Pogues singer Shane MacGowan's death rocks Chicago music community
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Shane MacGowan of The Pogues performs onstage at the Vic Theater on July 12, 1986. Photo: Paul Natkin/Getty Images
The Pogues notorious frontman Shane MacGowan died this week at age 65.
What's happening: Tributes have poured in for the Irish punk rock/folk singer from all over the world and right here in Chicago.
What they're saying: "Shane was a genius," Metro owner Joe Shanahan tells Axios.
- "Chicago was a wonderful town for him because he made a lot of connections. He would go to a bar and sit and talk to people. A lot of people have stories because he connected with them."
We asked some of Chicago's music community to share their thoughts and personal stories about the legendary musician, who spent a lot of time in town:
Marty Lennartz, morning show host at WXRT: "Hearing about Shane's death, the first thought was, 'How did he live this long?' Beaten and broken after years of addiction and self destruction, he somehow carried on the whiskey-soaked tradition of many of Ireland's great writers and poets with heart and soul," Lennartz tells Axios.
- "The Pogues, with Shane as their teetering and growling frontman and their 'kiss my arse' attitude, found the connection between traditional Irish music, punk rock and even American country. A ramshackle stew for sure, but something my dad would blast every St Patrick's Day, much to the disapproval of my mother, who was the Irish in the family. Love live Shane! Long live the Pogues!"
David Singer, Chicago musician and composer: "In the summer of 1989 I got hired as a waiter at Butch McGuire's, a job I was legally way too young for, but back then no one really cared," said Singer on Instagram. "In the middle of one July afternoon, the actual goddamned Pogues sauntered in and sat down at our mostly empty bar."
- MacGowan "looked unlike any human being I have ever seen in person, but he was friendly and we talked a bit, though more often than not I couldn't really understand what he was saying."
- "One of the most important ways to judge a person is how they treat those who can't do anything for them, so on behalf of the staff of Butch McGuire's I would like to wish Shane MacGowan safe travels to the other side."
Joe Shanahan, owner of Metro: "One time I was in New York and I remember getting back to the hotel late. There was a lot of buzz because The Pogues were in town, and right there in the lobby bar Spider was playing piano and then Shane rolls in. He just lit up the room. It was so late they locked the doors to the bar but they let me stay since I was staying at the hotel."
- "It was one of those nights where magic was in the room. I just sat there, not quite sure what songs they were singing but they played all night. It was a dream-like experience for me. I don't know when they ever slept!"
Editor's note: This story was updated to add comment from Joe Shanahan.