English Celtic Punk Band

In 1982 The Pogues were founded in King's Cross, London. The band members were Shane MacGowan, Spider Stacy, and Jem Finer. The band fused traditional Irish mushc with punk rock influences. Other member joined The Pogues among them James Fearnley and Cait O'Riordan. They began playing live shows in London pubs and clubs. The band opened for the English rock band The Clash on their 1984 tour.

After The Pogues came out with their first album Red Roses for Me. The album featured a mix of traditional Irish songs and original compositions by Shane MacGowan. Among the singles released from the album was "Dark Streets of London" written by MacGowan.

Their second album Rum, Sodomy, & the Lash in 1985 was produced by the English singer and songwriter Elvis Costello. The Pogues collaborated with Irish band The Dubliners on a 1987 arrangement of the traditionl Irish folk song "The Irish Rover". It went to number one in Ireland and charted on the UK Singles chart.

Also in 1987 The Pogues came out with a Christmas single "Fairytale of New York" which also went to number one in Ireland and charted on the UK Singles chart. It was written by MacGowan and Finer and recorded as a duet with Kirsty MacColl. The Christmas single is featured on their third album If I Should Fall From Grace with God in 1988.

Two more albums were recorded with Shane MacGowan Peace and Love (1989) and Hell's Ditch (1990). Then after a 1991 tour MacGowan was dropped from the band.

The album Peace and Love saw the band depart from traditional Irish music and has a heavily jazz-influenced track. Among the songs were "White City", "Misty Morning, Albert Bridge", and "London You're a Lady". The MacGowan song "Cotton Fields" draws on the Lead Belly song of the same name.

Hell's Ditch is the fifth album by The Pogues, released in 1990 and was the last to feature frontman Shane MacGowan as a member. Among the songs was "Sunny Side of the Street" (Shane MacGowan, Jem Finer).

The Pogues continued with Spider Stacey and Joe Strummer as their frontmen and released the 1993 album Waiting for Herb. It was their first album without lead singer Shane MacGowan. The album featured the track "Tuesday Morning", which was the band's first Top Twenty hit since "Fairytale of New York."

Their seventh album Pogue Mahone in 1996. The album featured Spider Stacey as lead singer. Even though I enjoyed the song "Love You Till the End" the album was a failure and The Pogues disbanded.

In 2001 The Pogues re-formed again including Shane MacGowan. They didn't record new material but toured about the UK and Ireland and also performed in the US.

The Pogues, again including MacGowan, re-formed in late 2001. Although they recorded no new studio material, they toured regularly in the UK and Ireland, also performing in the USA and mainland Europe.

Following the death of longtime guitarist Philip Chevron in October 2013, the Pogues dissolved again in the summer of 2014. Longtime bassist Darryl Hunt died in August 2022 and MacGowan died in November 2023. Surviving members Stacy, Finer and Fearnley re-formed The Pogues in 2024 and toured the UK and Ireland in 2025.

They delighted their many fan by announcing of their 2025 World Tour and the release of a new album Whiskey & Rebellion. Among the songs on the album is "Streams of Whiskey".

They will begin a 7-date North American leg of their tour starting on September 5, 2025 in Washington, D.C. and concluding on September 16 & 17, 2025 in New York at Terminal 5 making stops in Boston, Massachusetts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and in Canada Toronto and Montreal.