Day 3/4~ The Pogues~ Shane MacGowan

                                        Shane Macgowan was born on Christmas Day in 1957. His Irish family, from Tipperary, were visiting relatives in Kent England at the time of his birth. Both parents interested in the arts, his mother a dancer/model, his father a writer...it's no surprise Shane himself became a songwriter and singer of one of the most internationally known Irish bands, The Pogues.                                                                   

                                                                             
                                      When Shane was 6 his family moved to London. They lived both in Brighton and London.When he was 14, he was accepted into Westminster on a Literature scolarship .                                               

                                                                             

                                        He was kicked out a year later for drug possession.

                                                                         

                                     At 19 Shane started his first punk rock band called The Nipple Erectors later known as the Nips.  

                                                                           

Around this same time, Shane also played in a band called Millwall Chainsaw...this band eventually evolved into The Pogues.                             

As The Pogues evolved, Shane changed his style of singing....less punk more classical Irish. He was tutored by members of his family.

Early Pogues in 1985 performing Sally Maclennane

In 1991 Shane parted ways with The Pogues, due to his prolific drinking problems.

....And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda