Heavy drinkers (Shane MacGowan & Brendan Behan)

[IrishRover]

Shane Patrick Lysaght MacGowan
He was introduced to alcohol at the age of five by his aunt on the promise he would not worship the devil; she also introduced him to cigarettes at the same time. MacGowan first tried whiskey when he was 10 and continued to drink heavily from that point on. He is widely considered to be severely alcoholic, and has suffered physically from his years of excess; he was notorious for performing while drunk, and for years it was impossible to find an interview with him in which he was not impaired. An example of this was on the BBC TV political magazine programme, This Week. While being interviewed by Janet Street-Porter about the public smoking ban in Ireland, MacGowan gave incoherent and slurred answers to fairly straightforward questions, much to the embarrassment of the politicians present, Diane Abbott and Michael Portillo. He has very few teeth (his dental situation has been part of his "reputation" for years) and is now bloated and pale, and speaks slowly and indistinctly, though he still demonstrates a sharp, and surprisingly lucid wit from time to time. "The most important thing to remember about drunks is that drunks are far more intelligent than non-drunks. They spend a lot of time talking in pubs, unlike workaholics who concentrate on their careers and ambitions, who never develop their higher spiritual values, who never explore the insides of their head like a drunk does." Shane MacGowan


Brendan Francis Behan
He had long been a heavy drinker (describing himself, on one occasion, as "a drinker with a writing problem" and claiming "I only drink on two occasions - when I'm thirsty and when I'm not") and developed diabetes in the early 1960s. This combination resulted in a series of notoriously drunken public appearances, both on stage and television. After 1957, his books consisted of transcriptions of tape recorded conversation or of works written long before that date. He died, aged 41, in the Meath Hospital, Dublin, and was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery. His last words were to several nuns standing over his bed, "God bless you, may your sons all be bishops."

[IrishRover]

How do ya see em' two, inspirations, great philosophies, linked ones, common feelings..?
No great Oirishman goes appart from booze?

[Eric V]

Yes. And sometimes.

[Benno]

the utmost respect and admiration
if i didnt live in purist conservative canada
i'd be there with em

[IrishRover]

so says oi (oi won't comment Serbia)

[paddywhacker]

Shane Patrick Lysaght MacGowan
He was introduced to alcohol at the age of five by his aunt on the promise he would not worship the devil; she also introduced him to cigarettes at the same time. MacGowan first tried whiskey when he was 10 and continued to drink heavily from that point on. He is widely considered to be severely alcoholic, and has suffered physically from his years of excess; he was notorious for performing while drunk, and for years it was impossible to find an interview with him in which he was not impaired. An example of this was on the BBC TV political magazine programme, This Week. While being interviewed by Janet Street-Porter about the public smoking ban in Ireland, MacGowan gave incoherent and slurred answers to fairly straightforward questions, much to the embarrassment of the politicians present, Diane Abbott and Michael Portillo. He has very few teeth (his dental situation has been part of his "reputation" for years) and is now bloated and pale, and speaks slowly and indistinctly, though he still demonstrates a sharp, and surprisingly lucid wit from time to time. "The most important thing to remember about drunks is that drunks are far more intelligent than non-drunks. They spend a lot of time talking in pubs, unlike workaholics who concentrate on their careers and ambitions, who never develop their higher spiritual values, who never explore the insides of their head like a drunk does." Shane MacGowan


Brendan Francis Behan
He had long been a heavy drinker (describing himself, on one occasion, as "a drinker with a writing problem" and claiming "I only drink on two occasions - when I'm thirsty and when I'm not") and developed diabetes in the early 1960s. This combination resulted in a series of notoriously drunken public appearances, both on stage and television. After 1957, his books consisted of transcriptions of tape recorded conversation or of works written long before that date. He died, aged 41, in the Meath Hospital, Dublin, and was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery. His last words were to several nuns standing over his bed, "God bless you, may your sons all be bishops."

Sorry "Oirish" but this post seemed to be a stretch. It was definitely a stretch in the writers mind......citing booze, Macgowan, Behan, alcoholism, brilliance, early death...what was yer point? Sorry mate, I was willing to read yer posts about yer band, but in posting this I just see yer obsession with yer perceived "Orish way of 'loife" (if I spelled that correctly). ....do ya want to be an alcoholic and play in a "Shane Band?" Just wonderin..............yer posting something we all know......

[IrishRover]

yer posting something we all know......

knowing everything(tbh oi think no man should claim to know everything -only God knows everything ), but anyway then theres no need to read it if ya know it all, yup then it is a stretch for ya.

"Orish way of 'loife" (if I spelled that correctly)

No, ya doidn't. Tis spelled Oirish.

do ya want to be an alcoholic and play in a "Shane Band?" Just wonderin

thats upon others to answer; oi can give answers from me point of views, oi never appreciated that socially accepted feckin' term used by non-boozers - "alcoholic"; yes oi do appreciate and outstandingly enjoy wonders of drinkin'; Shane band.. well where oim no instrument player nor oi'll be a that good one in the near future - to play with Shaneo -not that it wouldn't be an extreme honour for me; oi guess to people who know it all oi don't have to explain a cead mile toimes that Shaneo's THE MAIN influence of IRISH ROVER AND THE CREW.. me and the crew are doin' Shaneo's stuff, and the idea started as tribute but goes much further.. 1st album of the band is beein' prepared and lyrics & songs will be completely created by me and the crew; Shane band or "Shane band".. lol fcol there can be only one Shane(tis not loike obsessive Oirish loifer loike me has to stress that outz).
Callin' Irish Rover And The Crew a Shane band.. oim thinking of creating FAQ so oi won't be pushed to to explain everything over and over again every toime. Slainte.

[dawsonn]

Alcohol is for the weak man. Im weak.

[o'steinberg]

Shane MacGowan. Brendan Behan. Both brilliant writers. Both great talents. Both destroying/destroyed by booze. I watched Shane at the Fillmore on Octobe 10 2006 and thought how much the world doesn't need another drunken Irishman. Kind of a sad stereotype, though alcoholism knows no borders, etc. It's just sad. Shane has written some of the most brilliant, poetic song lyrics and I don't know how he does. I can only how much more of his creative energies would be available and what more he could do if he wasn't so feckin' drunk all the time. A sober Shane - there's a thought to ponder. If Ireland was nearly destroyed by the British, it's also been partly destroyed by alcohol - though the bloody Brits are certainly enough to drive anyone to drink.

Shane MacGowan - thank you for all your musical and lyrical brilliance.

[IrishRover]

I can only how much more of his creative energies would be available and what more he could do if he wasn't so feckin' drunk all the time.

Oim very sure we wouldn't have the best of Shaneos work if he hadn't be what he really is - greatest Paddy with drinkin' potential Quoting Maurice MacGowan, hes father sayin' .. "he had a brilliant brain, he still has, few billion cells later..". Shaneo wouldn't be hemself and hes work would never be the same(or better) without drinkin'!

Some people will say.. he was better when he used to drink less.. he had better voice and stuff.. no oi won't agree with that! Oi was attracted with hes after Pogues work.. hes voice wasn't ruined by drinkin' - it became shaped as best voice in the world, and songs of Crock of Gold and Snake are outstanding ones!!!

[IrishRover]

But lack of new albums and stuff, thats completely different issue

[left]

Oim very sure we wouldn't have the best of Shaneos work if he hadn't be what he really is - greatest Paddy with drinkin' potential Quoting Maurice MacGowan, hes father sayin' .. "he had a brilliant brain, he still has, few billion cells later..". Shaneo wouldn't be hemself and hes work would never be the same(or better) without drinkin'!

But I think that this sentence from his father confirms that if he wasn't an heavy-drinking paddy we would have anyhow a lot of great work from Shane. Probably not at all the same, but still great.

[Caukill]

- though the bloody Brits are certainly enough to drive anyone to drink.

Oh c'mon. Are you serious ? Broad-sweeping generalisations like this show the workings of a narrow mind. I'll retract that if you can prove me wrong. If you wish to progress this theory feel free to send hatemail to usual address xxx

[Eric V]

A sober Shane - there's a thought to ponder.

Oh, I get it, you're doing the Lennon is a bum thing... right right right.... "Imagine Shane's not drinking, its easy if you can, not gin no vodka, not jumped in the can."

War is over if you want it war is over nnooooooowwww oowwwwww owwwww owwww