I was thinking about him and the song Dirty Old Town and in fact was singing it to myself yesterday while running my backhoe. I thought 'I guess this will be the song for the day.' This is not the first time I've gotten these premonitions.
Then I read today where he passed away from Encephalitis. The guy was a alcoholic wreck but a songwriting genius and poet that united the Irish with his hardscrabble songs. And fight over the drop of a hat. True Irish.
Here is a Shane MacGowan story by Keifer Sutherand. "Sutherland was touring Ireland on his own. He was sitting at the bar in Lillie's Bordello in Dublin having a drink. Sinead O'Connor spotted him and invited him to the VIP room. Van Morisson, Ronnie Wood, and some other Irish musicians were hanging out. MacGowan & Sutherland started talking about Scottish history, which became an argument. Next thing he knew Shane attacked him and they went to the floor fighting. Sutherland said Shane already had a broken arm in a cast, and he didn't want to hurt him. The other celebs were watching and cracking up, probably used to Shane's antics. They broke it up, and Sutherland went back to the bar by himself. Awhile later, the bar was closing and Sutherland was getting ready to leave. He felt a tap on his shoulder, and it was Shane. "I need to stay at your hotel with you" he slurred. He didn't have a ride home!
Sutherland agreed, but thought to himself what a shit-show this was going to be, getting this wreck out in the morning. He went to sleep, and when he awoke at 5 am, he looked over and Shane was gone, and the bed was neatly made. There was a note left on the desk. Sutherland won't reveal what it said, (it's between him & Shane) but he said it was the most beautiful, well-written thing he had ever read. Life-changing even."
RIP Shane
Then I read today where he passed away from Encephalitis. The guy was a alcoholic wreck but a songwriting genius and poet that united the Irish with his hardscrabble songs. And fight over the drop of a hat. True Irish.
Here is a Shane MacGowan story by Keifer Sutherand. "Sutherland was touring Ireland on his own. He was sitting at the bar in Lillie's Bordello in Dublin having a drink. Sinead O'Connor spotted him and invited him to the VIP room. Van Morisson, Ronnie Wood, and some other Irish musicians were hanging out. MacGowan & Sutherland started talking about Scottish history, which became an argument. Next thing he knew Shane attacked him and they went to the floor fighting. Sutherland said Shane already had a broken arm in a cast, and he didn't want to hurt him. The other celebs were watching and cracking up, probably used to Shane's antics. They broke it up, and Sutherland went back to the bar by himself. Awhile later, the bar was closing and Sutherland was getting ready to leave. He felt a tap on his shoulder, and it was Shane. "I need to stay at your hotel with you" he slurred. He didn't have a ride home!
Sutherland agreed, but thought to himself what a shit-show this was going to be, getting this wreck out in the morning. He went to sleep, and when he awoke at 5 am, he looked over and Shane was gone, and the bed was neatly made. There was a note left on the desk. Sutherland won't reveal what it said, (it's between him & Shane) but he said it was the most beautiful, well-written thing he had ever read. Life-changing even."RIP Shane
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