Here we chat with the legendary Shane MacGowan, musician and singer, known for being the lead singer and songwriter of The Pogues. Shane has also recorded and performed with many other artists such as Nick Cave, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Christy Moore and Sinead O’Connor to name a few. Born on Christmas Day in Kent, when his parents were visiting relatives, Shane originally came from Puckhaun, county Tipperary where they lived until Shane was six. They then moved to London. Here he tells us of his fighting youth, love of music, artistic inspirations, overcoming challenges, karma and compassion..
1. What was life like for you as a child and during your teens?
I was happy and confused. Always moving between England and Ireland was confusing, they were very different, especially in the way they treated children but also in general. In England they were cold and distant and in Ireland they were warm and everybody knew everybody else. I think I grew up quicker as a result, I had to adapt to all sorts of different experiences. I was always in gangs and I was quite violent. People used to start fights with me so I would fight back. I was not particularly good at fighting so I made sure to have lots of friends. I must have been good at making friends!
2. How did you first get involved in music?
Music was in my life from the word go, on the radio, people singing and playing in the house, all the time. I used to sing when I was very young, I started when I was three. I am pretty sure that my first song was Kevin Barry, but I collected songs and had a repertoire of a few hundred songs by the time the Pogues started.
3. How important is music to you in your life?
Music is very important, there is music in my head all the time, different kinds of music. Life would be very dull without music, I can’t imagine it!
4. At the age of 6 you moved from Tipperary to London. When you were growing up in England how and why did you connect with an Irish identity?
I was always surrounded by Irish people, and I helped out in my uncle’s pub in Kilburn, so I was very much influenced by that. I listened to stories from people who had lived in Ireland and stories about the rebellion. I liked the stories about the rebellion, the people who brought me up had lived through it and they liked talking about it and telling funny stories about how they got one over on the black and tans and stuff.
5. What or who have been the major inspirations for you in your life and in your music?
Music……all sorts of music. Sean O’ Riada, The Dubliners, The Clancys, Planxty, De Danaan, The Fureys, Maggie Barry, Joe Dolan, John Mc Cormack, John Coltrane, The Rolling Stones, The Jam, The Pistols, The Clash, Cream, Hendrix, Laura Nyro, Dylan, Van the Man, I could go on and on! Also Brendan Behan, William Burroughs, James Joyce, Flann O’ Brien, Edna O’ Brien, JP Donleavy. And of course Victoria!
6. What major challenges have you had to overcome in order to keep going and how did you manage them?
I am going through one at the moment, it is probably the most challenging one yet….I fractured my pelvis falling out of the van after getting back in the studio for the first time in years and it is really f**king up my life! There have been other challenges, but they are gone now.
7. Would you say you’re a spiritual person or how do you have a general philosophy in terms of how to live your life?
Yes I am a spiritual person, I pray all the time. I believe in karma and I am compassionate, I am very understanding of people who are not compassionate though, they don’t realise what bastards they are being.
8. Where do you think Ireland is at as a country these days and where would you like it to be?
Ireland is nowhere and I would like it to be somewhere! It used to be somewhere up until fairly recently.
9. What are your thoughts on why alcohol plays such a huge role in Irish culture?
It does in all cultures, it is so easy to make, so easy to buy and people like it!
10. Have you any particular message you’d like to share with young people?
Don’t waste time!
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