A dirty old guy, never nice to himself, redeemed music from a pastel, rootless nihilism and tossed it back into mouths of those with calloused hands and scarred souls. He remained religious and once considered the priesthood. He is in God’s hands now.
For those much younger than me: In 1985 music had hit the skids. Punk was long gone, the British Invasion had grown stale with Boy George fashion. There was no grit, no depth, and other than Tom Waits, very little poetry. The Pogues helped.
MacGowan knew that music is best when it looks back and is most insipid when it tries to look forward.
I was deeply impressed by this post; I think you are right that "music is best when it looks back". We move into the future looking backward. I had not listened to The Pogues, but have been making up for lost time, and just recorded "If I Should Fall From Grace With God". I sing it quite classically. Thank you so much!
Thanks, Harry
I was deeply impressed by this post; I think you are right that "music is best when it looks back". We move into the future looking backward. I had not listened to The Pogues, but have been making up for lost time, and just recorded "If I Should Fall From Grace With God". I sing it quite classically. Thank you so much!