Shane , reaction
He may be one of the music world’s last remaining outlaws but, as Richard Purden discovers, SHANE MACGOWAN is undergoing a continued renaissance.
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c(iinn's bar in (ilasgow is Shane MacGowan's base for booze and interviews whenever he’s in town. In this I,oachian hangout you‘ll Iind politicians. academics. musicians. writers and comedians who all operate outside the bi/.. Many an idea has been hatched in this pub and it's where MacGowan came to recharge his creative batteries alter a bleak I'ew years in London. bel‘ore he
permanently returned home to 'I‘ipperary. This recent botlt of
activity in (ilasgow started when Westlil'e and Bttsted songwriter .lohn McLaughlin and folk writer/producer I’hil I-‘erns were asked to put together a charity album l'or (‘eltic Ir'ootball (‘Iub
McLaughlin decided to get Shane up to (ilasgow to perl‘orm at I’arkhead tor (‘eltic's league decider match against Livingston two years ago. Alter missing the Dublin to Glasgow lIight live times. he eventually made it to London where IVIcI.aughlin arranged for a driver to deliver him to (ilasgow. Says McLaughlin: ‘Ile arrived looking a little bit worse for wear. We had to get him along to Slater's and buy him a new suit before he met Martin O'Neill and went on the pitch at I’arkhead. We got there at half-time and Shane ended up lighting with (‘eltic's mascot IIoopy the Huddle Hound live on Sky TV.~ Alter an impromptu gig in the .\’Ietropolitan Bar. Shane made his way to Mc(iinn‘s to start penning the basics for "Tomorrow Belongs to Me. — a jagged Irish hymn to Glasgow. At two in the morning three taxis made their way to a recording studio in I.en/.ie but. strangely. MacGowan‘s cab — which also contained a a plastic bin-bag lull of booze — disappeared en route. The song was eventually cut at live in the morning.
Two years on and Shane was asked to return to (ilasgow to record a follow up single ‘Road to Paradise with lierns l‘or (‘eltic hero Jimmy Johnstone. Supping a pint and a couple of Bailey's in McGinn's. Shane explains why he was keen to get involved. 'I heard about Jimmy‘s illness (Motor Neurone Disease) and I know it can be cttred with money. The last time I saw him he seemed line but people can seem line and drop down dead the next day. The reason for doing this record is to raise money and prolong Jimmy's life. Put it this way: I hope to be having a drink with Jimmy in a few years~ time‘.
It‘s been seven long years since MacGowan put out a new studio record but already there is no shortage of collaborators
62 THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE 19—36 Aug ECG;
‘WHEN WE GET IT TOGETHER I'M GOING TO DO A RECORD WITH PRIMAL SCREAM'
keen to write and perl'orm with him. despite the tact that. by his own admission. .\Iae(iowan is a tyrant m the studio. ‘Ihe record is going to be out bel‘ot'e the ('hristmas rush. w etc going to put out another Iil’ alter this single.‘ he says. ‘liono is going to be on it. l-‘inbar lury and Ronnie I)rew. I‘d like to work with Nick ('ave again but he‘s doing his tlung and I'm doing mine. The People that are on the record are not there to get their name on the cover. There are a tew Irish ballads along the lines ol “I'ait'ytalc ol' \ew York” and "X Rainy Night in Soho":
So why is Shane. now to. still universally cherished.’ ‘Iiairytalc‘ has certainly kept him in the public consciousness every year bttt like his second generation Irish counterpart Morrissey. who has also returned Irom a seven year luatus. MacGowan is being w elcornctl back to the glare ol the ntedta l‘or his literary and poetic activities. Ile's Brendan Helian to .\Iorr'issey's ()scar Wilde and while the \Io/ remains vagtte and alool in I..\. you can lind Shane in a Dublin. I,ondon or even (ilasgow boo/er buy him a drink and hell tell you a story that will make your toes curl. laveryone lil'ttlll I);tIlIL‘l ()'I)onnell ltt I.ttll I\)k‘k'tl ll;t\ llatl a pint or three with the punk rock lolk genius. but it should carry a health warning.
Says .lolm .\Icl.aughlini ‘Shane and his band drank about live grand worth ot alcohol in the Metropolitan. his mini bar bill was about three and a hall grand and he emptied .\Ic(iinn‘s out oI~ boo/e. It was the most insane day ol my lite but also one ol' the best.'
The ll‘ilc‘lx’ Itittl been recorded alter \Iddiovyalt spent a weekend with Primal Scream. Ile had been playing at the Barrowland and ended up on stage the next night with the band perl'orming ‘l.oaded'. .-\l'ter some backstage antics. .\Iac(iowan made it to the studio to record Road to I’at‘atlich.
‘When we get it together I'm going to do a record with Primal Screatnf says .\Iae(iow an. '\\'e‘re both busy on our own stut‘l' at the minute but the plan is to do some tracks and then go on the road together in Ireland next year; l’rnnal Screatn are one ol‘ the best bands around. I’eople dont like to see us do well because guys like us are meant to die. take an overdose or fuck up in some way and when we don't. people want to know w hy'
The Corn Exchange, 443 0404, 21 Aug, 5pm, £19.50.
The seemingly unstoppable Shane MacGowan (above)