The Pogues

The Pogues are an Irish folk band that incorporate punk and rock influences into their sound. While most of the band members are Irish by ethnicity, they are actually from London, where they formed just after the punk era. After the breakup of his punk-pop band The Nipple Erectors, singer Shane MacGowan formed the Pogues with other London-based punk and folk musicians, including Jem Finer (multi-instrumentalist), Spider Stacy (tin whistle, vocals), James Fearnley (accordion), Phil Chevron (guitar), and Cait O'Riordan (bass). Through the years, the band has endured several lineup changes (including MacGowan's ten-year hiatus between 1991 and 2001), but have maintained the same essential musical elements of Irish folk, punk rock intensity, and subtle elements of 1960s pop-rock and R&B.

The band may be best known for MacGowan's debauchery. A lifelong drinker (first Guinness at age seven, reportedly), he has been on a long-time death-watch by the UK and Irish press, much like the Rolling Stones' Keith Richards.

MacGowan is also famous for the literary qualities of his lyrics, though some of the bands signature songs have contained lyrics by other members, including "Fairytale of New York" (co-written with Finer) and "Thousands Are Sailing" (by Chevron).