Shane MacGowan

Shane MacGowan was an Irish singer-songwriter and musician best known as the Pogues' first lead singer and main lyricist. Born in Pembury, Kent, and raised in Tipperary, Ireland, he became active in London's punk scene as a teenager. In 1977 he co-founded the Nips, and in 1982 he formed the Pogues with Spider Stacy and Jem Finer. He wrote the band's lyrics and sang lead on its first five albums, including Rum Sodomy & the Lash (1985) and a 1988 album that brought critical and commercial success. With Finer he co-wrote Fairytale of New York (1987), a duet with Kirsty MacColl. After the Pogues dismissed him in 1991, he formed Shane MacGowan and the Popes, releasing two studio albums. He rejoined the Pogues for reunion tours from 2001 until 2014. In 2018 he received a lifetime achievement award from Ireland's president and the Ivor Novello Inspiration Award. He died in 2023.