Shane MacGowan and the Popes
| The Popes | |
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The Popes
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Shane McGowan and The Popes |
| Origin | Ireland |
| Genres | Celtic punk, folk-punk |
| Years active | 1992–1998 as Shane MacGowan & The Popes 1998–present as The Popes |
| Labels | Madfish |
| Website | www |
| Members | Paul McGuinness Ian Bramble Will Morrison Greg Courtney Dave Allen Whiskey Mick Rowan |
| Past members |
Shane MacGowan Mick O'Connell Kieran "Mo" O'Hagan John Myers Danny Heatley Berni France Colm O'Maonlai Kieran Kiely Tom McManamon Andy Ireland Bob Dowling |
The Popes are a band originally formed by Shane MacGowan (of the Pogues) and Paul "Mad Dog" McGuinness, who play a blend of rock, Irish folk and Americana.
Shane MacGowan and The Popes released two studio and one live album in the 1990s, performing live together until 2005. During this era, The Popes also recorded and gigged on their own until 2006. At the end of 2006, guitarist Paul "Mad Dog" McGuinness reformed the band with a new line up and leads it to this day.
After departing the Pogues, singer Shane MacGowan put together a new band, started with a group of people from the Pogues' extended family including Paul "Mad Dog" McGuinness and Tommy McManamon.
McGuinness and Tom Gerry McManamon formed the core of the band, on guitar and tenor banjo respectively. Soundman Dave Jordon and road manager Big Charlie MacLennan also followed MacGowan to the Popes. Joining them were guitarist Mo O'Hagan and bass player Bernie France, who had both played with MacGowan in a short-lived group called the London Contemporary Five (France was also an old friend and one-time teenage band mate of MacGowan's, in the group Hot Dogs With Everything). Ex-Exploited and Boothill Foot-Tappers drummer Danny Heatly and whistle player Colm O'Maonlai rounded out the original group.
It was this lineup that Johnny Depp joined appearing with them on Top Of The Pops and other music shows. He directed and appeared in the video of "That Woman's Got Me Drinking".
Of this initial line-up, only McGuinness and McManamon would last the entirety of Shane MacGowan's tenure with the group. France was replaced by Bob Dowling on bass, Heatley left later, to be replaced by Andy Ireland.
As well as backing MacGowan both live and on his solo albums, the McGuinness–McManamon incarnation of The Popes recorded a few singles and one studio album, Holloway Boulevard, released in March 2000. A live album, Release The Beast, followed in 2004.
Producer and sound man Dave Jordan died of a heroin overdose in Paris while on the road with the band in March 1995, followed in October 1996 by Charlie MacLennan, who died of a drug-induced heart attack. Ten years later, the long battle with illness from liver disease and subsequent death on 15 December 2006 of founding member Tom McManamon (born on 30 May 1961 in London, England) would put an end to Shane MacGowan and The Popes.
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