Shane MacGowan has died, aged 65, following a recent stay in hospital after being diagnosed with encephalitis last year.
In a statement yesterday, the musician’s family said: “It is with the deepest sorrow and heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of our most beautiful, darling and dearly beloved Shane MacGowan. Shane died peacefully at 3.30am this morning with his wife and sister by his side. Prayers and the last rites were read during his passing”.
Born on Christmas Day in 1957, MacGowan was best known as frontman of The Pogues, the band he formed in 1982. The band had a string of hits, including ‘Dirty Old Town’, ‘The Irish Rover’ and perennial Christmas song ‘Fairytale Of New York’.
MacGowan began his career in punk band The Nipple Erectors - later The Nips - which he joined in 1976. He formed The Pogues - originally known as Pogue Mahone - in 1982 following the break up of The Nips, with the band taking influence from traditional Irish music.
He fronted the band until 1991, when he was fired due to erratic behaviour as a result of his heavy drinking. He then went on to form Shane MacGowan And The Popes. He reunited with The Pogues in 2001 and continued to perform with them until 2014.
Kevin Gore, President of Global Catalogue And Arts Music at the Pogues’ longtime label Warner Music, is among those who have paid tribute to MacGowan.
“Warner Music has been blessed to work with Shane MacGowan for more than four decades”, he said. “We are honoured to have helped share his passionate, ambitious music with the world. We will proudly celebrate his legacy for years to come”.
MacGowan's passing has also resulted in a surge of listening for his seasonal hit 'Fairytale Of New York'. It was streamed nearly 400,000 times on Spotify in the UK yesterday, 200,000 times more than the previous day.