Shane McGowan or Nick Cave?

Well, for me it’s a no brainer, Nick Cave is a punk compared to Shane MacGowan. I mean let’s face it, the Australians are no match for the Irish, even when they dress up all purty šŸ™‚ All though, to be fair, not too many artists would survive a steel cage match with MacGowan, but Cave did get in the ring—and this video is proof of the results.

And now for some more MacGowan, ’cause who the hell wants more Cave? Here’s one of my favorites on the internets, it features The Pogues playing alongside The Dubliners, and MacGowan is a natural through and through.

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13 Responses to Shane McGowan or Nick Cave?

  1. Jared Stein says:

    Blasphemy. Nick Cave to the bitter, bitter end.

  2. Scott Leslie says:

    You poor deluded man. Just when it seemed like there was some hope, when you finally acknowledged the genius that is Hall and Oates, you then have to go singing the praises of this whiskey-sodden sod. Oh what will become of ye…

  3. Jared Stein says:

    Oh, is that the whiskey? I thought he always sounded like that.

    (Reminds me: On the same EP as the “Wonderful World” duet McGowan swills off a horrendously drunk version of Cave’s “Lucy”. Meanwhile Cave does a damn right passable job on “Rainy Night in Soho”, though he’s probably knocked back a few, too.)

  4. Reverend says:

    Ok, look, both of you.

    Nick Cave is downright affected, just watch him sing. He has a fake ass accent of nothing, the guy is not only ugly, but an ugly that tries to be pretty through weak ass “outrageous” style and growing his hair long. WRONG!

    The Great MacGowan on the other hand loves his ugly. He is all about the tune, just occupying a space at the bar and nailing the song. Look at him up against the singer from the Dubliners, he’s young and abrasively natural. There is no pretense, in fact the only pretense may be the alcohol to hide from the fact that he is so good. And that’s far more interesting to me than a sheeny blue jacket. I can’t believe this is even up for debate! I can’t believe I have to school you two times. Two times!!

    • Scott Korek says:

      Wow! You actually had the nerve to say (in a confusing, round about way) that Shane McGowan is a better musician than Nick Cave? Hmmm!…hang on a second, it’s 1993 on the phone and it’s asking, “Other than destroying himself with drink, where did Shane MacGowan go in the last 25 years?” His notable work that he will be remembered for was in the early to mid 1980’s. Then reunion tours and now, the drumroll please…Ladies and Gentleman, ‘Shane MacGowan and The Shane Gang’. “Really!” I mean, “Really?” The name of his band denotes a collision of Shane hitting bottom. You have “Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds” and “Grinderman” – 17 studio albums since 1984 – sans his earlier bands. No “Nick Cave and the Nick Gang” any time soon. He is prolific and an absolute beast live. His newest album, “Push The Sky Away” hit #1 in 7 countries. It was in the top 10 album sales in 18 countries. This is not a “pop” album, which makes it more impressive. It was just voted album of the year by the readers in Rolling Stone magazine (Germany). He directed the movie “The Proposition” and has done 10 movie soundtracks for theater released movies since 2005. Nick Cave’s career is not only not waning, it is on a major, continual upswing. I already mentioned that Cave’s music is certainly not “pop” music. Yet, going on 30 years now, he is as relevant now as he ever has been. That sort of thing doesn’t happen accidentally. Shane MacGowan , talented…very much so. MacGowan is Celtic Folk and/or Celtic/Punk. In other words, he’s not exactly diverse. As far as music creation, They both started their music careers at about the same time. As far as musical productivity in the last 25 years goes, Shane MacGowan is little more than a festering boil on Nick Cave’s butt. Yet, Nick Cave is still relevant. Shane MacGowan is only relevant for what he did over 25 years ago. He is also relevant for the fact that he is still alive despite being on critics’ “dead pool” lists each year. It’s like an office pool where they gamble money on which rock stars are most likely to die in the next year. Shane MacGowan has somehow beat the odds as critics had him not making it through 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987…et al. He is a medical anomaly for drinking and drugging in a near suicidal pace for decades, and still alive. What clearly would have killed 99%+ of people taking the same drink and drugs There should be a grave stone somewhere and a long lost funeral march with somebody eulogizing using “The Lord’s Prayer”, then “Danny Boy” is playing somewhere in a parallel universe. I mean, he is so lucky. God is looking out for him big time. Does he have some sort of death wish?. Then, you alluded that Cave is ugly. If you are right, he is the ugliest Casanova in the rock world. Chicks of all ages dig him. You can’t say that about Shane MacGowan. You claim he” loves his ugly”.His ugly is by choice via his lifestyle. If we cannot laud him with appreciation for many musical accomplishments in the last 25 years,,,well…we can give him credit for messing his appearance up due to his rampant substance abuse . It’s too bad that he does that to himself as it has had to have affected his musical creativity, his health and appearance. A life without substance abuse and Shane would be very good looking. Of course that is not of utmost importance. Though, the effect it has had on his music career and private life is important. In closing, if this were a boxing match, the referee would have called a “TKO” in the first round and said “I conclude that Cave wins by default as this was not a mismatch, there was no match as MacGowan brought nothing to the table…except for a phone message from ‘1985’. The message said, You had a dream Shane…Where have you been Shane?
      The ladders of life we scale merrily
      Move mysteriously around
      So that when you think you’re climbing up, man
      In fact you’re climbing down
      Into the hollows of glamour, o where the spike and hammer…
      It’s from your friend back in 1985, Nick Cave just sang a verse from a future song. How is that possible? It’s like he knew where you were headed. Huh?

  5. lucychili says:

    Suspect there is not a lot of difference between
    IrishAU folk and IrishEire folk bar the crispy skin.

    Cave isn’t the only one with a long haired avatar? =))

    Begone with your binary this or that, with me or agin me, edupunk reactionary sass. Bring it all on and bypass the schooliness =).

    Cheers from here

    Janet

  6. Reverend says:

    Janet,

    You know I’m redbaiting here, right? I’m a big fan of your penal colony šŸ™‚

  7. I was unfamiliar with The Dubliners before looking them up as a result of this post. My initial reaction to the vid was to note how the Dubliners’ vox got a little edgier after Shane took his first stab, but apparently the Dubliners were adequate forbears of The Pogues: http://dirtylinen.com/linen/feature/60sheets.html

  8. Mikhail says:

    I agree, Shane McGowan would take Nick Cave in a fight (probably because he wouldn’t feel the blows). But have you seen “The Proposition,” Nick Cave’s Australian Western and first shot at film directing? It’s pretty badass, gotta say.

  9. lucychili says:

    /me rattles her enamel cup along the bars. =)

  10. How did I miss this post? Ok, I’m 4 years late, but a hundred times over NICK CAVE. His music continues to astonish me, still, with each album. In fact, my favorite Nick Cave song is probably the 2001 Sorrowful Wife, and Dig Lazarus Dig from a several year back was respectable.

    You need to turn up the stereo full blast and play this now start to finish with a speaker on each side of your head and your eyes closed tight before you are damned forever. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xw4aq7_nick-cave-the-bad-seeds-the-sorrowful-wife_music

  11. Also, how the HELL can you be teaching a true crime course and not have Murder Ballads on repeat? I mean, I know this was 2009, but surely now you see the peculiar beauty of Cave’s true crime folk gothic?

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