Celebrating St Patrick's Day? Don't do it with the Pogues

[Bobek]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicbl ... day-pogues
by Ed Power, March 17, 2010

Celebrating St Patrick's Day? Don't do it with the Pogues ...
Bands such as the Pogues and Dropkick Murphys are known around the world for creating an Irish sound. But how authentic are they?

Twirling his comedy moustache and summoning every last drop of rockabilly-Borat charm, Gogol Bordello's Eugene Hutz broke into a toothsome grin. "Is my band popular in Eastern Europe?" he said during a recent interview. "Are you kidding, my friend? Are The Pogues popular in Ireland?".

We didn't have the heart to tell him but there was a crucial distinction. Hutz was born and reared in the former Soviet Bloc (in a rain-lashed hamlet south of Kiev). Whereas The Pogues, hailing largely from London, are the musical equivalent of the Republic of Ireland soccer team circa 1990, when half the starting 11 had English accents. Shane MacGowan (born in Tunbridge Wells, no less!) and chums may drape themselves in the tricolour, but their supposed "Irishness" is a mish-mash of hairy, outmoded cliches, many of which they seem actively interested in perpetuating.

For the rest of the year, Irish people can remain in blissful denial about the fake green shadow cast by the Pogues and kindred Plastic Paddies. Alas, each St Patrick's Day they are forced to remove the blinkers and face the horrible reality, as surely as if they had been strapped to a plank and dunked in a giant vat o' Guinness. Ireland has given the world Thin Lizzy, Fatima Mansions and My Bloody Valentine. And yet it's these whooping, fiddle abusing "Oirish" musicians who have come to be regarded the world over as true custodians of the Celtic soul. Notwithstanding the fact most of them started out schlepping around dive bars in Boston and Queens.

While claiming a deep spiritual connection to ... well, they'd probably call it the "Emerald Isle", their inauthenticity stinks. The obvious giveaway is the choice of band names: Black 47, Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphys. You can tell exactly what stripe of Irishness these guys are trying to flog. Hint: it has sweet feck all to do with Oscar Wilde, Christy Ring or Samuel Beckett.

This might be funny if it didn't stifle proper Irish musicians attempting to forge an international career. When Bell X1 – a sort of Irish Radiohead minus the righteousness and self-loathing – toured the US, local media complained that they didn't seem "particularly Irish". Meaning, one presumes, they didn't end each show by setting a bodhrán alight and glassing one another. Imagine Coldplay fetching up in New York only to be upbraided for not sounding like Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins.

In Britain, too, soft prejudices endure. Although the Mercury Music Prize styles itself as a UK and Ireland award, it's long been clear that, for Irish artists to make the short-list, they are required to cleave to the stereotype of the misty-eyed troubadour. Windswept and soft voiced, Gemma Hayes, Fionn Regan and Lisa Hannigan each dealt in the sort of Celtic whimsy that goes down well in Kilburn and Glasgow, but strikes many Irish people as quaint, if not a bit stagey. What if the Mercury judges took the time to explore the genuine diversity of modern Irish pop, in particular its burgeoning electronica scene? Now there's a St Patrick's Day toast we can all raise a glass to.

[DzM]

I wonder who peed in Ed's bowl of shamrocks?

[philipchevron]

Good God, I don't think I've ever read such cranky journalism in all my born days. Are U2 "particularly Irish" I wonder?

Frankly, this is unadulterated racist bilge, as with most "I'm not a Plastic Paddy, me, I'm the real thing" crapola.

By the way, I'm tired of all this St Patrick's Day nonsense. He was, after all, a freakin Priest, not Ireland's favourite job description at the moment. I have decided that from now on, March 17 will be St James Cagney Day. I can do this, you see, because I'm really Irish, and can trace my Irish blood right back to the 18th Century when i become............um.........French. Well, Huguenot anyway. An immigrant, at any rate.

So, now that I know that the risk of breaking Oirish Rover's heart is removed, I decree St Patrick a defrocked Saint. He's a bad influence. He just puts Guardian hacks in a bad mood at this time of year. It's for the best.

[DzM]

Good God, I don't think I've ever read such cranky journalism in all my born days. Are U2 "particularly Irish" I wonder?

To be absolutely fair about it, Ed's cranky-pants rant is in their "MusicBlog" which, you'll note, has the word "Blog" built right into it. As near as I can tell journalists, their employers, and just about everyone else seems to feel that putting the word "blog" into something gives them carte blanche to shed all journalistic standards (even the meager ones usually applied to editorial and opinion pages) and go with stream-of-consciousness blather.

By the way, I'm tired of all this St Patrick's Day nonsense. He was, after all, a freakin Priest, not Ireland's favourite job description at the moment. I have decided that from now on, March 17 will be St James Cagney Day. I can do this, you see, because I'm really Irish, and can trace my Irish blood right back to the 18th Century when i become............um.........French. Well, Huguenot anyway. An immigrant, at any rate.

So, now that I know that the risk of breaking Oirish Rover's heart is removed, I decree St Patrick a defrocked Saint. He's a bad influence. He just puts Guardian hacks in a bad mood at this time of year.

I'm with you on this. Shall we start a campaign? I'll happily promote this on the front page if you'd like.

[philipchevron]

Good God, I don't think I've ever read such cranky journalism in all my born days. Are U2 "particularly Irish" I wonder?

To be absolutely fair about it, Ed's cranky-pants rant is in their "MusicBlog" which, you'll note, has the word "Blog" built right into it. As near as I can tell journalists, their employers, and just about everyone else seems to feel that putting the word "blog" into something gives them carte blanche to shed all journalistic standards (even the meager ones usually applied to editorial and opinion pages) and go with stream-of-consciousness blather.

By the way, I'm tired of all this St Patrick's Day nonsense. He was, after all, a freakin Priest, not Ireland's favourite job description at the moment. I have decided that from now on, March 17 will be St James Cagney Day. I can do this, you see, because I'm really Irish, and can trace my Irish blood right back to the 18th Century when i become............um.........French. Well, Huguenot anyway. An immigrant, at any rate.

So, now that I know that the risk of breaking Oirish Rover's heart is removed, I decree St Patrick a defrocked Saint. He's a bad influence. He just puts Guardian hacks in a bad mood at this time of year.

I'm with you on this. Shall we start a campaign? I'll happily promote this on the front page if you'd like.

Yes.

By the way, if you happen to be reading this, Oirish, hope you're having a great Jimmy's Day. We miss you here. Well, most of us do. Come back, please.

[DzM]

I'm with you on this. Shall we start a campaign? I'll happily promote this on the front page if you'd like.

Yes.

Done. And an On This Date made for it too.

viewtopic.php?f=38&t=10710

All blame (or glory) has been spread around.

[Low D]

To be absolutely fair about it, Ed's cranky-pants rant is in their "MusicBlog" which, you'll note, has the word "Blog" built right into it. As near as I can tell journalists, their employers, and just about everyone else seems to feel that putting the word "blog" into something gives them carte blanche to shed all journalistic standards (even the meager ones usually applied to editorial and opinion pages) and go with stream-of-consciousness blather.

Good thing, 'cause otherwise i'd be writin' one of those agry "cancel my subscription" letters to the editor. Um, if I had a subscription.

Can't even begin to think of where to start picking this one a part, so best to ignore it all together, I 'spose. Happy Cagney day everybody!

[firehazard]

Ed's cranky-pants rant is in their "MusicBlog" which, you'll note, has the word "Blog" built right into it. As near as I can tell journalists, their employers, and just about everyone else seems to feel that putting the word "blog" into something gives them carte blanche to shed all journalistic standards

BLOG. It's an acronym. Big Load Of Gonads.

Feeling surprisingly clear-headed for the morning of 18th March. Must be the good effect Cagney Day has on you. Long live it!

[Mike from Boston]

Jeez, somebody get this guy laid.

[pathfinderpat]

I've just published a blog post in response to Power's article:

http://pathfinderpat.wordpress.com/2010/03/20/poguetry-in-motion/

[DzM]

I've just published a blog post in response to Power's article:

http://pathfinderpat.wordpress.com/2010/03/20/poguetry-in-motion/

Thanks Pat. I enjoyed that.

[kmurray105]

Me too.

[DaBanjo Too]

I hate seeing great bands like the Pogues lumped in with junk like the Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly.

I'm reminded of comedian John Mulaney's frustration with people who group "Scarface" in with The Godfather -- to which he replies "Oh, yeah? Well my favorite foods are lobster...and Skittles!"

[Mike from Boston]

I hate seeing great bands like the Pogues lumped in with junk like the Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly.

I'm reminded of comedian John Mulaney's frustration with people who group "Scarface" in with The Godfather -- to which he replies "Oh, yeah? Well my favorite foods are lobster...and Skittles!"

hey, you can't have steak every night! DKMs are a good cheeseburger-Pogues are Filet Mignon.

[Low D]

I hate seeing great bands like the Pogues lumped in with junk like the Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly.

I'm reminded of comedian John Mulaney's frustration with people who group "Scarface" in with The Godfather -- to which he replies "Oh, yeah? Well my favorite foods are lobster...and Skittles!"

hey, you can't have steak every night! DKMs are a good cheeseburger-Pogues are Filet Mignon.

OK, i'll bite. Flogging Molly are... ?