# Shane MacGowan, you're a drunken loser **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 10, 2002, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shane-macgowan-youre-a-drunken-loser/123332 "2002-08-10T23:44:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shane-macgowan-youre-a-drunken-loser/123332/41 "2002-08-13T11:32:13Z")
> [@](#): > > Let’s just say I visit the west coast for personal reasons from time to time. A furriner visiting the US … from the Netherlands, no less. Break out the sniffer dogs! ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shane-macgowan-youre-a-drunken-loser/123332/42 "2002-08-13T12:00:51Z")
Oh, and I don’t really know where Irvince, CA is. I meant Irvine. ---
**Author:** ![JavaMaven1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@JavaMaven1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JavaMaven1)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shane-macgowan-youre-a-drunken-loser/123332/43 "2002-08-13T22:42:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TwistofFate \* > \*\* > Shane spent several years living on a diet of Gin, heroin and store brand Tiramasu. \*\* And anyone knows, it’s that store-brand Tiramisu that’ll kill you off, right-quick. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shane-macgowan-youre-a-drunken-loser/123332/44 "2002-08-13T22:59:48Z")
I’m sure Shane is worried that it might go straight to his hips 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shane-macgowan-youre-a-drunken-loser/123332/45 "2002-08-14T23:31:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mojo \* > \*\*[Here’s a picture](http://www.isye.gatech.edu/~sman/mike/ireland/People/shane.jpg) of MacGowan at a 10 AM press conference. Note the stains on his fingers that are either 1) nicotine from the cig burning too far down or 2) blood. > > That pic is at least 2 years old, I’m surprised he’s lasted this long. \*\* When I was 10 years old, a bunch of men had to go up into the mountains to kill a rogue mountain lion. They shot it and then dragged it 20 miles back to town behind a pickup truck over gravel roads before hanging it up in front of the general store for all to see. That mountain lion was the sorriest thing I’ve ever seen in all my born days. Shane is now a close second. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shane-macgowan-youre-a-drunken-loser/123332/46 "2002-08-15T05:39:01Z")
As **Rasa** pointed out, we saw Shane last year (I actually saw him both nights) and he put on a great show. Sure, he’s bound to come out drunk off his ass and unable to give it his all on occasion, but anybody who knows a thing about him could reasonably expect that kind of show before they put their money down. I’d be willing to bet just as many people left that show satisfied as not: “Man, I saw Shane MacGowan last night and he was FUCKED UP! It was great!” Some people go as much for the myth as the music, and feel like they got their money’s worth either way; they can at least say they got to see him before he died, as you have. Anyway, I think we need people like Shane - people who just say “Fuck it all” and damn the consequences. For me, listening to the Pogues when I was a teenager, Shane’s attitude gave me confidence, made me feel freer to be myself regardless of what everybody else told me was right; I never had a desire to become a raving drunk, but I found it inspiring that the option was presented to me as one form of reality, and presented by someone whose excesses didn’t seem to affect his ability to create great art (at least as far as songwriting goes). The Replacements were much the same in the early days: poetic street songwriter and an entire band that would come out drunk as Tibetan monks, and that was half the fun: what will they do tonight? Come out and play a bunch of fragments of crappy covers or make out with each other on stage? That’s the original spirit behind the music, IMO; if you want slick professionalism, you’ll definitely be more appeased at the Rush concert. And even when he’s slurring and puking the words, he’s a better singer - a more _honest_ singer - than a roomful of Whitney and Mariahs. And come on, you can’t really separate the singer from the songs; as has been pointed out, how many songs has he written that _didn’t_ involve alcohol in some way? I say carry on, Shane. I’ll always be a fan. Oh, P.S: Onlookers have been saying Shane will die any day now for fifteen years. I wouldn’t place any bets just yet. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shane-macgowan-youre-a-drunken-loser/123332/47 "2002-08-15T17:59:04Z")
He is going to outlive everyone just for spite. All he has to do is stay the hell of charter flights and helicopters! General aviation is the ruin of rock n’ roll. * * * She said she loved me like a brother. Shes from Arkansas, hence the Joy! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shane-macgowan-youre-a-drunken-loser/123332/48 "2002-08-16T22:35:06Z")
God, I loved The Pogues. I saw them twice at The Coachhouse in San Juan Capistrano. Very small place. Had a table right up next to the stage. Joe Strummer played with them. Saw them once at the John Anson Ford Theatre. I saw them at the Wiltern, but Shane was missing from this show. Joe Strummer filled in for him. > [@](#): > > Man, I know the sequence of all Pogues verses better than Shane does. That’s for sure. I think most Pogues fans do. I’m surprised Shane still lives. He should be dead. Oh, well. When it happens at least I’ll have my CDs, LPs and EPs. **gatopescado** : Watch what you say about helicopters! 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shane-macgowan-youre-a-drunken-loser/123332.md?page=2)