POGUES 30 / STRUMMER/POGUES

[Doktor Avalanche]

I'll miss that coveting.

That is how I feel about every "rare" recording these days. Half the fun was the hunt. Now almost everything is available somewhere online, either newly reissued or on ebay. It sucks the life out of collecting.

[James Murphy]

It's great that they used a show where MacGowan was sat in the audience. He seemed to find the band's rapid decline after they sacked him darkly hilarious.

I'll tell you one thing the band may have done wrong. They failed to adapt musically to Joe Strummer's voice at all, even a little bit. Throughout, the songs are banged through in their own universe, with no regard paid to their new singer's style. There's lovely interplay between the musicians, but it's as if Joe's been superimposed on the top of them. They developed this battle-hardened technique in the darkest days of Shane's tenure, training themselves to avert their eyes to the floor, play the songs, and if the vocalist is slurring out of time and forgetting words, well, what the fuck ever, we'll be out of here in ninety minutes.

It's probably a matter of lack of rehearsal too, I understand they pulled Joe in as a desperate last minute replacement and so he was forced to head a unit already on the march, with no opportunity to drop his own identity in there. It means that MacGowan's shadow is more present and noticable than it would have been if the potentially beautiful weird, possible meshing of Joe Strummer and the Pogues had organically met in some kind of middle ground. Joe has to perform in the hole where Shane would have been so mostly what we get is lack of Shane. I think this is one of the reasons why Hell's Ditch is my standout track of the release, the playing gives an organic opportunity for Strummer to show the sizable gifts that he could bring to the table. They sound like a band there.

"Singing's fucking stupid and completely, unsatisfyingly dissimilar to heroin." - What Shane seemed to be saying in his vocal performance on Hell's Ditch. Joe had no idea how to phrase Sayanora, though, that's a point to Shane.

They're great together on the Clash material. And when a Pogue steps on to the mic, you can feel a little more relaxation, as in Terry Woods' brilliant version of Young Ned. Terry's the real star of this album, his playing is consistently interesting, by the way. The band are like someone who had a dickhead for a spouse and are consistently pleasantly surprised to discover their new partner doesn't care if they chat to an attractive member of the opposite sex. They just may have had more chemistry with the dickhead.

It shows how uncaringly botched the execution of the behind the scenes stuff was that Sayanora is mislabelled as Summer In Siam.

[NewJerseyRich]

Anyone interested in writing a review for The Pogues 30 Years box set? I've been asked if I could post some fan reviews of the box set on the FB page, much like the postings here. Please let me know via PM if you would like to submit a review or have me copy one posted here. Need them ASAP. Thanks

[Low D]

I'll tell you one thing the band may have done wrong. They failed to adapt musically to Joe Strummer's voice at all, even a little bit. Throughout, the songs are banged through in their own universe, with no regard paid to their new singer's style. There's lovely interplay between the musicians, but it's as if Joe's been superimposed on the top of them. They developed this battle-hardened technique in the darkest days of Shane's tenure, training themselves to avert their eyes to the floor, play the songs, and if the vocalist is slurring out of time and forgetting words, well, what the fuck ever, we'll be out of here in ninety minutes.

It's probably a matter of lack of rehearsal too, I understand they pulled Joe in as a desperate last minute replacement and so he was forced to head a unit already on the march, with no opportunity to drop his own identity in there. It means that MacGowan's shadow is more present and noticable than it would have been if the potentially beautiful weird, possible meshing of Joe Strummer and the Pogues had organically met in some kind of middle ground. Joe has to perform in the hole where Shane would have been so mostly what we get is lack of Shane. I think this is one of the reasons why Hell's Ditch is my standout track of the release, the playing gives an organic opportunity for Strummer to show the sizable gifts that he could bring to the table. They sound like a band there.

"Singing's fucking stupid and completely, unsatisfyingly dissimilar to heroin." - What Shane seemed to be saying in his vocal performance on Hell's Ditch. Joe had no idea how to phrase Sayanora, though, that's a point to Shane.

They're great together on the Clash material. And when a Pogue steps on to the mic, you can feel a little more relaxation, as in Terry Woods' brilliant version of Young Ned. Terry's the real star of this album, his playing is consistently interesting, by the way. The band are like someone who had a dickhead for a spouse and are consistently pleasantly surprised to discover their new partner doesn't care if they chat to an attractive member of the opposite sex. They just may have had more chemistry with the dickhead.

It shows how uncaringly botched the execution of the behind the scenes stuff was that Sayanora is mislabelled as Summer In Siam.

You know, while overall i like the performance, i think you're not wrong here with your critique. For me, the highlight of the disc is "Straight To Hell". "I Fought The Law" is great, and "London Calling" sounds like it was written for the accordion, so maybe Joe put himself more into The Pogues than The Pogues were able to put themselves into Joe. It would have been interesting to see where the collaboration would have taken the music had they chose to record together, and/or continued to tour.

[James Murphy]

Anyone interested in writing a review for The Pogues 30 Years box set? I've been asked if I could post some fan reviews of the box set on the FB page, much like the postings here. Please let me know via PM if you would like to submit a review or have me copy one posted here. Need them ASAP. Thanks

You can use mine, if you want.

[NewJerseyRich]

Anyone interested in writing a review for The Pogues 30 Years box set? I've been asked if I could post some fan reviews of the box set on the FB page, much like the postings here. Please let me know via PM if you would like to submit a review or have me copy one posted here. Need them ASAP. Thanks

You can use mine, if you want.

Thanks James, much appreciated.

[FAY]

April 20, 2014 Record Store Release: Pogues Live with Joe Strummer 2LP Red Vinyl (recorded in London in 1991 at the Forum)

[hamburg58]

For any that are wondering, the record was mixed By Steve Lillywhite and Clay Blair was the studio engineer. They mixed at his studio in Hollywood, CA. Boulevard Recording. www.bouelvardrecording.com

Formerly Producer's Workshop. Where in the 70's Pink Floyd recorded The Wall and Steely Dan famously tracked most of the basic tracks of Aja. We can't figure out if they gave us credit over here because we can't find it online! But here it is from the horses mouth. Really excited to see that most of you thought the remixes were an improvement. We certainly thought so. I had a lot of fun with Steve and James. Wonderful people!

Be well!

[RICHB]

Well finally got a copy of this box set for Christmas. I only got it really for the Joe Strummer live album and I'm not as impressed as I thought I would be. It must have been hard for him to just come in and take over. However it made me realise how good Shane is at 'owning' songs. The big suprise for me is how bloody good Peace and Love is remixed. This has always been my least favourate Pogues album from the very moment I bought it. Listening to the new mix is like ive been listening to it on a broken record player for years and all of a sudden somebody has walked in and said your listening to that wrong and pressed a magic button. Its fantastic. Steve Lillywhite has always said he should have left Shanes voice as it was but I can see (with the Pogues being on the cresp of something big) why didnt want leave the record exposed to critisim. it sounds so much better.

[irishthumper]

The 30th Anniversary album sounds great ,I will definitely get it. Though I must acknowledge a certain sadness as St.Patricks Day come around. I remember well seeing the Pogues in Philadelphia their first time back this century and the total and complete elation at that show. It had been snowing and sleeting all afternoon and the streets were treacherous the complete opposite of the atmosphere inside the Electric Factory which was completely alive and warm People were crying with joy .Alas I only dream that they will return to Philadelphia one day and that I don't spill all my whiskey.

[Doktor Avalanche]

The 30th Anniversary album sounds great ,I will definitely get it. Though I must acknowledge a certain sadness as St.Patricks Day come around. I remember well seeing the Pogues in Philadelphia their first time back this century and the total and complete elation at that show. It had been snowing and sleeting all afternoon and the streets were treacherous the complete opposite of the atmosphere inside the Electric Factory which was completely alive and warm People were crying with joy .Alas I only dream that they will return to Philadelphia one day and that I don't spill all my whiskey.

I was there as well, after a harrowing trek from DC. It was great.

[lynnmoree]

good sound