Pogues

The Pogues are a Celtic folk punk band from London, formed in 1982 and fronted by Shane MacGowan. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. MacGowan left the band in 1991 due to drinking problems but the band continued first with Joe Strummer and then with Spider Stacy on vocals before breaking up in 1996. The band reformed in late 2001, and has been playing regularly ever since, across the UK and Ireland and on the US East Coast. Their politically tinged music was informed by MacGowan and Stacy's punk backgrounds, yet used traditional Irish instruments such as the tin whistle, banjo, cittern, mandolin and accordion. The Pogues were founded in Kings Cross, a district of Central London, in 1982 as Pogue Mahone—pogue mahone being the anglicisation of the Irish póg mo thóin, meaning "kiss my arse".

Links To Peel
In the book, Kiss My Arse: The Story of the Pogues, Stan Brennan, who worked for the Pogues as their representative described Peel's connection with their first single Dark Streets Of London that was released in 1984:


 * "It started selling quite well. John Peel picked it up. He liked the fact that it was so minimally designed. He'd got one of the white labels. He played it on the radio."

Brennan later mentioned on the book that the BBC refused quietly to play the Pogues records because the band's original name Pogue Mahone in the Irish language meant "kiss my arse". The only exception Brennan mentioned was Peel's show, who played the record despite the BBC's reluctance.

The BBC's reluctance forced the band to drop Mahone from their name leaving it called The Pogues. When the band were still known as 'Pogue Mahone', their debut Peel session contained a song named 'The Boys From County Hell' that never made it to air due to the amount of bad language.

Peel continued championing the band through out the 80's, but by the 90's, he rarely played any of their material.

Festive Fifty Entries

 * 1984 Festive Fifty: Dark Streets Of London #45
 * 1985 Festive Fifty: I'm A Man You Don't Meet Every Day #25
 * 1985 Festive Fifty: A Pair Of Brown Eyes #20
 * 1985 Festive Fifty: Sally MacLennane #13
 * 1986 Festive Fifty: Body Of An American #50

Sessions
Both sessions are available on [https://www.discogs.com/The-Pogues-Just-Look-Them-Straight-In-The-Eye-And-Say-Poguemahone-The-Pogues-Box-Set/release/1569315 Just Look Them Straight In The Eye And Say... Poguemahone!! - The Pogues Box Set] (2008, 5 x CD, Rhino Records)

1. Recorded: 1984-04-10. Broadcast: 17 April 1984. Repeated: 16 May 1984, 01 January 1985 2. Recorded: 1984-12-04. Broadcast: 12 December 1984. Repeated: 08 January 1985, 28 January 1985
 * Streams Of Whiskey / Greenland Whale Fisheries / The Boys From The County Hell (Not Broadcast) / The Auld Triangle
 * Whiskey You're The Devil / The Navigator / Sally Mclannan / Danny Boy

Other Shows Played
1984 1985
 * 05 April 1984: 'The Dark Streets Of London (7")' (Pogue Mahone)
 * 30 May 1984: 'The Dark Streets Of London (7")' (Pogue Mahone)
 * 10 October 1984 (VPRO): Streams Of Whiskey (LP - Red Roses) Stiff
 * 16 October 1984: The Battle Of Brisbane (LP - Red Roses For Me) Stiff
 * 17 October 1984: Dingwall Regatta
 * 22 October 1984: Lend Me Ten Pounds And I'll Buy You A Drink
 * 13 November 1984: Poor Paddy
 * 27 November 1984: Battle Of Brisbane (LP - Red Roses For Me) Stiff
 * 18 December 1984: 'Dark Streets Of London (LP-Red Roses For Me)' (Stiff) FF #45
 * Peel 010 (BFBS): 'Boys From The County Hell (7")' (Stiff)

1986
 * Peel 015 (BFBS): 'Navigator (LP-Rum Sodomy & The Lash)' (Stiff)
 * Peel 015 (BFBS): 'I'm A Man You Don't Meet Every Day (LP-Rum Sodomy & The Lash)' (Stiff)
 * 30 July 1985: Navigator (LP – Rum, Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff
 * 30 July 1985: I'm A Man You Don't Meet Every Day (LP- Rum, Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff
 * 31 July 1985: The Old Main Drag (album - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff
 * 12 August 1985: Navigator (LP – Rum. Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff
 * 14 August 1985: The Old Main Drag (album - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff
 * 19 August 1985: The Gentlemen Soldier (LP - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff
 * 10 December 1985 / The Peel Tapes Vol.3: Navigator (album - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff
 * 18 December 1985: I'm A Man You Don't Meet Every Day FF #25
 * 23 December 1985: A Pair Of Brown Eyes FF #20
 * 23 December 1985: Sally Macleanne FF #13
 * 30 January 1986 (BFBS) / Peel 028 (BFBS): 'Muirshin Durkin (12"-A Pair Of Brown Eyes)' (Stiff)

1987
 * 25 February 1986 / Mark Mixtape - Half Man Half Biscuit 1986: The Body Of An American ('Poguetry In Motion' EP) Stiff
 * 27 February 1986 (BFBS) / Peel 030 (BFBS): 'The Body Of An American (7"-Poguetry In Motion)' (Stiff)
 * 04 March 1986: The Body Of An American (EP - Poguetry In Motion) Stiff
 * 22 December 1986: 'Body Of An American (EP-Poguetry In Motion)' (Stiff) FF #50
 * 11 March 1987: The Irish Rover (12") Stiff (with the Dubliners)


 * 27 March 1987 (BFBS) / Peel 055 (BFBS): 'The Irish Rover (12")' (Stiff) (with the Dubliners)
 * 17 June 1987: Rake At The Gates Of Hell (Various LP - Straight To Hell) Hell Records

1988
 * 17 June 1987 (Rockradio): If I Should Fall From Grace With God (album - Soundtrack from Straight To Hell) Repertoire
 * 26 June 1987 (BFBS) / Peel 063 (BFBS): 'Rake At The Gates Of Hell (OST-Straight To Hell)' (Hell)
 * 18 January 1988: Metropolis (LP - If I Should Fall From Grace With God) Island

1991
 * 29 January 1988 (BFBS) / Peel 079 (BFBS): 'South Australia (CD-If I Should Fall From Grace With God)' (Pogue Mahone) (According to Peel, the first CD he has ever played on BFBS)
 * 14 March 1988: Kitty (v/a 7" - Sounds - Waves 3) Sounds
 * 24 November 1991: Streams Of Whiskey