Whenever I read a news blurb about The Pogues, I always expect it to lead off with some anecdote like, “Earlier today in County Clare, Shane MacGowan’s jaw fell off his skull in circumstances that are pretty reasonable when you think about it for just a couple seconds. But not to worry, Pogues and Popes fans, as soon as he regained consciousness, he discovered his mangled mandible floating in the toilet and promptly went to hospital to have it reattached.” Yeah yeah, I know jokes about Shane MacGowan’s bad teeth became passé about 15 years ago, but God help me if I find them totally unavoidable. Chompers like his were created for no other reason than to be commented upon, and I am simply fulfilling their destiny.
Anyways, let’s get down to the “journalistic” part of this story. The Pogues, the most preposterous gathering of drunken louts ever assembled (despite whatever The Hold Steady have told you), have lined up a few shows for March ’09, including a St. Patty’s Day blowout in Washington, D.C. As if D.C. didn’t have enough problems already, what with the raiders and the slavers and the radroaches and the vigilante politics. Oh, sorry, I’m thinking about Washington D.C. 200 years from now, not the present day. Sorry folks, I’ve been playing a bit too much Fallout 3 lately.
That’s it for the info, now onto the shameless TMT plug! Our very own Jeff Roesgen went and wrote himself a book about The Pogues’ immortal album Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash for the 33 1/3 series. It’s available now via Amazon or, better yet, at your favorite record store or bookshop or haberdasher. So go ahead, read about one of your favorite albums by one of your favorite TMT writers! Oh who are we kidding, we’re all you’re favorite TMT writers! Let’s hug so fucking hard now! Unnnngh!
Billy’s Bones:
