I am so stoked for this. Last week, The Irish Music Rights Organization (disclaimer: I worked for a publication heavily subsidized by the IMRO for close to 30 years) announced that Shane MacGowan's long-term partner and muse, Mary Clarke along with indie record lable Rubyworks have pulled together some of the brightest stars in the music industry to honour one of the great poets of the 20th century: Shane MacGowan. The first single off the upcoming album comes from Bruce Springsteen tackling MacGowan's Rainy Night in Soho, first released on The Pogues' Poguetry in Motion EP in 1986
MacGowan passed away in 2023. With the abuse his mind and body took due to alcohol, copious amounts of narcotics, and a years-long battle with gravity and floors, his fans were always worried that he'd die well before his time. But the former Pogues frontman gave us 65 years of poetry and music, the latter of which will be celebrated on 20th Century Paddy, out on the 13th of November 2026. Just look at this lineup: Amble, Bruce Springsteen, Camille O'Sullivan, Cronin, Damien Dempsey, David Gray, Dropkick Murphys, Garron Noone, Glen Hansard, Hozier & Jessie Buckley, Johnny Depp & Imelda May, Johnny Mac and The Faithful, Kate Moss, Liam Ó Maonlaí, Lisa Moorish & Another Day, Lisa O'Neill, LYRA, Madra Salach, Moya Brennan, Mundy, Picture This, Pinch of Snuff, Primal Scream, Steve Earle, The High Kings, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Libertines, The Murder Capital, The Pogues and, Tom Waits. And they're just the ones who have been announced so far.
Yowzah. If Springsteen's single is anything to go by, we're in for a treat. The album is up for pre-order. You can snag your copy here.
