November 19th 2024.
The Pogues, an Irish band, are the masterminds behind one of the most iconic Christmas songs of all time. Their beloved hit, Fairytale of New York, has become a staple in the December charts since its release in 1988. Last year, the tragic passing of lead singer Shane MacGowan gave the song even more attention. However, despite its enduring popularity, the remaining founding band members, James Fearnley, Jem Finer, and Spider Stacy, are not tired of it yet. In fact, they would prefer if no new Christmas songs were ever released so that their place as one of the ultimate festive tunes isn't threatened.
"We don't want competition," joked Spider as they spoke to Metro about their newly-announced UK tour in 2025. "After the success of Fairytale of New York, no one can possibly ever make another classic Christmas song again," declared Jem. It's not that they don't enjoy other festive songs, but rather that writing a Christmas classic is not as easy as one might think. Spider explained, "Actually, it's very hard to write a really good Christmas song. You can write a kind of a novelty hit that you release around Christmas time that goes to number one, but to actually sit down and write, 'Okay, this is actually a Christmas song that is going to be a Christmas song,' is a different story. It took us two years, at least, to get Fairytale to be in a recordable shape."
However, they do appreciate Mariah Carey's 1994 hit, "All I Want For Christmas," as it is the only one in recent decades that truly sounds like a Christmas song. Fairytale of New York has become larger than its creators over the years, from controversial lyrics to the tragic death of Shane's duet partner, Kirsty MacColl, in 2000. It has been featured in countless films and TV shows, including the uncensored version in the 2019 Gavin and Stacey special. Despite frequently being voted at the top of favorite Christmas song lists, The Pogues don't actually hear it that often.
"We heard it earlier, and it sounded really...there's something about...there's lots of our songs that one hears occasionally, and they sound amazing, and they sound really fresh, which is great," shared Jem. "I always hoped that back in the day, that that's what would happen. If you've got your roots and tradition, you're already kind of timeless in a sense."
However, this all-consuming festive track has a downside, as Jem explained. "Something that's a bit annoying about Fairytale of New York is that the record company always wants to promote it, but there are all these other great songs. There are loads more that could be great if they were promoted more. It's probably good that it's just out at Christmas. For the rest of the year, it'd be nice if they did push other stuff."
When asked which songs they would love to see get a moment in the spotlight, James answered, "I always thought that The Broad Majestic Shannon should have been our follow-up single to Fairytale. That's the one I would most definitely like to see re-released." However, these days, re-releasing is a "funny notion anyway" as streaming platforms make everything permanently accessible. Instead, Jem sees it as an opportunity to shine a light on songs that deserve more love, which is why they are excited for their upcoming tour.
The Rum Sodomy and the Lash Tour will be their first UK headline tour in over 10 years, celebrating 40 years of their iconic album Rum Sodomy & the Lash. In May, the trio reunited to perform a few small gigs in honor of the anniversary of their debut album, so creating something for their second record felt natural. Next year, they will visit Leeds, Birmingham, London, Glasgow, Manchester, and Newcastle, with tickets going on sale on Friday, November 22.
"You can't keep us away," joked James. "We just want to make noise because we love performing." For the Red Roses for Me gigs, special guests filled the vocal spot left behind by Shane, which the Pogues believe brought something new to the tracks. "I don't think anyone had, I mean, I certainly didn't have any conception of how that would turn out, and it was a mind-blowing, affirming thing," said Spider. He praised the younger Irish artists who joined them on stage, calling it a "full-circle moment" of shared tradition. Jem added, "When you're young, you talk about tradition, and you can't really understand it in the same way as you can now, 40 years later. When you see it as a living thing that moves and has moved right through us into this new bunch."
For Spider, these shows had the same feeling as the early days of The Pogues, and they wouldn't change it for anything. "So much a product of its environment and its time," the Boys from the County Hell hitmaker continued. "From our point of view, The Pogues becoming what they are and what we are, it wouldn't have worked at any other time, in any other place, probably with any other people." This love for tradition also means that the band isn't too keen on embracing modern technology, with Jem teasing James over his early dislike of drum machines.
When asked about the possibility of using AI to bring back Shane's vocals, similarly to the Beatles' recent track featuring John Lennon, the Pogues gave a resounding "no." "It's very easy to sit here and go, 'Oh no, never,' but, I mean, probably no, never," replied Spider. "I think I know where you're going, and the answer, really, is no." James and Jem gave equally measured replies of "Oh no" and "I don't like that idea."
The Pogues' The Lash 2025 Tour tickets will go on sale Friday, November 22. If you've got a celebrity story, video, or pictures, get in touch with the The Agency entertainment team by emailing us, calling 020 3615 2145, or visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
