Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan died Nov. 30 at the age of 65 after a battle with viral encephalitis.
He was diagnosed in 2022 and was discharged a week before his death, in celebration of his upcoming birthday, which would have landed on Christmas Day. His family released a statement to social media confirming MacGowan’s death. “It is with the deepest sorrow and heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of SHANE MACGOWAN,” they wrote to Instagram. “Shane died peacefully at 3am this morning (30 November, 2023) with his wife Victoria and family by his side.”
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The family provided some insight as to what MacGowan’s last moments were like.
“Prayers and the last rites were read which gave comfort to his family,” they wrote.
The musician had been hospitalized for several months before his death.
MacGowan rose to fame with his Irish band, and took pride in the traditional Irish music and rock ‘n roll vibes that the Pogues were known for. He was highly respected for the powerful songs he wrote, which ranged from tender love songs to references to his unconventional lifestyle, according to ABC News.
The Pogues’ most famous song is arguably “Fairytale of New York,” a Christmas classic with a twist. The non-traditional lyrics begin with, “It was Christmas Eve, babe, in the drunk tank,” and the theme is carried out throughout the remainder of the song.
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The band’s first album, “Red Roses For Me,” was released in 1984. The next two albums released were “Rum, sodomy and the Lash,” and “If I Should Fall from Grace with God.” An EP was released in 1986, containing two of MacGowan’s most popular songs, “A Rainy night in Soho,” and “The Body of an American,” which was the featured song in the television series, “The Wire.”
Music meant everything to MacGowan, and those paying tribute to the star, sharing memories, and sending love and condolences will always remember his devotion to his craft.
“I wanted to make pure music that could be from any time, to make time irrelevant, to make generations and decades irrelevant,” he wrote in his memoir, according to ABC. (RELATED: Singer Jean Knight Dead At 80)
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His family noted that he is “survived by his wife Victoria, his sister Siobhan and his father, Maurice, family and a large circle of friends.”
“Further details will be announced shortly but the family asks for privacy at this very sad time,” MacGowan’s family wrote to social media.