What's your very first memory of hearing the Pogues

[WagesOfSin]

Fall 1990, my first year of college (university to you non-septics). A guy down the hall lent me a cassette dub of 'Rum, Sodomy & The Lash' - can't remember the circumstances, but I was hooked from the first scream. All the elements--the trad/folk/bluegrass my parents played around the house, the punk/hardcore I was into at the time, the rockabilly and country stuff I was just discovering--clicked into place right then and there.

I think the next thing I acquired was 'Hells Ditch', which came out sometime around there. Finding Pogues music in the US (at least the older stuff) was a bit difficult back in those pre-internet (!) days. I remember paying $20 (quite a lot at the time...) for an import CD of 'Red Roses For Me', even though I didn't have a CD player!

[girlfromcountyhell]

Heh. I'm embarrassed to say that the first time I heard The Pogues was in the movie P. S. I Love You. I downloaded the soundtrack and ended up really liking the song "Love You Til the End". The song that really turned me on to the band was "If I Should Fall...", though. I listened to that song for about a month straight, and I still listen to it all the time. Best song ever!

[in_the_morning]

mine was listening to the janice long show many moons ago and hearing sally maclananne for the first time.
it was a late shift i was working in a cider factory ,the song got me hooked straight away,woke up next day went straight into town and bought tape of rum sodomy and the lash ,still have it as well.
still seems like only yesterday to me.

roll on cardiff

Working in a cider factory That sounds brilliant, though the work itself is probably a bit boring after a while.
I first heard the Pogues when I visited England about 2 years ago. I was in a host family and the father played Irish music in Pubs (he played whistle) together with another man (they called themselves "Gone to the Dogs"). They played some Pogues tunes as well as traditionals, but at that time I didn't know anything about the Pogues. I asked them about the songs and they said: "This one is from the Pogues for example..." and then I found a Pogues Best Off in their car. When I was back in Germany I bought all the albums and so on...

[Plindsey88]

This was +/- 1996...

A friend of mine answered some call in question on the local radio station correctly (one of those "10th Caller" things), and the DJ told him to come by the studio and claim his prize. I rode along with him. When we got there he was given his pick of a handful of CD's. Seeing the latest album from The Pogues (Pogue Mahone), he jumped all over it. We got back in the car, and he popped it in the CD player. He was apparently disappointed when he realized that Shane wasn't featured on the album. But all it took was one listen to "I'll Love You 'Til the End," and I was hooked. He gave me the CD, and I listened to it nonstop for several weeks. When I managed to get my hands on all the earlier albums, I was amazed.

I've been a fanatic ever since.

[John McGovern]

John Peel late 1983,though it was Mark Ellen who stood in for the great man when he was on leave.Dark Streets of London single ,at long last someone had come up with something i never would happen.Folk goes PUNK!Memories!

[JMG]

Clearly my namesake has been affected by the SEAttle air!Dark Streets of London was released in APRIL 1984,maybe he heard it as a PEEL session[check your cassette boxes]Can any pissants or rather pedants/anoraks solve this?

[krampus]

Hye,
I'm writing to you from France. I remember the day I first heard a song by The Pogues; I was aged 13 and it has definitely changed my life. Now i'm 32 and i probably haven't spent a month without listening to their music. "Thousands are sailing" is my favourite song, not only by the Pogues, just my favourite song...

[philipchevron]

Hye,
I'm writing to you from France. I remember the day I first heard a song by The Pogues; I was aged 13 and it has definitely changed my life. Now i'm 32 and i probably haven't spent a month without listening to their music. "Thousands are sailing" is my favourite song, not only by the Pogues, just my favourite song...

Mine's "Moon River".

[dwywit]

Brisbane circa 1985 - listening to radio 4ZZZ or JJJ in the car - DJ explaining why "Pogue Mahone" had become "The Pogues", then he played "Transmetropolitan". I was laughing so hard at "Pogue Mahone" I had to stop the car...

Bernie Dwyer

[Phil not that one]

My class went to Dublin in 2004, I always liked Irish music (traditionals) but didn't bother to buy CDs and stuff. But when we learned that we would be flying to Dublin, I researched a bit. I found all the classics by The Dubliners and wondered if anybody ever covered some songs in a more "modern" way. That's how I came across the Dropkick Murphys and The Pogues. Saw the Murphys live a couple of times, and I hope that The Pogues carry on their touring long enough for me to make it to one show in the UK (or Scotland - but preferably Germany, of course)

[take_me_to_ireland]

Early 2005, last year of high school, my cousin showed me a couple of pictures of this guy shane macgowan and we laughed about how ugly he was. He then played me Fairytale Of New York while the pics were still up. I was amazed by both the song, and how in the hell shane could sing so magically. Went out and bought 'Best Of The Pogues' - was instantly hooked.

Favourite song was Thousands Are Sailing - it sounded like the end of the world. Mr Chevron, im not sure what you must have been on to write a song this good but WOW!!! Stills sends shivers down my spine. Thankyou!

(My girlfriend came round a few months later and i was singing along to Turkish Song Of The Damned - she asked 'what the hell is this shit?' its safe to say that relationship didnt last)

[Smokey]

Over a year ago, I was into Flogging Molly and the Tossers. I heard some say that they were copying some band called the Pogues. Then I was at Borders one day, looking around the music section and saw that they carried music from this band I never heard of. I bought Red Roses, and from then on I was hooked. I intentionally bought almost every album in chronological order over the course of a few months, up to Hell's Ditch, then I saw a used copy of Pogue Mahone for $4.99. I might order Waiting For Herb online if I can't find it, but the fun's in the hunt.

I still listen to the Tossers and Flogging Molly (and I've seen FM twice, this year on St. Paddy's day), but the Pogues are unquestionably my favorite Irish-Punk band.

[philipchevron]

Favourite song was Thousands Are Sailing ............ Mr Chevron, im not sure what you must have been on to write a song this good but WOW!!!

For the most part, I was on the floor in the living room of Phil Gaston and Deirdre O'Mahony's apartment in Stockwell. I kept meaning to adjourn to a comfy chair but it never quite happened.

[Cracker Jibbs]

My uncle used to play The Fairytale of New York every Christmas morning while we had eggs benny for breakfast. I've been a fan ever since then.

[Beholder]

15 years old, hearing "London Girl" being played on Irish radio. Was stunned: it sounded exicting, full-on, alive, and completely unlike any of the other shyte that was polluting the airwaves back in the mid eighties (jaysis it was an awful time for music). Through the Pogues I got to know the Clash, and from then on the floodgates were open.

The Pogues saved me from crap music. And if any of them are reading this, thanks, lads!