The Mountain Goats, Cat Power, Dropkick Murphys to Play Sinéad O’Connor and Shane MacGowan Tribute Show

Sinéad O’Connor, March 1998

Last year, two longtime figureheads of Ireland’s music scene died: Sinéad O’Connor in July at age 56 and the Pogues singer Shane MacGowan in December at age 65. Now, New York City’s Carnegie Hall is […]

Tom Waits Pays Tribute to Shane MacGowan in Rare Public Statement

Tom Waits Pays Tribute to Shane MacGowan in Rare Public Statement

Several more musicians have paid tribute to Shane MacGowan, including Tom Waits, Bruce Springsteen, Nick Cave, and Bono. Waits addressed McGowan’s passing in a rare public statement issued with his wife, Kathleen Brennan. “Ah, the […]

How Shane MacGowan, the Pogues turned ‘Fairytale of New York’ into holiday classic

How Shane MacGowan, the Pogues turned 'Fairytale of New York' into holiday classic

According to Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan — the Irish icon who died at 65 early Thursday — the story behind his band’s Christmas-in-the-drunk-tank classic “Fairytale of New York” began with Elvis Costello. The “Alison” singer […]