Shane McGowan R.I.P.

In what’s already been a sad week in the punk world with the death of Killing Joke’s Kevin “Geordie” Walker, The Punk Site has now learned of the passing of Shane McGowan of The Nipple Erectors / The Nips, The Pogues and Shane McGowan And The Popes at the age of 65. McGowan passed away this morning after a recent hospital stay, he had a long history of health issues and had a long and very public history of alcohol misuse. He previously claimed that most of his songs had been penned while under the influence, and stated that “I haven’t joined a band to drink milk”. He is perhaps best known for Fairytale Of New York which was recorded with the late Kirsty MacColl, but this perhaps does his legacy a disservice as he leaves behind an unrivalled legacy of songwriting. The Punk Site sends our condolences to his friends, family and bandmates

“I don’t know how to say this so I am just going to say it. Shane who will always be the light that I hold before me and the measure of my dreams and the love of my life and the most beautiful soul and beautiful angel and the sun and the moon and the start and end of everything that I hold dear has gone to be with Jesus and Mary and his beautiful mother Therese. I am blessed beyond words to have met him and to have loved him and to have been so endlessly and unconditionally loved by him and to have had so many years of life and love and joy and fun and laughter and so many adventures. There’s no way to describe the loss that I am feeling and the longing for just one more of his smiles that lit up my world.” (Shane’s Wife Victoria Mary Clarke)