Reunited Pogues don’t plan on recording new music: ‘Without Shane, it would be pointless’

While The Pogues are back out on tour following the death of frontman Shane MacGowan in 2023, they don’t plan on writing any new music.

“Without Shane, it would be pointless,” vocalist and tin whistle player Spider Stacy tells ABC Audio.

The Pogues released their last original album with MacGowan, Hell’s Ditch, in 1990. They put out two more albums without MacGowan following his departure from the band in 1991, the last of which came out in 1996. 

“Once we lost Shane, certainly Shane’s lyrical input — we needed that,” Stacy says. “We needed that to be The Pogues.”

Besides, Stacy thinks MacGowan’s discography with The Pogues speaks for itself.

“Siobhan, his sister, said this: ‘Look at what he did! Look at what he wrote! What more do you want?'” Stacy laughs. “I think we should be thankful for that.”

Still, Stacy wouldn’t necessarily be opposed to the idea of recording an upcoming Pogues show for a possible live album.

“To do something live, not to say that there are any plans to do anything like that, that’s obviously a slightly different thing,” Stacy says. “It’s something that maybe we might look at, who knows.” 

The Pogues’ tour, which celebrates the 40th anniversary of their 1985 album Rum Sodomy & the Lash, comes to the U.S. in September. Original members Stacy, James Fearnley and Jem Finer will be joined by a host of guest vocalist for the shows.

While The Pogues are back out on tour following the death of frontman Shane MacGowan in 2023, they don’t plan on writing any new music.

“Without Shane, it would be pointless,” vocalist and tin whistle player Spider Stacy tells ABC Audio.

The Pogues released their last original album with MacGowan, Hell’s Ditch, in 1990. They put out two more albums without MacGowan following his departure from the band in 1991, the last of which came out in 1996. 

“Once we lost Shane, certainly Shane’s lyrical input — we needed that,” Stacy says. “We needed that to be The Pogues.”

Besides, Stacy thinks MacGowan’s discography with The Pogues speaks for itself.

“Siobhan, his sister, said this: ‘Look at what he did! Look at what he wrote! What more do you want?'” Stacy laughs. “I think we should be thankful for that.”

Still, Stacy wouldn’t necessarily be opposed to the idea of recording an upcoming Pogues show for a possible live album.

“To do something live, not to say that there are any plans to do anything like that, that’s obviously a slightly different thing,” Stacy says. “It’s something that maybe we might look at, who knows.” 

The Pogues’ tour, which celebrates the 40th anniversary of their 1985 album Rum Sodomy & the Lash, comes to the U.S. in September. Original members Stacy, James Fearnley and Jem Finer will be joined by a host of guest vocalist for the shows.