Like his idol, Brendan Behan, Shane MacGowan lives life in a slurry of whiskey and words. He's just finished another round of Christmastime gigs in Britain and Ireland with his bandmates, the Pogues, and he's left critics with no shortage of words to describe his self-destructive auto-auto de fe. MacGowan has created some beautiful songs, which he now tramples like lilies fallen beneath the wheels of commercialism.
MacGowan turned 51 this Christmas Day, and we all wonder how. How has he escaped the damage he's swallowed. How has he not fallen victim to one of the many accidents he's been a party to. How has his body not refused, even once, to mount the stage and bellow those songs that his audience now knows better than he does.
I'm not really sure where all this started (a common plea of a websurfer lost in a thread), but somehow I went from paparazzi photos of Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan, to a blogpost by McGowan's longtime "companion" Victoria Clarke, who claims that she and Shane practice yoga. Shane? Yoga! In another article, I learned that Shane and Victoria are engaged, though already the betrothal has hit a few rocks. To an interview with Cait O'Riordan, original Pogues bassist, and former fifteen year companion of Elvis Costello. In the interview which is astonishing in its revelation of O'Riordan's struggle with alcohol and depression, but is more astonishing in her unwillingness to blame her troubles on anyone but herself. O'Riordan is currently recording in a band, appropriately enough called Prenup, with two former members of Hothouse Flowers.
To an article about a new TV show hosted by Elvis Costello called Spectacle, on the Sundance Channel. Costello has just released Momofuku, a milestone new album which demonstrates that his strength is a bit of rock and roll with the Imposters. Costello has proved to everyone that he can stretch, that he's not a one-trick pony, and that he was not simply a new wave flash in the pan. Momofuku rambles from the gorgeous word-crammed rockers that we've heard on the last few albums with the Imposters, pausing for the occasional early-morning sleepy lounge samba of Harry Worth, the unapologetic sentimentality of My Three Sons (a song I can relate to completely), and the angry-with-my-adopted-country bile of American GangsterTime.
Many of you know this story. On last year's US tour, the Pogues cancelled one show, at the last minute, due to an injury to lead singer Shane MacGowan. I didn't find out until I had traveled all the way to NYC, and was standing in front of Roseland, where notices of the cancellation was posted. I cursed all the way back to Grand Central, and vowed never to buy tickets to a Pogues show again.
The ultimate coincidence is that I was introduced to both of these artists in a trip to Britain in 1984 where I saw the Pogues open for Elvis Costello at the Hammersmith Odeon, and I heard Billy Bragg for the first time when John Peel played a new cut over the radio as I was heading to Bacup for the wedding of a friend.
Shane MacGowan turns 50 tomorrow, miraculously. A Christmas miracle, in fact. The Daily Mirror, surprised at his coherence, delivered the most surprising news for the new year. Teeth.
The Pogues return to America in March to help us celebrate St. Patty's.
Fairytale of New York made it to Number 4 on the British charts based on the BBC censoring some of the song lyrics. The same kind of censorship helped get the Pogues attention at the beginning of their careers. Their original name was Pogue Mahone, which means, "Kiss my arse," in gaelic.
Lot's of people say that they don't like Christmas music. Understandable, considering the dreck that gets played over and over, starting in October, on background music systems in every major retail outlet including places like Home Depot.
I like Christmas music, and have, since I was in a caroling group in high school which visited hospitals and nursing homes during the season to sing songs of cheer. I'm a cynic much of the year, but susceptible to the spirit of the season, when people don't look at you cross-eyed if you wish them, "Peace on earth."
I can take Bing crooning White Christmas, and Elvis crooning Blue Christmas, but I'm more partial to El Vez crooning Brown Christmas.
Over the years I've assembled lots of quirky "holiday" music, and have made collections of such which I've distributed to family and friends. Most of it you won't hear on the in-store radio channel, and some of it is damned hard to find, but these are "holiday" songs you can listen to most any time of year.
1. Fairytale of NY - The Pogues from If I Should Fall From Grace With God
In England and Ireland this is a holiday classic. Drunkeness, curses, regrets, hard feelings and a love that survives it all. Just like a lot of the Christmas celebrations we all know.
2. River - Joni Mitchell from Blue Cover by dozens of people, Joni's is still the best. The hint of "Jingle Bells" the regret over making her "baby" cry and the wish for a frozen river.
3. Did Jesus Have A Baby Sister?- Dory Previn from Dory Previn, or the Casselberry-Dupree cover from City Down. The original by Dory Previn comes from an album just back in print as a CD, which is well worth pursuing. Previn, who now lives in Northampton, was a quirky singer-songwriter before quirky singer-songwriters were popular. Casselberry-Dupree do a rhythm and blues version that will have you singing and dancing around the creche.
4. The Holidays Are Here and We're Still At War - Brett Dennen Released as a radio station single. You can hear it at his website, or myspace page. A great Christmas protest song in the tradition of such.
5. The Christians and The Pagans - Dar Williams from Mortal City So I was producing a holiday concert for the station (At Home For the Holidays With The Folk Next Door) and I asked Nerissa Nields to ask Dar if she would write a song that we could record to preview the show. Dar panicked because she didn't like to write quickly, but this is what she delivered a few days later.
6. Merry Christmas from the Family - Robert Earl Keen jr. from No. 2 Live Dinner
If you can't recognize yourself in this song, then you've got a saner family than most of us. Check out the version by the Dixie Chicks and Rosie O'Donnell
7. This Mountain - Hugh Blumenfeld from Mozart's Money. Also a request for a song for that famous WWUH holiday concert, Dr. B wrote the Hannukah song about the miracle of the lamps, which is as inspiring as any song that I've heard about that lengthy, but minor, Jewish holiday.
8. Arbolito - Tish Hinojosa from Memoribilia Navidena This Christmas album by Hinojosa is a gem. This song, about the Christmas tree is sung in English and Spanish versions.
9. Maybe This Christmas - Ron Sexsmith from Maybe This Christmas We all know the feeling of having lost touch with someone we love, and the hope that the joy of the season will bring forgetfulness and forgiveness. It's about the universal need to reconnect. Makes me think of Brendan.
10. Nothing But A Child - Steve Earle - Somehow on an album about murder and moonshine, and featuring a skull and crossbones cover, this little song about redemption in a certain baby's smile lets you understand Earle's vulnerability.
11. The Rebel Jesus - Jackson Browne and the Chieftans from Bells of Dublin Jesus as hippie. It works for me as does Browne's apology for bringing up dark topics in a season of joy.
12. Through the Bitter Frost and Snow - Susan McKeown from Through The Bitter Frost and Snow It's winter and most of us suffer through it. McKeown trudges through the darkness to find light on the other side of winter. This is the first of two seasonal albums McKeown has recorded. The other, A Winter Talisman, with Johnny Cunningham, is a classic.
13. Christmas Carol - The Nields from Love and China The post-breakup Christmas song, and the question, do I still send a card to the ex-in-laws.
I spoke to my son Colin last evening and he told me the Pogues were returning to the West Coast in October, but without Philip Chevron, guitarist, writer (Thousands Are Sailing) and sometime vocalist.
It was reported at the end of last month that Chevron is suffering from locally advanced throat cancer, and will forgo live performances while he gets treatment. According to the recent Pogues biog, Chevron has never been of the hardiest health. He suffered often from ailments during the first incarnation of the band.
He will spend some of his recovery time producing a box set due in October which will feature Pogues studio rarities and live performances.
I wish Chevron well with his recovery, and hope he's back on stage with the band for their British Christmas dates.
