The Very Best of the Pogues

by The Pogues

Overview

There's little question that the Pogues were a seminal band, blessed with great musicians, led by Shane MacGowan, a songwriter of major vision and talent. This was apparent on their initial Stiff singles but it truly blazed on their debut, Rum Sodomy & the Lash, an album that artfully walked the razor's edge between Irish traditionalism and venomous, working-class punk. Though they became more accomplished in later albums, they never strayed from this template. What did change, however, was the group's consistency, largely because their fortunes were tied too closely to those of MacGowan. His talent burned intensely, but like a supernova, it flamed out quickly as the singer sank into an abyss of liquor and drugs. He could still turn out some great moments, but his unpredictability became a major liability for the group's very sanity and they had to let him go. Ironically, without Shane aboard, the Pogues started to drift and they only lasted through one more album before calling it a day, leaving behind a body of work that is very well summarized on the European-only compilation, The Very Best of the Pogues. This concentrates heavily on the group's first three albums, where MacGowan's writing was its sharpest and the band sounded best, but it also picks up highlights from erratic albums like Peace and Love and Hell's Ditch. That's not to say this is a perfect collection; it has a tendency to play toward their traditional folk inclinations, which means it overlooks such wonderful moments as their stomping Motown salute "Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah," one of the very best singles of the late '80s and early '90s. Even so, this collection is as good a single-disc retrospective as it could be, and it comes very close to capturing the Pogues at their very best. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	03/06/2001
Label:	Wea International
UPC:	0685738745920
Rank:	38769

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Pogues   Primary Artist,Vocals
Kirsty MacColl   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
The Dubliners   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
James Fearnley   Mandolin,Accordion,Percussion,Cello,Piano,Sitar,Guitar,Violin,Kalimba,Dulcimer
Tommy Keane   Uillean Pipes
Cait O'Riordan   Guitar (Bass)
Darryl Hunt   Vocals,Percussion,Guitar (Bass)
Shane MacGowan   Guitar,Vocals
Fiachra Trench   Strings
Paul Taylor   Trombone
Brian Clarke   Sax (Alto)
Joe Cashman   Sax (Tenor)
Henry Benagh   Fiddle
Eli Thompson   Trumpet
Spider Stacy   Vocals,Harmonica,Tin Whistle
Terry Woods   Guitar,Vocals,Cittern,Mandola,Autoharp,Dulcimer,Mandolin,Concertina,Tenor Banjo
Andrew Ranken   Drums,Vocals,Harmonica,Percussion
Dick Cuthell   French Horn
Philip Chevron   Guitar,Vocals,Mandolin
Jem Finer   Banjo,Guitar,Mandola,Saxophone,Hurdygurdy

Technical Credits

Stan Brennan   Mixing,Producer,Mixing Engineer
Harold Burgon   Engineer
John Sheahan   Composer
Dave Jordan   Engineer
Chris Dickie   Engineer
Shane MacGowan   Composer
Fiachra Trench   Arranger,Bass Arrangement,Brass Arrangement,String Arrangements
Eric Bogle   Composer
Roy Spong   Engineer
Rudi Lindt   Composer
Nick Lacey   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Joseph Crofts   Composer
Edmund Koetscher   Composer
Lindt Kotscher   Composer
Colin Farley   Engineer
Craig Thomson   Engineer
Craig Thompson   Engineer
Ian McKell   Photography
Ryan Art   Design
Gavin Martin   Liner Notes
Bilbo   Mastering Engineer
Spider Stacy   Composer
Paul Cobbold   Engineer
Traditional   Composer
Terry Woods   Composer
Paul Scully   Engineer
Steve Lillywhite   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Mixing Engineer
Elvis Costello   Producer
The Dubliners   Arranger,Performer
Ewan MacColl   Composer
Eamonn Campbell   Composer,Producer
Joe Strummer   Producer
Jem Finer   Composer
Nick Robbins   Mixing,Engineer,Mixing Engineer
The Pogues   Arranger
Sean Cannon   Composer
James Fearnley   Arranger,Composer