Earlier this year, when The Pogues played Washington, D.C., bestselling novelist and writer/producer on The Wire George Pelecanos was in the audience, and he went backstage after the show: "The band were fans of The Wire (we had used several of their songs, memorably, on the show)," he recalls, "and we were all fans of their music going back to the 80s, when I was buying their vinyl imports at records stores like Phantasmagoria in Wheaton, Maryland." A few weeks later, when band member Spider Stacey came through town, they met again: "Over a meal in Chinatown, on H Street, (Full Kee, my spot for Chinese) I told Spider that I would like to do a pub event in London when I came over in July, and asked him if he would be interested in playing a set after I did a reading. He agreed and through Gaby Young hooked it up at Boogaloo on Archway Road in Highgate, run by a fellow named Richard who used to book the old Filthy McNasty's. The gig was set for Thursday, July 23. To my surprise, it wasn't just Spider and a couple of friends on the bill, as I had understood it would be. It was The Pogues, who had come to play their first pub date since 1983. In other words, it was history."
@'Media Bistro'
George Pelecanos reads from his new novel 'The Way Home'
Songs performed by The Pogues include The Body of an American, The Sick Bed of Cuchullainn, If I Should Fall From Grace With God, Transmetropolitan, Kitty and Down in The Hole.
This reading which was accompanied by a 'secret' gig by The Pogues was presented by a very old friend of mine, former Fall manager Richard Thomas, who is also promoting these upcoming shows at The Roundhouse: David Peace August 18th Rich Hall September 10th Iain Banks September 14th William Boyd September 16th Please note the Armando Ianucci shows on October 11/12th are completely sold out More info www.roundhouse.org.uk
(It is moments like this when I wish that I still was in London and in fact one of my last nights there was seeing The Pogues at 'The Bull & Gate' in Kentish Town in '83 and The Boogaloo for a time before it's present reincarnation was my local!)
George Pelecanos on his visit to London here.
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