Shane MacGowan and Sinéad O’Connor talked about life and death in resurfaced interview from 1995
An old interview of Shane MacGowan and Sinéad O’Connor talking about life and death has resurfaced following MacGowan’s death aged 65.
The Pogues frontman’s death was confirmed today (November 30) by his wife, Victoria Mary Clarke, as well as his sister Siobhan and father Maurice.
“It is with the deepest sorrow and heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of Shane MacGowan. Shane died peacefully at 3am this morning (30 November, 2023) with his wife Victoria and family by his side,” the joint statement read. “Prayers and the last rites were read which gave comfort to his family.”
Now, an old clip of the pair has gained popularity for their eerie discussion on life and death. The pair appeared on Kenny Live to discuss their duet ‘Haunted’ for the soundtrack of the 1986 film Sid and Nancy. MacGowan and O’Connor would eventually release the song as a single in 1995, the year the interview took place.
After a brief discussion about the infamous couple, O’Connor opened up about her own mortality: “What are we all doing here, how does the earth hang in space and what’s going to happen to me when I die, is it going to be slow and painful?
“But I think if you get through birth which is the most difficult passage then death is probably a breeze.”
The host, Pat Kenny, then remarked that those who suffer from long illnesses often “slip away” and “stop fighting”, to which O’Connor responded: “Living is harder, probably”.
Kenny went on to joke that some people, such as MacGowan, “make living harder than it need be”. O’Connor disagreed, saying: “I don’t know, everyone’s different.
“Everyone makes their own rules and lives their life according to their own things,” she continued. “What’s difficult for you might not be difficult for Shane and vice versa.”
“I reckon I’ll outlive you”, MacGowan then said to Kenny.
MacGowan’s death follows the announcement of O’Connor’s death earlier this July. At the time, MacGowan said: “Sinead you have always been there for me and for so many people, you have been a comfort & a soul who is not afraid to feel the pain of the suffering. You have always tried to heal & help.
“I pray that you can be comforted & find strength, healing & peace in your own sorrow & loss.”
In what would become one of his final interviews, MacGowan opened up about love of life and legacy of The Pogues. When asked about life and if he was injoying it, MacGowan told The Guardian: “Of course I like life,” with the interviewer adding how passionate MacGowan became at the question.
He went on to say that the band’s beloved hit ‘Fairy Tale Of New York’ wasn’t one of his favourite songs from the band: “It pisses me off when people always talk about it.”
When he was asked what his favourite song was, he added: “I’ve got a few, but that’s not one of them,” he said before adding: “’White City’ I like a lot.”
Other tributes have poured in from the likes of Nick Cave, Tim Burgess and Frank Turner. You can read more of those here.
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Alex Rigotti
NME
