Press | Reviews
The Popes interview for new album Outlaw Heaven
Paul 'Mad Dog' McGuinness talks about Outlaw Heaven, the second studio album by Shane MacGowan's former backing band The Popes.
Stirring and cathartic collection of songs: The Popes Photo: MARTIN POPE
Chaos has surrounded The Popes, ever since Shane MacGowan created them as his backing band in 1994 after he'd been thrown out of The Pogues for "unprofessional behaviour. They made a couple of studio albums with MacGowan in the Nineties before the singer wandered off into drink-sodden limbo. The Shane-less Popes then scored a critical triumph with their 2000 debut album, Holloway Boulevard, but since then fans have had only a live album and the reissue, Release The Beast, to sustain them.
But at last a second studio album is wrapped and ready to go. Outlaw Heaven is a stirring and cathartic collection of songs which run the gamut from punk to country, delivered by a new band assembled by original Pope-in-chief Paul Mad Dog McGuinness. The disc resonates with echoes of The Clash, Bo Diddley and a whole history of Irish balladry, but thanks to the influence of new collaborators Charlie Hoskyns and Will Morrison, there's a punchy experimental edge to it too.
Raw, for instance, is a ferocious bellow of rage lifted by a throbbing electronic groove, while McGuinness' lurid tale of self-martyrdom in Crucified is buttressed by a sonic cathedral of crunching powerchords, gospel voices and horns. The title track's exuberant singalong is led by Shane MacGowan himself, making one of three guest appearances on the album.
I've never seen Shane in better shape or more enthusiastic,†reports McGuinness, in a Dublin accent thick enough to steamroller tarmac. I always had a great time with Shane, but this time it's been great to meet some very fine new musicians and work with a different kind of person. “
HM Prison Pentonville deserves a generous sleeve credit, because it was here that McGuinness began writing the Outlaw Blues songs. He spent four and a half months on remand for perverting the course of justice, locked in an 8ft by 6ft cell. He had d been a heroin addict for more than decade, topping up with cocaine and alcohol on the side, and on top of everything else had been struggling with writers block.
You were locked up for 23 hours a day, and if it was a good day you might get outside for half an hour,McGuinness recalls. I had a serious drug habit when I went into Pentonville, and I went through a whole detox in there, so I have to thank Her Majesty for the holiday and for the inspiration. They talk about [bluesman] Robert Johnson doing a deal with the devil - Ive done a deal with God. I got myself together and cleaned myself up a little bit.
Paradoxically, the primitive conditions in prison acted as a spur. He was only allowed three pieces of writing paper per fortnight, so he developed the habit of preserving his lyrics in tiny handwriting. The only way he could get access to a guitar was to attend the Sunday folk-mass and borrow one from the priest.
I'd work the tunes out in my head, then I'd turn up early for mass, grab the priests guitar and try out the ideas. He was very annoyed because I could play better than him, but it was nice of him to lend me his guitar.
I wouldnt recommend prison to anyone, but I knew it was the right place for me and that realisation was a big thing.
McGuinness was eventually acquitted of all charges, but found surviving drug-free outside prison so terrifying that as soon as I got out the first thing I did was run to a dealer". He learned to lean on valium and methadone instead of the harder stuff, and first teamed up with Hoskins and Morrison, musical partners for 15 years, at a St Patricks Day gig organised by friends ("when we first met Paul he was off his face, he literally couldnt stand up, Hoskins remembers). Undeterred, they set about recording an album at Hoskyns studio in East Dulwich, gradually knocking McGuinness skeletal songs into shape while recruiting new bandmembers (bassist Laurie Norwood, fiddler Ben Gunnery, Fiachra Shanks on banjo and mandolin).
We experimented with the songs, which is why it took a bit of time," says Morrison. Charlies and my influence isnt Irish at all -we dont understand it. It all sounds the same to us! What we brought to the sound was more of a contemporary twist, but still retaining the Irishness. Every song has its own environment, but they all hang together next to each other.
The next step is taking the band on tour, which McGuinness views with excitement mixed with apprehension.
“I love playing live most of all, but it used to be back to the dressing room and snorting lines off mirrors and all of that. What am I gonna do now?
Its something Im still trying to learn. Im not at the finish line yet.
The Popes Featuring Shane MacGowan - Outlaw Heaven
Â
MacGowans name on the sleeve may mislead some fans, as this is not the long-awaited new project The Pogues frontman is rumoured to be unveiling at some point this year. Instead, its an offering by his other old band, on which Shane weighs in for just three songs, with less than satisfying results.
Guitarist and latterly lead singer Paul McGuiness has regrouped with different personnel from 2000s Holloway Boulevard and, while there are still strong Celtic motifs throughout, the dominant sound owes more to another group of Irish legends, Thin Lizzy. Songs such as the title track, Bastards and Loneliness Of A Long Distance Drinker (coincidentally the three featuring Shanes now near incomprehensible vocals) are inspired by MacGuinesss own battles with drink and drugs and a short spell in prison.
The banjo-led country of Back In Your Heart owes a debt to Van Morrison and provides welcome respite from the ramshackle noise of most of the album, which may well be better suited to a live setting. What MacGowan himself can deliver, supposedly in tandem with erstwhile Pogues bassist Cait O Riordan, remains to be seen.
Reviewed by Terry Staunton
http://www.recordcollectormag.com
Coming from the shadows of their mentor
The Popes are a band I am aware of firstly as the backing band to Shane MacGowan's post Pogues albums and also as a band in their own right, I managed to catch them touring the Holloway Boulevard album at Shrewsbury some years back and although musically tight I couldn't help but miss Shane's input. Holloway Boulevard itself was a credible album but compared to 'the snake' or 'Crock of gold' it didn't really move me, This album however is a totally different beast. The fact it says features Shane MacGowan might help with the visibility of the album but to be honest they seem to have moved beyond Shane's involvement and in reality with the exception of the final track he is confined to lending backing vocals. What really stands out is the bands own growth vocals are superb, Celtic influences abound and yet in many respects this is Folk Rock with the emphasis on Rock. Towards the albums end it even seems that the crunching guitars could give rise to a kind of industrial folk rock such is the guitar power which for all this doesn't overshadow the fine songs on this collection. Shane's involvement is therefore only a bonus this is purely and simply a great collection of anthemic songs which personally I look forward to seeing live. With form like this I can only hope a follow up isn't too long in the offing.
Mr. A. J. Skelton "from despair to no hair" Amazon.co.uk
THE POPES
Outlaw Heaven
Release Date: 13/07/2009
Chaos has surrounded the popes, ever since Shane MacGowan created them as his backing band in 1994 after he'd been thrown out of the Pogues for "unprofessional" behavior. They made a couple of studio albums with MacGowan in the nineties before the singer wandered off into drink-sodden limbo. the Shane-less popes then scored a critical triumph with their 2000 debut album, 'Holloway boulevard', but since then fans have had only a live album and the reissue, 'release the beast', to sustain them. but at last a second studio album is wrapped and ready to go. 'Outlaw Heaven' is a stirring and cathartic collection of songs which run the gamut from punk to country, delivered by a new band assembled by original pope-in-chief Paul 'mad dog' Mcguinness. the disc resonates with echoes of the clash, bo diddley and a whole history of Irish balladry, but thanks to the influence of new collaborators Charlie Hoskyns and Will Morrison, there's a punchy experimental edge to it too.
Reviews from The USA
New band... Matured voice... Great combination
by born2barrettHaving never heard this band before, finding it completely by random... My thoughts?
Shane MacGowan, voice of the Pogues has matured into a mix of the following: (you decide)
- Dropkick Murphys
- George Thorogood
- Tom Waits
While he may not like the comparison, it allows more diverse listeners to appreciate his music. He maintains the sound of the Pogues but adds the modern twist to his music (Underneath a Blue Sky, Bastards, Crucified) and presents a great new sound. Congrats and best wishes.
On itunes america, 5 reviews (3 given 5 *****s 1 3***s 1 2**s
One customer review; THEY CAN MAKE A GREAT ALBUM WITHOUT SHANE
To be honest I was surprised that the Popes managed to pull off as accomplished an album as this without their former frontman (for all but two of the songs), but I'm not alone in thinking this, because Q magazine and some others have praised the album. the tunes are great, and if the lyrics aren't always quite up to Shane's standard, they still manage to throw in a few obscure Irish references to the songs, like when they mention the Auld Triangle. Overall it's a surprisingly good album.
The Popes
The Popes, formerly fronted by Shane MacGowan, proved that they can hold their own as a formidable live act with or without the former Pogues frontman's help. Paul (Mad Dog) McGuinness is an energetic showman, in whose hands the legacy of The Pogues resides, both as a live performer and also at the helm of an experienced recording outfit such as The Popes, with albums like Holloway Boulevard and Outlaw Heaven, both of which were showcased today, with performances of such songs as "Angels" and "Let the Bells Ring Out".
