Be Seeing You' Shane & Lancaster County Prison video of "The Town I Loved so Well" is almost finished. The First Cut is now completed back from UK and with the Band in NYC ..and very good it is too Shane (& LCP) all look really good as is the Footage of New York Anyone in NYC interested in viewing the first cut should attend Lancaster County Prison Next gig: Sat 8th November Irish Rover, Astoria, NYC Video to be shown on Big Screen between sets. Some members of the band some the last few weeks in Ireland & UK staying with Shane as well. Shane is staying in Howth Co. Dublin "in good form & writing & recording material" Popes new album is ready soon Roy Foran, (via FOS mail) 27.10.2003 After a long break HOW I CAME TO LOVE THEM is replenished with another fan's story. This time Andy P. Davies kindly shares his memoirs with us: "As a teenage Jam fan I got into The Nips because Paul Weller produced Happy Song, and he was a fan of Shane. So, I was a teenage Nips fan living in Birmingham at the time, following their story via the pages of the rock inkies, pop mags and John Peel Show. I can remeber being in my cousin's bedroom in Bromsgrove when I read the piece about the NIPS splitting up in Sounds..." More >>> And following the tracks of New York gig with Lancaster County Prison: Kevin Rooney justified my best expectations and sent a wonderful illustration to his previous review of the party (where he was lucky enough to be an opening act) The full story and larger version of the pic can be find here 22.10.2003 Honoured contributor Alex Stickel gave me another hint: Shane and Victoria were spotted at one of ESB Dublin Fringe Festival events. On 23rd Sep The Spiegeltent saw Gavin Friday gave his first public performance since his Kurt Weill Musical extravaganza "Ich Liebe Dich" two years ago (Dublin Theatre Festival 2001) Gavin's show 'I DIDN'T COME UP THE LIFFEY IN A BUBBLE' is a mix of his songs and poetry, a 'visual and vocal journey', an intimate recollection of Gavin growing up in Dublin and the people, musicians and artists who influenced him... In addition to Shane and Victoria the night in Spiegeltent attracted U2 drummer Larry Mullen, U2 manager Paul McGuinness, The Corrs' Andrea Corr, and journalist BP Fallon beautiful couple, beautiful sight 17.10.2003 Dear Visitors! Thank you very much for leaving comments in my GuestBook. It was full so I saved old entries in Archive to free space. If you've got a word or two for me take the opportunity ! I really appreciate your attention :)) 02.10.2003 Another - this time "official" - review of Croydon gig. A malevolent one. (link by courtesy of Alex Stickel) Music: Shane MacGowan By Richard Milne Financial Times Published: September 29 2003 "Shane MacGowan is not a pretty sight these days. Over an hour late for this show in south London, the former Pogues frontman stumbled on to stage, alcohol in one hand, cigarette in the other looking like a particularly dishevelled tramp. The author of a host of brilliant songs based on traditional Irish music including "Fairytale of New York" looked as inebriated as is possible to be without falling down. "You're a bunch of fucked-up bastards," he yelled at the patiently fervent crowd." More >>> 29.09.2003, 30.09.2003 SHANE MacGowan & The POPES at Fairfield Hall Croydon, UK, 26 Sep 2003 Here's an interview with Shane (the most recent one I think): He's a bum, he's a punk... "But says he's off the junk... Wild, exuberant, fun and clever: and that's just Shane MacGowan's music. Shane Dingman speaks to the king of Ireland's gutter poet troubadors Shane MacGowan may be a world-renowned songwriter but listening to him speak, one can be forgiven for thinking that he's about to die. His diction is slurred, his speech indistinct and punctuated with long pauses and the words "yeh?" and "yih know." More >>> Here's a cupla words about supporting act - FLUID DRUIDS Fluid Druids Support McGowan & The Popes "OISIN Leech from Navan, singer/guitarist of the punk/reggae band The Fluid Druids, supports Shane McGowan and the Popes on 26th September in Fairfield House, Croydon, London writes Damien Leech. The Fluid Druids are an international band who got together in Dublin - bass guitarist Ned Crowther is from Oxford and drummer Massimo Signorelli is from Naples. " More >>> And here's a brilliant review of Croydon gig by Christine. It was delivered with FoS mail so maybe you've read it but as I said it's really great story and I just couldn't refrain from publishing it here. Hope Christine won't mind. Shane was fantastic last night. The show started off badly: classical concert hall mostly seated, no booze inside, and worst of all only half-full. Popes came on on their own: starting with The Beast, they put their all in, looking and playing as if they were genuinely enjoying themselves. Paul did his jumps, Tommy a brilliant solo addition to Aisling - only Bob seemed fairly blotto and forgot what he was playing. Hugely better than Shepherd's Bush, so don't write them off quite yet. Shane came on, launched very forcefully into, oddly, Dirty Old Town - Joey C. on tin whistle almost inaudible. Shane changed an entire verse of DOT, unfortunately incomprehensible to me but obviously taking the mick out of the song. That's a real shame because it still is a good song imho, only overplayed. Shane was in a great mood, did all his party tricks from swinging the mike to playing drums, joking with (Sue?) off-stage and grimacing at the audience a lot, doing suggestive things with the microphone, dancing about - you wouldn't know he had been sitting down for his last few shows. He was also apparently in a tasteless loud shirt competititon with Tom. Sadly, not a single new song, not even the recent trad. covers. But with the obvious exception of Fairytale, I don't think he missed a single one of the rabble-rousing greats, more Pogues than Popes: IISF, Irish Rover, Sally Mac, Body, Broad Majestic, R&R Paddy, Back in the County Hell, Poor Paddy, South Australia (that was really nice). And the smoochers Rainy Night, Lonesome Highway - strangely accompanied by many kicks against his imaginary girlfriend ??? Also Auld Triangle (personal favourite). Although I saw some v young people too, everyone I talked to was a veteran of many shows. So if he's not gaining many new fans, the diehards seem determined to keep going. And some opinions from Shane's Official Site guestbook: "Shane was great, slagging the crowd (and getting it back from me) singing well (he even managed a self deprecating last verse to Dirty old town) and seeming to enjoy himself, and the fact that some people still love him. I can't agree with the people who keep slagging the band off, they are a kick as band (something the pogues at the end weren't). I was at Brixton and at the Fleadh, and although the crowd at Brixton made it a great gig, at the Fleadh it was sad to see a once mighty band doing a greatest hits gig to pay the mortgage. Whenever one of them took the mike to sing it was evident why they were s*** without Shane, not one of them has Shanes charisma, charm, or ability to hold an audience in the palm of his hand. None of the others had an ounce of Shanes song writing ability either, with the exception of Phil Chevrons Thousands are Sailing, i can't think of one song that came near to matching Shanes wit,passion and poetry.Yes i saw the Pogues without Shane, several times, and while the crowd were as loyal and passionate as ever the band were a shadow of their former selves. Thanks Shane for another great performance. look forward to the next time" Glenn, England "i saw the popes for the first time last night. previously i had seen the pogues at brixton academy on the reunion tour. i just thought it was a bit sad really. the band was ok, shane was looking better than i expected but there was very lttle atmosphere compared to the pogues at brixton where it was a******* riot from the minute they came on. this just bseemed like a poor imitation. why does shane have such a **** band? why doesn't he just get back with the pogues? if he really cared about the music he would. i have thought about it and from what i have read i think he has a big ego or is really greedy.or maybe he is just lazy. i don't know, but i won't go and see the popes again. Jimmy Tequila "just got back from croydon; in a 1500 capacity concert hall. it was badly organised from the start. only 550 tickets sold so it was pretty empty. the support were called fluid druid and were an average ska/punk/reggae type band. the security were telling us there was a 2230 curfew on the place and shane-o didn't come on till about ten to ten. in fairness he went past the curfew and was on for about an hour. there was no smoking or drinking in the hall! at a shane-o gig!?! the popes came on and did 'the beast' 'church of the holy spook' and 'aisling' before shane came on. i can't remember the set list or the order but he played 'irish rover' 'south australia' 'iisffgwg' 'sally mac' etc. nothing out of the ordinary. i think he was trying to get in as many classics in the time he had. shane and the boys were in good spirits and enjoying themselves. it turned out okay although if they never play there again it won't be a bad thing. regarding the atmosphere, i think it's important to take into account that fairfield hall in croydon was a bad venue. it seems to be the sort of place that is used to hosting more sedate events (their other september listings included brass band and classical music as well as musicals and speakers). plus any gig (or event, for that matter) were the venue is only 1/3rd full is going to lack atmosphere and energy. shane's performance was, however, wonderful. real energy and interest from the big man. more so, i might add, than when i've seen him in dublin playing to a full olympia theatre with a superior atmosphere. as far as the popes being dissapointing, i understand that stance. i think that, live, they are a messy, unrehearsed, unorganised band...maybe more like a pub band but it's something i really appreciate. they're real paddys playing real paddy music and they looked like they were having a good time doing it. give me that over a tight, smart band of pros who look bored ****less any day. i thought the boys and shane did a great gig considering the circumstances. i think you have to do the same when you see shane-o these days. take what you're given and have a good time with it! i saw shane in september last year when he was p issed, miserable and in a wheel chair and had one of the best nights ever." Tommy 26.09.2003 Added a review of Pogues' reunion gig (RDS Main Hall, Dublin 9 Jun 2002) to REVIEWS section. In a cupla hours Shane is to perform at Croydon (Fairfield, Park Lane, Croydon CR9 1DG, UK): Fairfield Hall Box Office 020 8688 9291 boxoffice@fairfield.co.uk 12.09.2003 HUNTENPOP FESTIVAL Varsselder, HOLLAND, 6 Sep Some impressions from Shanes gig in The Netherlands, last saturday (Huntenpop): In the first place i like to say that this was the best Shane gig -for me- in years! Shane was in a very good temper, very inspired, lively, standing for at most 90% of the gig, smiling, screaming etc. Highlight for me was Lonsome Highway. And: the gig started on time! (well, 10 minutes late, but who cares? most bands started a bit later)Shane was dressed in the shirt of the irish national soccerteam and wearing sunglasses with one lence (he lost one during his energetic dancing .)Started with some ballads (dirty old town etc.) with the famous musician Joey C. on unhearable whistle .I was with some people who gave up shanes gigs some time ago, and they are back on the train now! Some nice pics from shanes gig last saturday: http://www.homepages.hetnet.nl/~histogert/shane.htm Gert, The Netherlands (shane's official site guestbook) First let me all tel you that in mine opinion it was a VERY GOOD concert. I have to admit that The Popes were playing like hell, especially The Beast was in fine form. Shane was looking very good dressed in his green Ireland national rugby team shirt. Vocals were very strong in the beginning of his concert and ended up a little weaker but still going strong. No changes in the setlist, they only changed the running order a little (starting with Dirty Old Town) they also played Back In The County Hell and Rainy Night. Ended with Irish Rover. Also Joey C. on the thin whistle. The crowd was very wild during the concert. Best concert I saw from Shane and The Popes since the 013 gig April 2001 Dirk, (shanemacgowan.de guestbook) Yesterday I saw the best concert from Shane since the last years and a night to remember. Shane was in good form, the popes'sound was not bad. Just an accordion would be appreciated. Shane makes a lot of funny jokes. He sings like it would be the last concert on earth (hopefully not!). There were a lot of not-Shane Fans but after a hour the whole crowd scream for More More. And Shane came back after he asked The band to play More.. With Rainy Night and The Irish Rover with Cashman on whistle. (New Member?)the show ends. Taxman, (shanemacgowan.de guestbook) 03.09.2003 "MORE FRIENDS" # 2 According to Jools Holland's official site his work on follow-up to MORE FRIENDS is advancing. The main thing is SHANE MacGOWAN has recorded his track !!! (James Brown, BB King, Ringo Starr,Peter Gabriel, Steve Earle, Herbie Hancock are next in turn) 26.08.2003 SZIGET FESTIVAL BUDAPEST, HUNGARY, 5 Aug Andrey Rubtsov (Kiev, Ukraine), a lucky witness of Shane's appearance at Sziget, kindly shared his review (in Russian for now, but he promises to sort it out and produce English version later), gig pics (by Andrey himself), pics of post-gig meeting with Shane (were taken by unknown hungarian), Shane's autograph (yes, it's a piece of paper napkin) 08.08.2003 CUPLA FANS' WORDS Fans' reviews of the latest gigs (from shane's official site guestbook) Savoy Theatre, Cork, Ireland, 25th Jul 2003. I just to say that I went to see Shane at The Savoy Theatre in Cork on the 25th of July and oh my god was it good! I went there with no idea I was going to meet him but I met these lovely people up there and they helped me on stage and I was left up there for so long I couldn't belive it! Shane and myself had our arms around each other and everything!He is soooo sexy and such a legend!No words to decribe how good he is! Majella, Ireland Blackwater Festival, Waxford, Ireland, 26th Jul 2003. Well folks just want to let you know that shane turned on the style last night and gave the crowd a real treat. God hes looking as well as i ever seen him. Not one bit drunk or nothing....Poor oul tommy had a few half ones maybe before he came on!!!But in saying that really it was a brillant night and everyone enjoyed it. Rock on the Popes and Shane McGowan. Paddy Coen, Eire32 I expected the worst having seen and heard loads of bad press. I was proved totally wrong. Shane looked really well and was totally coherent.He wore the famous sunglasses for a while and stood unaided for the first four songs before perching himself on a bar stool for the rest of the set. He sang loud and proud all the old favourites which the crowd went crazy over. It was a shame that Tommy let the others down with some poor banjo work,.. never mind... he was slaughtered!! Chris and Rog Naas, Kildare, Ireland, 31st Jul 2003 Saw Shane and the Popes playing in Naas last night. Shane was more wrecked onstage than I've seen him in sometime. The band did not look very interested or involved. It was just Andy, Bob, Paul & Tommy. Special guest artist was the wonderful Mr. Joey Cashman on tin whistle for a couple of tracks. Setlist was the usual mix except in a strange order. For instance when was the last time they opened with Dirty Old Town? For some reason they also chose not to stick to the setlist that was pinned to their monitors. Shane sat for most of the show. My cousin, who's last viewing of Shane was at the Pogues in Finsbury Park last year, thought it looked like Shane was clinging on to the bar-stool like his life depended on it. He also felt like he was watching a freakshow rather than a gig. There was not a big crowd at the venue and it was easily possible to walk up to the front of the stage for most of the show. This meant that audience members were supplying Shane with a stream of lit cigarettes and drinks. Some drinks they just handed to him. Others they poured in to a blue coffee mug he had. **** knows what mixture was in there by the end of the night! Paul McCluskey, Ireland Sziget Festival, Budapest, Hungary, 5th Aug 2003 First time I ve ever seen Shane on stage yesterday evening in Budapest giant festival. He was playing in front of a massive crowd, The show started 25mts late - opened with Dirty old Town - Shane tottaly drunk, I was wondering how he could sing couse he couldnt even talk - they played terrible - but who cares -fantastic show - crowd gone wild, my best show in the festival history. Last song Rainy night in the Soho - was fantastastic. Great show - Thanks for that Peter, Hungary I thought that it was a fantastic gig with Shane and the Popes in fine form. The crowd was a bit quiet to start with but soon got into the swing of things and Shane looked bored to start with aswell but he soon livened up and was crakin jokes. Every word Shane sang was crystal clear to me and I certainly wasn't expecting him to come on at 8pm (due on at 7:30pm) I thought it would be much later than that. They played until about 9:15pm which was excellent value for money about 10squid to get in and about 60p a pint in their festival. Paul Hello all from Hungarian gig, here is the set list: ----------------------------------------------------------- Dirty Old Town Rock 'n' Roll Paddy Mother Mo Chroi Donegal Express If I Should Fall From Grace With God Streams of Whiskey Popes' Instrumental Back In The County Hell Lonesome Highway Body Of An American (announced by Shane as Paddy in America) More Pricks Than Kicks Broad Majestic Shannon Bottle of Smoke Sally MacLennane Sick Bed of Cuchulainn Irish Rover Rainy Night in Soho Greenland Whale Fisheries South Australia ----------------------------------------------------- Shane was in better shape in Hungary than in Serbia, probably because Budapest concert started 4 hours before Novi Sad's and Shane didn't have time to poison himself with amount of alcohol he would like. Serbian crowd knew the songs better but Hungarian was in much better dancing mood. Aleksandar Rakovic, Serbia In my opinion shane?s concert was really good, the crowd got wilder and wilder the longer the gig lasted, always two or three people crowdsurfing. shane was drunk as always had troubles to climb up his stool and three times missed lyrics only in the first three songs. he played a bit of drums at the end of body of an american and stood up for the end of south australia. joey cashman on tin whistle for two songs. after the gig sneaked into the backstage area where we met andy, the drummer and he helped us to get shane out of his container, so we could shake his hand get and get a picture with him. it was great to meet him and even today i can?t believe that it happend. shane seemed drunk to **** and rather indifferent to the things around him. later he did an interview and then spent the rest of the time sitting alone at a table and drinking, a rather sad picture. in the meantime got ****** with andy a really nice guy who supplied us with drinks. according to him there is no date for the release of the next album, they have recorded a few songs, but thats all, there won?t be a us tour in the next future, cause shane can?t endure longer tours due to his bad health (look at australian tour). i also heard a lot of frustration about the difficulties in working togehter with shane and to me it seemed that besides playing in the same band the members don?t share many things together. anyway it was a great evening, andy is a great and friendly guy and was very happy to meet some "normal" people, even invited us to london. Parkbencharistocrat, Austria 01.08.2003 It was the first anniversary of this page on the 25th of July. To mark this good round figure and to celebrate 10 000 hits I've made some alteration |
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