The Pogues: “Fontaines D.C. are carrying their own torch and Kneecap are without precedent”

nme.com:

The Pogues have spoken to NME about their 2025 tour in celebration of the 40th anniversary of ‘Rum Sodomy & The Lash’, playing without Shane MacGowan, and how Fontaines D.C.

helped pave the way for the run of dates.The Irish icons recently announced their first headline tour in 13 years – and first since the passing of Shane MacGowan – which will feature the original members James Fearnley, Jem Finer and Spider Stacy, alongside a cast of guests standing in for the late frontman.It will come off the back of two shows that commemorate 40 years of The Pogues’ debut album ‘Red Roses For Me’ this year.

Following a performance at the Hackney Empire back in May, an upcoming gig at Dublin’s 3Arena on December 17 sees the trailblazers joined by the likes of Fontaines’ Grian Chatten and Tom Coll, Nadine Shah and members of Lankum.“The ‘Rum Sodomy & The Lash’ shows stemmed from the ‘Red Roses For Me’ anniversary shows which came from outside the band,” Stacy told NME. “Tom [Coll, drummer] from Fontaines D.C.

was doing a weekend of Irish music in Hackney in May, and wanted to do something to mark 40 years of ‘Red Roses…’, and he got me involved and off we went.”“It’s grown organically from the people who want to see and hear us rather than us foisting what we think is worth celebrating on anybody else,” added Fearnley.Asked if they feel any affinity with the new wave of Irish bands that include Fontaines D.C., Lankum and Kneecap, Stacy responded: “Fontaines are a fantastic band, but they’re very much carrying their own torch.