Nick Cave Pays Tribute to Shane MacGowan in The Guardian

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In a heartfelt homage, Nick Cave has penned an obituary in The Guardian to commemorate his dear friend and legendary Pogues frontman, Shane MacGowan, who left us last month at the age of 65. The bond between Cave and MacGowan dates back to 1989, a time when NME orchestrated a remarkable rendezvous between these two luminaries, joined by the enigmatic Mark E Smith from The Fall. Cave recalls his initial encounter with MacGowan, admitting to being starstruck: “I was excited because I was a fan, completely in awe of Shane’s songwriting,” he candidly expresses in The Guardian.

As the obituary unfolds, Cave delves into the subsequent years of their friendship, a period during which their camaraderie deepened, and he marveled at MacGowan’s innate gift for songcraft. “To me, his songs were such precious things, deep works of art, really, but he didn’t treat them like that,” Cave muses in his tribute. While Cave diligently toiled away at his desk day after day, MacGowan’s lyrical gems seemed to effortlessly land on his doorstep, served on a beer tray with a side of whiskey, as if they were divine deliveries from the muses themselves.

Cave doesn’t stop there; he showers praise on MacGowan’s distinctive voice, which he describes as the perfect vessel for his turbulent, poetic soul. He reminisces about a particular moment when he witnessed the Pogues soundchecking at a French festival. MacGowan, hands casually tucked in his pockets, strolled up to the microphone and unleashed his hauntingly beautiful rendition of “A Pair of Brown Eyes,” as if he were a conduit for celestial melodies. Cave’s admiration for MacGowan’s unparalleled talent gradually evolved into a profound affection for the man behind the music, solidifying the foundation of their enduring friendship.

Following the somber news of MacGowan’s passing, an outpouring of tributes from fellow artists flooded in, paying homage to the irreplaceable talent he embodied. Icons like Billy Bragg, Tom Waits, Bruce Springsteen, and numerous others offered their respects. Cave himself had previously eulogized MacGowan’s kindness and musical genius through his “The Red Hand Files” series and, fittingly, paid tribute with a poignant rendition of the Pogues’ timeless ballad, “A Rainy Night in Soho,” at MacGowan’s farewell ceremony. In this beautifully crafted obituary, Nick Cave captures the essence of Shane MacGowan’s artistry and the profound impact he had on those fortunate enough to know him and his music.

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More about Shane MacGowan Tribute

• Nick Cave’s Obituary in The Guardian
• Shane MacGowan
• The Pogues
• Mark E Smith
• Billy Bragg
• Tom Waits
• Bruce Springsteen
• A Rainy Night in Soho