The Pogues were 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." [1]
Brennan later mentioned on the book that the BBC quietly refused 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 renaming themselves as 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 initally didn't made it to air due to the amount of bad language. The track was eventually broadcast along with the rest of the session on 03 December 1985.
Peel continued championing the band through out the 80's, but by the 90's, he rarely played any of their material.
In the late 70s, JP had played tracks by The Nips, Shane MacGowan's band before the Pogues.
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[]
"The Auld Triangle" from the first and "Sally Mclennane" & "Danny Boy" from the second session are available on Just Look Them Straight In The Eye And Say... Poguemahone!! - The Pogues Box Set (2008, 5 x CD, Rhino Records)
All tracks available on The BBC Sessions 1984-1986 (2020, Warner)
1. Recorded: 1984-04-10. Broadcast: 17 April 1984. Repeated: 16 May 1984, 01 January 1985, 03 December 1985, 04 November 1986
- Streams Of Whiskey / Greenland Whale Fisheries / The Boys From The County Hell (first verified broadcast 03 December 1985) / The Auld Triangle
2. Recorded: 1984-12-04. Broadcast: 12 December 1984. Repeated: 08 January 1985, 28 January 1985
- Whiskey You're The Devil / The Navigator / Sally Mclennane / Danny Boy
Other Shows Played[]
- 1984
Pogue Mahone
- 05 April 1984: 'The Dark Streets Of London (7") Pogue Mahone PM 1
- 17 April 1984: The Dark Streets Of London (7") Pogue Mahone PM 1
- 18 April 1984 (BFBS): The Dark Streets Of London (7") Pogue Mahone PM 1
- 23 April 1984 (BBC World Service): The Dark Streets Of London (7") Pogue Mahone PM 1
- 30 May 1984: The Dark Streets Of London (7") Pogue Mahone PM 1
The Pogues
- 10 October 1984 (VPRO): Streams Of Whiskey (album - Red Roses For Me) Stiff SEEZ 55
- 14 October 1984 (BFBS): Streams Of Whiskey (album - Red Roses For Me) Stiff SEEZ 55
- 15 October 1984 (BBC World Service): Streams Of Whiskey (album - Red Roses For Me) Stiff SEEZ 55
- 16 October 1984: The Battle Of Brisbane (album - Red Roses For Me) Stiff SEEZ 55
- 17 October 1984: Dingle Regatta (album - Red Roses For Me) Stiff SEEZ 55
- 21 October 1984 (BFBS): Boys From The County Hell (7") Stiff BUY 212
- 22 October 1984: Lend Me Ten Pounds And I'll Buy You A Drink
- 22 October 1984 (BBC World Service): Boys From The County Hell (7") Stiff BUY 212
- 13 November 1984: Poor Paddy
- 27 November 1984: Battle Of Brisbane (album - Red Roses For Me) Stiff SEEZ 55
- 09 December 1984 (BFBS): Dingle Regatta (album - Red Roses For Me) Stiff SEEZ 55
- 18 December 1984: 'Dark Streets Of London (album - Red Roses For Me) Stiff SEEZ 55 FF #45
- 1985
- 18 March 1985 (BBC World Service): A Pair Of Brown Eyes (7") Stiff BUY 220
- 17 April 1985: A Pair Of Brown Eyes (7") Stiff BUY 220
- 21 April 1985 (BFBS): Boys From The County Hell (7") Stiff BUY 212
- Peel 015 (BFBS): Navigator (album - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff SEEZ 58
- Peel 015 (BFBS): 'I'm A Man You Don't Meet Every Day (album - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff SEEZ 58
- 12 June 1985: Sally Maclennane (7") Stiff
- 17 June 1985: Sally Maclennane (single) Stiff
- 17 June 1985 (BBC World Service): Sally Maclennane (single) Stiff
- 01 July 1985 (BFBS): Sally MacLennane (album - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff SEEZ 58
- 30 July 1985: Navigator (album - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff SEEZ 58
- 30 July 1985: I'm A Man You Don't Meet Every Day (album - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff SEEZ 58
- 31 July 1985: The Old Main Drag (album - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff SEEZ 58
- 05 August 1985: I'm A Man You Don't Meet Every Day (album - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff SEEZ 58
- 05 August 1985 (BBC World Service): Billy's Bones (LP - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff
- 05 August 1985 (BBC World Service): I'm A Man You Don't Meet Every Day (LP - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff
- 05 August 1985 (BFBS): Billy's Bones (album - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff SEEZ 58
- 05 August 1985 (BFBS): Navigator (album - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff SEEZ 58
- 06 August 1985: The Gentleman Soldier (album - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff SEEZ 58
- 12 August 1985: Navigator (album - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff SEEZ 58
- 12 August 1985 (BFBS): 'I'm A Man You Don't Meet Every Day (album - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff SEEZ 58
- 13 August 1985: I'm A Man Who Don't Meet Every Day (album - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff SEEZ 58
- 14 August 1985: The Old Main Drag (album - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff SEEZ 58
- 19 August 1985: The Gentlemen Soldier (album - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff SEEZ 58
- 19 August 1985 (BFBS): The Gentleman Soldier (album - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff SEEZ 58
- 21 August 1985: Navigator (album - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff SEEZ 58
- 04 September 1985: I'm A Man You Don't Meet Everyday (album - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff SEEZ 58
- 15 October 1985: Dingle Regatta (album - Red Roses For Me) Stiff SEEZ 55
- 10 December 1985 / The Peel Tapes Vol.3: Navigator (album - Rum Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff SEEZ 58
- 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
- 1986
- 03 February 1986: The Parting Glass (12" - Dirty Old Town) Stiff
- 04 February 1986: Muirshin Durkin (12" - A Pair Of Brown Eyes) Stiff BUYIT 220
- 08 February 1986 (BFBS): Muirshin Durkin (12" - A Pair Of Brown Eyes) Stiff BUYIT 220
- 10 February 1986 (BBC World Service): Muirshin Durkin (12" - A Pair Of Brown Eyes) Stiff BUYIT 220
- 25 February 1986 / Mark Mixtape - Half Man Half Biscuit 1986: The Body Of An American (7" EP - Poguetry In Motion) Stiff BUY 243
- 01 March 1986 (BFBS): 'The Body Of An American (7" EP - Poguetry In Motion) Stiff BUY 243
- 03 March 1986 (BBC World Service): The Body Of An American (7" EP - Poguetry In Motion) Stiff BUY 243
- 04 March 1986: The Body Of An American (7" EP - Poguetry In Motion) Stiff BUY 243
- 12 March 1986: The Body Of An American (7" EP - Poguetry In Motion) Stiff BUY 243
- 26 March 1986: The Body Of An American (7" EP - Poguetry In Motion) Stiff BUY 243
- 21 April 1986 (BBC World Service): Planxty Noel Hill (7" - Poguetry In Motion) Stiff
- 10 June 1986: Dingle Regatta (LP - Red Roses For Me) Stiff
- 22 December 1986: 'The Body Of An American (7" EP - Poguetry In Motion) Stiff BUY 243 FF #50
- 1987
- 19 January 1987: Planxty Noel Hill (7" - Poguetry In Motion) Stiff
- 30 January 1987 (BFBS): Planxty Noel Hill (7" - Poguetry In Motion) Stiff
- 11 March 1987: The Irish Rover (12") Stiff (with the Dubliners)
- 23 March 1987: The Irish Rover (12") Stiff (with the Dubliners)
- 23 March 1987 (BBC World Service): The Irish Rover (7") Stiff (with the Dubliners)
- 27 March 1987 (BFBS) / Peel 055 (BFBS): 'The Irish Rover (12")' (Stiff) (with the Dubliners)
- 01 April 1987: The Irish Rover (12") Stiff (with the Dubliners)
- 17 June 1987: Rake At The Gates Of Hell (Various LP - Straight To Hell) Hell Records
- 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)
- 14 September 1987: Billy's Bones (LP - Run Sodomy & The Lash) Stiff
- 30 November 1987: Fairytale Of New York (7") Stiff (JP: 'As our technical staff just pointed out, a bit Radio 2 really, but then again some of my best friends listen to Radio 2')
- 1988
- 04 January 1988: Dingle Regatta (album - Red Roses For Me) Stiff SEEZ 55
- 18 January 1988: Metropolis (LP - If I Should Fall From Grace With God) Island
- 25 January 1988: The Broad Majestic Shannon (LP - If I Should Fall From Grace With God) Pogue Mahone
- 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)
- 01 February 1988: South Australia (CD - If I Should Fall From Grace With God) Pogue Mahone
- 14 March 1988: Kitty (v/a 7" - Sounds - Waves 3) Sounds
- 09 April 1988 (Radio Bremen): Dingle Regatta (album - Red Roses For Me) Stiff
- 1989
- 03 May 1989 (with Dubliners): The Irish Rover (7") Stiff
- Nips
- 02 November 1978: All The Time In The World (7”) Soho (JP blames Walters for following The Nips with Half Japanese.)
- 13 December 1979: Gabrielle (single) Chiswick
- 30 October 1979: Gabrielle (7”) Soho
- Peel 010 (BFBS) (prob 21 April 1985 (BFBS): All The Time In The World (7")' (Soho) (Pursuant to a listener request, he plays an "oldie" (released the previous year!) from the Pogues, and follows that up with a real (1978) oldie from Shane MacGowan's previous band.)
- 09 September 1985 (BFBS): 'All The Time In The World (7")' (Soho)
- 30 October 1985: Happy Song (7") Test Pressings (Peel plays a track from The Nips, who were the precursor to the Pogues, and says it was produced by Paul Weller of The Jam.)