Shane MacGowan Biography

Quick Facts

NAME: Shane MacGowan
OCCUPATION: Singer
BIRTH DATE: December 25, 1957 (Age: 55)
PLACE OF BIRTH: Kent, England
ZODIAC SIGN: Capricorn

Best Known For

Shane McGowan is an Irish singer-songwriter who founded the folk-punk band the Pogues.

Quiz

Think you know about Biography?

Answer questions and see how you rank against other players.

Play Now

Print Cite This

Shane MacGowan

APA Style

Shane MacGowan. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 03:20, May 22, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/shane-macgowan-215199.

Harvard Style

Shane MacGowan. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/shane-macgowan-215199 [Accessed 22 May 2013].

MLA Style

"Shane MacGowan." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 22 2013, 03:20 http://www.biography.com/people/shane-macgowan-215199.

MHRA Style

"Shane MacGowan," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/shane-macgowan-215199 [accessed May 22, 2013].

Chicago Style

"Shane MacGowan," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/shane-macgowan-215199 (accessed May 22, 2013).

CBE/CSE Style

Shane MacGowan [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 22] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/shane-macgowan-215199.

Bluebook Style

Shane MacGowan, http://www.biography.com/people/shane-macgowan-215199 (last visited May 22, 2013).

AMA Style

Shane MacGowan. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/shane-macgowan-215199. Accessed May 22, 2013.

Synopsis

Shane MacGowan was born on December 25, 1957, in Kent, England, and raised in Ireland. Drawn to the punk music scene, he formed the folk-punk band the Pogues in 1982. The band gained fame by touring with the Clash. MacGowan brought a deeply emotional, Irish folk sensibility to the band with songs like "Fairytale of New York." Drug and alcohol problems caused MacGowan to be dismissed from the Pogues in 1991, but they have since regrouped and continue to perform.

Quotes

Lend me ten pounds, I'll buy you a drink.

– Shane MacGowan

Profile

Singer songwriter. Born December 25, 1957 in Kent, England. Raised in Ireland and London, Shane MacGowan showed talent as a poet and musician at a young age, though he was expelled for drug possession in his teens.

A fan of punk music, he founded the short-lived band the Nipple Erectors (also named The Nips) in 1976. In 1982, he formed the London-based band the Pogues along with Spider Stacy (tin whistle), James Fearnley (accordion), Cait O'Riordan (bass), Jem Finer (guitarist), and Andrew Rankin (drummer).

After Shane MacGowan and the Pogues toured with The Clash in the early '80s, the radical and often political band, released its debut album, Red Roses for Me, to critical acclaim. Their sophomore effort, Rum Sodomy & the Lash, was produced by Elvis Costello and widely praised.

In 1988, the Pogues released their most successful album, If I Should Fall From Grace With God, featuring the hit single "Fairytale of New York."

Soon after the release of the album, Shane MacGowan succumbed to alcoholism and drug addiction. The band was forced to dismiss MacGowan in 1991. In 1994, Shane MacGowan staged a comeback by founding a new band, The Popes, which released a well-reviewed debut album, The Snake. Follow-up albums include 1997's Crock of Gold and 2002's The Rare Oul' Stuff. MacGowan reunited with the Pogues and the band tours yearly.