"Spider Stacey from The Pogues on Life, Music and the road ahead"

Summary

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Podcast Summary: takin’ a walk – “Spider Stacy from The Pogues on Life, Music and the Road Ahead”

Host: Buzz Knight
Guest: Spider Stacy (Co-founder of The Pogues)
Date: August 29, 2025
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Buzz Knight is joined by Spider Stacy, co-founder of the legendary band The Pogues. The conversation explores Spider’s journey through music, the formative experiences that shaped his artistic identity, how punk energy merged with traditional Irish roots to create The Pogues’ unique sound, and the enduring magic of live performance. With warmth and candor, Spider shares vivid stories from his life in New Orleans, the early punk scene in London, and reflects on the legacy and ongoing evolution of The Pogues’ music.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. A Time-Traveling Walk Through New Orleans’ Music Scene

• Spider’s Ideal Walking Companion

  • Spider describes meeting Tom Stagg, an Englishman and former wrestling villain who became a New Orleans jazz aficionado after moving to the city in 1968 ([04:29]).
  • Tom's encyclopedic knowledge of New Orleans’ jazz lore and its hidden histories captivated Spider.
  • Spider wishes for a "time machine" to walk the old New Orleans streets of the early '70s with Tom, seeing vanished clubs and meeting musicians he’d only heard about.
  • Quote: “What I’d really like to do is ... go back and wander around New Orleans with him maybe say in the early 70s ... That would be quite something to do.” – Spider Stacy ([09:25])

• On Bourbon Street’s Lost Wildness

  • Reminiscing about Bourbon Street’s days of "deafening" live music and comparing modern tourist traps to their more authentic, chaotic past.
  • Quote: “...the noise would just be deafening because there’d be just bands everywhere just playing really, really hard, really loud.” – Spider Stacy ([09:58])

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2. Discovery of a Life in Music and the Power of Punk

• Early Sense of Destiny

  • Spider always felt he’d make music, even before knowing how. First band experience was as a vocalist without formal musical skills ([10:52]).
  • Punk’s do-it-yourself ethos (“it doesn’t actually matter if ... you’ve got no prior experience”) was transformative, making music feel accessible for the first time.
  • Quote: “...punk happened ... a lot of us really just got the idea ... it doesn't actually matter...You can just start now and see where the journey takes you...” – Spider Stacy ([11:16])

• The Importance of the Ramones

  • The Ramones provided the "bolt upright" moment that ignited Spider’s musical drive ([13:22]).
  • He recalls hearing "Blitzkrieg Bop" at a school dance and realizing the power of a signature sound.
  • Quote: “The Ramones for me really were ... the band that really did it for me. That moved me off the...out of the starting blocks.” – Spider Stacy ([15:49])

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3. Origins and Alchemy of The Pogues’ Sound

• Fusing Irish Tradition with Punk Energy

  • The breakthrough came when Shane MacGowan played “Poor Paddy Works on the Railway” in the Dubliners’ style but with punk intensity ([21:46]).
  • Their first shows were built on Irish rebel songs played “really fast and hard, kind of as though you mean them.”
  • Band’s chemistry was a matter of “alchemy,” every player essential to the mix.
  • Quote: “The idea was always to kind of do Irish stuff but play it really fast. Play it with that sort of punk energy...” – Spider Stacy ([24:24])

• On the Tin Whistle & Performance Nerves

  • Spider’s entry to tin whistle: Shane’s encouragement (“why don’t you learn the whistle? It’s easy.”) and the satisfaction of instant results spurred him on.
  • Discusses the Irish tradition of everyone singing at pub sessions—regardless of technical ability—and lament how many people are too self-conscious to try ([25:31]).
  • Quote: “A lot of people can sing but most people don't realize they can sing. They don't know they can sing...and if the idea of doing it in front of an audience is something that just freezes a lot of people...” – Spider Stacy ([25:33])

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4. Storytelling: Blending Real Life with Myth

• Irish Literary Tradition
  • Songwriting in The Pogues blends everyday experiences with folklore and imagination.
  • Spider draws parallels to Irish literature, where “everyday objects ... have some kind of extra significance” and a sense of “quieter forces of nature.”
  • Acknowledges his position as an English observer—to “observe and listen and watch” ([28:13]).
  • Quote: “The blending of the everyday with the not so everyday...that the everyday objects can also have some extra significance attached to them.” – Spider Stacy ([28:23])

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5. On the Upcoming Tour and The Joy of Performing

• Reviving Fire and Fury
  • Recalls the unexpected escalation of recent shows (“The tour ... was one of the most enjoyable I’ve ever been on”) and the thrill of playing with musicians who grew up idolizing The Pogues.
  • Guest musicians like Lisa O’Neill and Iona Zajak bring new life to classics like "A Rainy Night in Soho," moving the whole band emotionally.
  • Quote: “When you get somebody like Lisa O’Neill singing ‘A Rainy Night in Soho’ ... it’s so ... powerful. I could talk about it all day long. I think people are really in for a treat.” – Spider Stacy ([33:24])

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6. Personal Evolution and the Road Ahead

• Continuing the Journey
  • Spider has no intention of stopping: “We keep on doing this ... for a few more years … This is so good. This is so much fun ... I really don’t want to stop doing it just yet.” ([33:59])
  • Plans ahead: “We’ve still got to do Full From Grace as well, you know, and there’s the others...please do my best not to.” ([34:18])

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Artistic Courage:
  “The way to get over that [stage fright] is just to open up and let fly.” – Spider Stacy ([25:41])
• On Band Chemistry:
  “It’s the alchemy in bands ... You can’t take anything out of it ... that’s how it works.” – Spider Stacy ([24:48])
• On Irish Mythology and Music:
  “Ireland is a place that’s very full of ... smaller, quieter forces of nature, but at the same time, it’s best not to disturb them.” – Spider Stacy ([29:00])
• On Tour Excitement:
  “The playing is stupendous ... We’re really lucky ... all people who really love the Pogues, so that’s really worked to our advantage.” – Spider Stacy ([32:50])

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Timestamps of Key Segments

• Introduction and “Walk” with Tom Stagg: [04:29] – [10:09]
• Musical Awakening and Punk Influence: [10:52] – [13:22]
• Ramones and Early Punk Impact: [13:22] – [15:49]
• Creation of The Pogues' Sound: [21:46] – [25:18]
• Tin Whistle Journey & Irish Session Culture: [25:31] – [27:57]
• Storytelling, Myth, and Realism in Songwriting: [27:57] – [30:17]
• Tour Preparations and Musical Legacy: [30:17] – [33:59]
• Looking Forward/Evolution: [33:59] – [34:35]

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Tone

The episode is warm, witty, and reflective, full of humor and affectionate nostalgia. Spider Stacy is candid about his insecurities, his reverence for Irish music, and the lasting thrill of creation and live performance. Buzz Knight’s friendly inquisitiveness keeps the conversation lively and focused on musical passion and personal storytelling.

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This episode offers an engaging and personal lens into the mind of a punk-folk innovator—and a masterclass on how tradition, rebellion, and storytelling can come together to create something entirely new.

Transcript

[Spider Stacy]

Taking a Walk. A lot of people can sing, but most people don't realize they can sing. They don't know they can sing. And so, and if the idea of kind of doing it in anything like a, you know, doing it in front of an audience is something that just freezes a lot of people.

[Buzz Knight]

What happens when punk rock energy meets the haunting melodies of traditional Irish music? You get the Pogues and one of their most colorful voices, Spider Stacy. Buzz I'm Buzz Knight and today on Taking a Walk, we step into the winding streets of Spider's musical journey. Where every stroll sparks a story, every melody tells a tale. Whether it's the call of the tin whistle or the roar of the crowd, Spider reveals how walking through life's highs and lows fuels the magic behind the music. Lace up those shoes. This is one walk you won't want to miss.

[Podcast Announcer]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Buzz Knight]

This episode of Taking a Walk is brought to you by Chase Sapphire Reserve. Whether I'm booking my next vacation or going to a concert, Chase Sapphire Reserve is my gateway to the world's most captivating destinations. When I use my Chase Sapphire Reserve card, I get eight times points on all the purchases I make through Chase Travel and even access to one of a kind experiences like music festivals and sports events. And that's not even mentioning how the card gets me into the Sapphire Lounge by the club at select airports nationwide. No matter where I'm walking, travel is more rewarding with Chase Sapphire Reserve. Discover [e-mail] Sapphire Reserve cards issued by JP Morgan Chase Bank NA member FDIC subject to credit approval terms apply. I always had to be so good. No one could ignore me, carve my path with data and drive. But some people only see who I am on paper. The paper ceiling, the limitations from degree screens to stereotypes that are holding back over 70 million stars. Workers skilled through alternative routes rather than a bachelor's degree. It's time for skills to speak for themselves. Find resources for breaking through barriers@taylorpaper ceiling.org brought to you by Opportunity at Work and the Ad Council.

[Podcast Announcer]

Have you ever wished for a change but weren't sure how to make it? Maybe you felt stuck in a job, a place, or even a relationship. I'm Emily Tish Sussman, and on she pivots, I dive into the inspiring pivots of women who have taken big leaps in their lives and careers. I'm Gretchen Whitmer.

[Spider Stacy]

Jody Sweetie. Monica Padme.

[Podcast Announcer]

Elaine Welteroth. Learn how to get comfortable pivoting because your life is going to be Full of them. Listen to these women and more on she Pivots now on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Spider Stacy]

I was diagnosed with cancer on Friday and cancer free the next Friday. No chemo, no radiation, none of that.

[Buzz Knight]

On a recent episode of Culture Raises Us podcast, I sat down with Warren Campbell, Grammy winning producer, pastor and music executive to talk about the beats, the business and the legacy behind some of the biggest names in gospel, R and B and and hip hop professionally.

[Spider Stacy]

I started at Death Row Records.

[Buzz Knight]

From Mary Mary to Jennifer Hudson, we get into the soul of the music and the purpose that drives it. Listen to Culture Raises us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Podcast Announcer]

The U.S. open is here. And on my podcast Good Game with Sarah Spain, I'm breaking down the players, the predictions, the pressure, and of course the honey deuces, the signature cocktail of the U.S. open. The U.S. open has gotten to be a very wonderfully experiential sporting event. To hear this and more, listen to Good Game with Sarah sp&iheart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Brought to you by Novartis, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports Network.

[Buzz Knight]

Taking a Walk well Spider, so great to have you on taking a walk, my friend.

[Spider Stacy]

Yeah, it's really good to be here. Thanks for having me.

[Buzz Knight]

So we're virtual, but I do have to ask you our opening question. Use your imagination however you like, Spider. I know your imagination runs wild. Who could you envision that you'd want to take a walk with, living or dead? And where do you think you would like to take that walk?

[Spider Stacy]

Well, actually, I know the answer to this one. When we, when we first moved to New Orleans, we moved to the part of the Treme that's between North Claiborne Avenue and North Broad Avenue, which is the part of the Treme that is was kind of really, I guess. Well, some people didn't even sort of accept that it really was in the Treme at all. The part of the Treme between Rampart and Claiborne, the sort of lower part is definitely the prettier sort of Creole cottage kind of thing. This other part above Claiborne and above where they decided to put the i10 during the 60s, which was an act of urban vandalism, shall we say? We, that's a kind of more, a bit more sort of hard scrabble I guess, certainly less green. And when we moved there we'd kind of, we kind of like got the impression that we were pretty much like really the only white people living for, you know, a good few blocks around. But then we, we had no truck or, or, or bikes even at that stage when we first got there. So we were just, we're around, you know, we didn't mind the heat. It was, it was all. Everything was new to us. But then we noticed very swiftly there was this old white guy living two blocks below us on the 2000 block of St. Philip Street. And we got talking to him and it turned out he was e. Well actually we were walking past him one day and he went like that and we were like, oh, you're English. And his name was Tom Stag and he was from, he was from South London and he had come over to New Orleans in about 1968. He had been, he had an interesting life. He'd been a like an all. A pro wrestler, an all in wrestler in, in England, which is a very different thing to your wrestling. It's totally, totally staged. And he was one of the sort of ring villains. You know, he was the baddie, the one that the old, the old, the old ladies would all boo out and sort of throw stuff out. So this kind of like little skinny guy. But anyway, there you go. But also he, there was a big New Orleans jazz scene, the trad jazz scene in England in the late fifth. It sort of, it started in the early fift fact and, and he was one of those guys, he was, he was really, really. He just loved new, old, old style, old school New Orleans jazz. And he actually was booking a few New Orleans artists who were coming over to the UK in the 60s. And one of these guys, I believe it might have been Walter Penny, said to him, you should come to New Orleans. And he did in about 68 and he just stayed there and he never left. And we'd actually go driving around with Tom because when we first met him, you know, he was like getting on a bit. He was in his late 70s and New Orleans say in the summer is not really kind of place to be walking around if you're in your late 70s because it gets cruelly hot. But we'd drive around with him and, and he would just like, he was just a mine of information. He'd be like, you know, we, you'd see some sort of like, kind of like abandoned, sort of looked like it might have been a cinema or something at one time. He goes, oh that. That was Rips. That was Rips. And Rip was Fats Domino's bodyguard. And, and he bought. And this was his club. And he'd have all these stories about, you know, about Rips club and. And you know, he. He lived in a house that was. That was owned by Dave Bartholomew, who's. Has a legitimate claim to be definitely one of the founding fathers of. Of rock and roll of what the actual. Drafted the Constitution, if you like, if you continue the metaphor. And. And he just would just go around. He knew, you know, because obviously by this point a lot of the places they'd be pointing out were places that were in fact no longer there because time and people dying and Katrina and everything so on and so forth. But he knew like everything about the place. And what I'd really like to do is actually I need. I'd need. I needed the use of a time machine is go back and wander around New Orleans. New Orleans with him maybe say in the early 70s and, and. And see what, and see what that was like because that's when a lot of these people, the guys that he sort of like had been booking and was still alive and everything. So I'd say that would be. That would be quite something to do. He used to. One of the things he told us was like, you know, Bourbon street now nowadays is. I mean, you know, people go to Bourbon street to kind of have fun and everything. But it's a bit of a. It's a bit of a tourist trap really. It's a bit like, like say Temple Bar in, in Dublin. You know, like that's. You go to go to Dublin and you know, a lot of people go to Temple Bar and they don't think to sort of go outside that. But actually, you know, real Dublin is more outside of Temple Bar than it is inside of it. Same as with New Orleans and Bourbon Street. But I mean, I remember when we first went to Bourbon street, the, the band back in the. In the late 80s went to New Orleans, I should say. And Bourbon street in those days was just wild, you know, not like it is now. It's really, really wild. But I mean, I can only imagine what it would have been like 20 years prior to that. He said that you would walk down. If you walk down the street, the middle of Bourbon street, so you were equal distance between the bar each side. Said the noise would just be deafening because there'd be just bands everywhere just playing really, really hard, really loud. It's. There's a great bit in. I think it's Jelly. Jelly Roll Morton's autobiography, when he talks about, you know, if you, if you wanted to play with, with, with the black musicians, you had to play really, really hard because otherwise they weren't, you know, they was like, nah, no, you're not used to us.

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah, yeah, you'd be left in the dust.

[Spider Stacy]

You'd be left in the D. Yeah, yeah, those, those, those guys play their instruments. Yeah.

[Buzz Knight]

What a great story. Thank you for, for sharing that. And we got the time machine all cranked up for you, for sure.

[Spider Stacy]

Oh, beautiful.

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah. Get a strap in, as they say, right?

[Spider Stacy]

Yeah.

[Buzz Knight]

But, so we're going to talk about the tour, which I know you're super excited about, but I do want to ask you, do you recall the first moment in your existence that you knew you had this deep connection to music that would manifest itself to this day?

[Spider Stacy]

It's a funny thing, actually, because it's always something that I thought I would do, even though there was no kind of real reason for thinking that I might do it. I didn't, I didn't play any musical instrument until I joined the Pogs. You know, I was in a punk band prior to the. Prior to the post, but I was the singer for. For want of a better word. Yeah, the singer. But, but it was always there and it was always just. It was always something I sort of like. I, I kind of. I kind of thought about, but more in the sort of abstract, if that makes sense. And I think really the crucial thing for me, and I think for a lot of other people as well, was when punk happened is 76, 77. And. And a lot of us really just got the idea, you know, that, you know, it doesn't actually matter if you, like, if you've got no prior experience, that doesn't mean anything. You can just start now and, and just. And see where the journey takes you, you know, because you don't possess a particular skill set right at the moment, it doesn't mean that you can. You can't acquire it as you, you know, and there's nothing. Not being able to, say, play the guitar or whatever is no bar to actually starting a band. You know, you can, if you're going to be the guitarist, well, start the band, then learn to play the guitar and hopefully you'll be good at it. I think that's one. You know, one of the brilliant things about it, one of the really beautiful things about that was just like, people did discover this means of expressing themselves, which maybe they'd felt there was something that they couldn't do. And. And it was. It suddenly everything became very egalitarian, democratic, which I think was always. Is always very important.

[Buzz Knight]

I had Danny Field on the podcast.

[Spider Stacy]

And there's another guy I'd like to take a walk with.

[Buzz Knight]

Oh, well, he would. I'm pretty sure we, we have a shot at that. If you want to follow. We could follow up because he's a man who loves the stories, loves talking obviously about the days with everybody. Lou Reed.

[Spider Stacy]

Yeah. The Ramones walk around New York with Danny Fields. Yeah.

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah. Well, he looks at the way the Village is now and as you would expect, he kind of looks around and goes, this is really not how I remember it. And I don't necessarily like it the way it is right now, you know.

[Spider Stacy]

Because, yeah, I, I hear it one.

[Buzz Knight]

Too many of Fill in the Blank, you know, franchises that are in the neighborhood. But. So what did the Ramones mean to you?

[Spider Stacy]

Oh, the Ramones were really, really important. The Ramones really kind of. They kind of switched me on it. I was at a, at a summer dance and kind of end of term dance at a. At a local girls high school near to where I would knit, where I grew up in Golders Green in northwest London. And, and yeah, some. I was aware of the Ramones. I'd heard the Ramones. This is. I wasn't actually end. Determine. Yeah, I suppose it was. I suppose it would have been in like towards the end of term, so say June 76, something like that. And I, I'd heard the Ramones. I'd kind of given up. I'd rather given up and reading the music papers in those first crucial kind of first six months of 76, because it was just kind of stuff had just got boring and I wasn't really, really interested in reading about the people I was reading about just as actually they. I decided to stop reading them just as they started to get more interesting. Yeah. And. But I was kind of like, occasionally, obviously, like, you know, I hadn't decided to cast them out of my life or anything, but I just stopped buying them. But I did pick up one of, you know, an Enemy or a Sounds every now and again. And so I was aware that there was something going on. I was aware that there was this band, the Sex Pistols, who I've for, for a while. I picked up the idea that they were French. I don't know where I got that from. And, and I was aware of the Ramones. And I heard the. I heard I want to be your boyfriend on the job on the John Peel show on, on Radio 1, on, on the BBC. He did the. Yeah, the Late Night Show. He was a very important guy and that sort of. But it was on a really kind of like cheap, shitty transistor and it was. It sounded good, but I couldn't really sort of get it was. It was too crappy a reproduction to really sort of like lean in, you know, just actually sort of get what was going on. But sorry, back to the dance. Somebody put on the. The Singular Blitzkrieg Bop and I knew immediately what it was and who it was and, and it was just like, you know, one of those things when you just kind of like, you just sit bolt upright and you're like, what is this? What is. I mean, knowing what it is. But it's like, you know, it was just kind of like felt with this. Filled with this real sense of urgency and excitement and that kind of just. It just kept going from there, really.

[Buzz Knight]

The beauty of a signature sound, right?

[Spider Stacy]

Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The Ramones for me really were a very. They were the band that really did it for me. That kind of like moved me off the. Out of the starting blocks.

[Buzz Knight]

We'll be back on more of the Taking a Walk podcast in a bit. Now, we love recommending podcasts from time to time. We have one for you if you're into music. It's called Gig Gab. Labeled as the show for working musicians. It's a fascinating and entertaining look behind the scenes as to what it takes to put a live band on stage. It's hosted by Dave Hamilton. If you're a fan of live music, playing it or watching it be played, be sure to check out [e-mail] or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode of Taking a Walk is brought to you by Chase Sapphire Reserve. Whether I'm booking my next vacation or going to a concert, Chase Sapphire Reserve is my gateway to the world's most captivating destinations. Travel is one of the most precious things in my life and the memories of each of the experiences live on forever. Chase Sapphire Reserve allows me to travel with ease with a 300 travel credit and access to a curated collection of hotels through the edit. So no matter where I'm walking, travel is more rewarding with Chase Sapphire Reserve. Discover more with Chase sapphire [e-mail] Sapphire Reserve cards issued by JP Morgan Chase Bank Naomi Member FDIC subject to credit approval terms apply.

[Spider Stacy]

Imagine that you're on an airplane and all of a sudden you hear this. Attention passengers. The pilot is having an emergency and we need someone, anyone, to land this plane. Think you could do it? It turns out that nearly 50% of.

[Buzz Knight]

Men think that they could land the.

[Spider Stacy]

Plane with the help of air traffic control. And they're saying like, okay, pull this. Until this, pull that, turn this. I can do my eyes closed. I'm Manny. I'm Noah.

[Buzz Knight]

This is Devin.

[Spider Stacy]

And on our new show, no Such Thing, we get to the bottom of questions like these. Join us as we talk to the leading expert on overconfidence. Those who lack expertise lack the expertise. They need to recognize that they lack expertise. And then as we try the whole thing out for real. Wait, what? Oh, that's the run, right? I'm looking at this thing. See, listen. And no such thing on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Podcast Announcer]

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[Spider Stacy]

Hello, I'm John Lithgow.

[Buzz Knight]

We choose to go to the moon.

[Spider Stacy]

I want to tell you about my new fiction podcast. It's One Small Step for Man. It's about Buzz Aldrin, one of the true pioneers of space.

[Buzz Knight]

You're a great pilot, Buzz, as far.

[Spider Stacy]

As I'm concerned, the best I've seen. That's the story you think you know. This is the story you don't predisposition.

[Podcast Announcer]

To depression, alcohol abuse and suicide.

[Spider Stacy]

We'll see Buzz try to overcome demons. What do you say, Buzz? Another beer. And triumph over addiction.

[Podcast Announcer]

Here's to you, Buzz Aldrin.

[Spider Stacy]

Good luck to you and become a true hero.

[Buzz Knight]

Buzz and I will proceed into the lunar module not because he conquers space.

[Spider Stacy]

But because he conquers himself. Buzz, we intercepted a Soviet radio transmission starring me, John Lithgow.

[Podcast Announcer]

Can you put it through?

[Buzz Knight]

Can you Translate on the iHeartRadio app.

[Spider Stacy]

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Columbia.

[Buzz Knight]

Welcome back to the Taking a Walk podcast. But now, so we talk about a signature sound, the sound of the Pogues. I mean, it fuses, you know, punk energy, traditional Irish music. Can you share how that blend sort of came about and sort of the background on the experimentation with different genres?

[Spider Stacy]

It's, it's, it's, it's. It's kind of pretty simple, really. There was a time we were. Shane and I were around at a friend's house, and she had an acoustic guitar, and he just picked it up and he started bashing out Poor Patty on Poor Patty Works on the Railway. But doing it, which is a song that I knew because we both had the same Dubliners album that it was on. It was a kind of one of these cheapo label compilations. But, you know, it was actually quite a Seven Drunken Nights it was called, and it was a very good sort of like, selection of. Of Dubliners songs in it. So I knew this song. Shane obviously knew that we'd listened to it together. He just started doing it the way that we would do it a couple of years further down the line. And I just kind of, like, looked at Him. And it's. This just sounds absolutely brilliant. This is a really, really great idea, you know. And then we. It was Shane and this guy Ollie Watts, who was the drummer in my band, the Norwalk Chainsaws. He and Shane were in a club called Cabaret Futura, which is not exactly a new romantic club, but it was this kind of like sort of more sort of outre kind of like, you know, kids dressing in really sort of like weird sort of imaginative clothes. Kind of like kind of. Yeah, sort of post punk sort of thing. I don't know how you describe it. I just did. And. And they sort of. But they. They colored Richard Strange, the guy that ran it, and said, yeah, we're. We've got this band. We play Irish Rebel songs and we're going to be playing here next week. And he said, well, actually I can't f. In next week, but that sounds kind of cool. Why don't you. Let's. Let's say why don't you come along a month from now and. And you can play then. So it never, you know. So we did this. The set of Irish Rebel songs which I was singing, except I kind of lost my voice, probably through nerves on the day of the show, but I kind of did it anyway. But there was. There was. There was never any sort of. The only way that we ever thought of doing those songs was to play them, you know, really sort of fast and hard, kind of as though you mean them. And. And that just really sort of continued into the pogs. The idea was always to kind of do Irish stuff but play it really fast. Play it with that sort of punk energy and everything. But. And of course, at the same time, Shane was. I mean, Shane had already been writing songs in his band the Nips, and so he was a kind of tried and tested songwriter in that regard. But then he just started coming out on this whole track of this. Who. A different track of something of a. Of a different order entirely. And we were just lucky enough that the. Especially when we acquired Andrew Rankin, you know, it took us about four or five goes to actually get a settled drummer. But then when we did that, we had this lineup and it just. It was. It's the alchemy in bands where you might think that certain parts, if you examine them in isolation, might seem to be somewhat extraneous, but in fact, you can't take anything out of it. You've got to have everybody in there because it. That's how it works. That's how it works. Or at least there's A crux of a core of like people who need to be there for it to sort of really properly operate. And we were very lucky that we kind of stumbled on that or those are the people that joined the band.

[Buzz Knight]

So I love it. Your tin whistle playing is iconic. And how did you first learn the instrument and has your approach evolved?

[Spider Stacy]

No, I, I the I. The original idea was was that myself and Shane were going to share singing duties and in those days I kind of just wasn't up to it. I didn't have the confidence to try and sing properly. A lot of people can sing but most people don't realize they can sing. They don't know they can sing. And so, and if the idea of kind of doing it in anything like a, you know, doing it in front of an audience is something that just freezes a lot of people and in fact the, the way to get over that is just to open up and let and, and let fly. One of the things I really like about Ireland is that is the notion is that notion that you know, when you have a session in a pub and it's like basically the idea is that everyone's going to get up and sing a song and it doesn't actually matter whether or not you're technically, you know, a great singer or you're just not. You know, it doesn't matter. The important thing is that you get up and you, and you do your song and, and you will hear people singing and it's like, you know that guy there, that old lady, she's picture's got a really incredible voice. You know, you just like they're just put themselves into it and it and, and I think, I think a lot of people actually are capable of that and just simply don't realize it, which is a shame. But in those days I was definitely one of those. I, I just kind of froze up the time. There was a time later on in the band's story when we were asking me about the tin whistle. Sorry. So Shane said why let you learn the whistle? It's easy. He said it's not, it's easy to sort of pick it up and maybe sort of play, play a simple tune on it. I mean I think the learnt was Silent Night from a play in a day book that had all the relevant holes marked out. So. Yeah, but it's, but the thing with that is that, you know, if you can actually achieve an instant result, which I could do, then it really does encourage you to go and sort of like try something a little bit more Complicated. One of the problems with the guitar was like, I. I wanted to be able to play it. It now, not like, have to sort of sit through all this business of like, you know, cutting your fingers to shreds and sort of like forming them into unnatural patterns to, you know. Yeah, I just didn't have the patience or the application, much to my regret. But there you go.

[Buzz Knight]

The band's storytelling style, it draws on, you know, real world experiences, but also Irish folklore. How does one balance personal stories with sort of mythology and songwriting?

[Spider Stacy]

Sort of applying a bit of genius, I guess. It's, It's. It's something that. I think it lends itself readily to the imagination. The blending of the. Of the everyday with the not so everyday. It's like a natural state of the form. Does that make sense to you? The stories and the. The way that the stories are told, obviously they, they. They vary from song to song. But I think the. In. In terms of, like, if you're writing, if you. If you look at the work of a lot of the great Irish writers, particularly sort of like the poets and the playwrights, there's a lot of the. The kind of magical stuff in there that's interwoven with the everyday. That the everyday objects can actually. Can also have a sort of some kind of extra significance attached to them, some kind of extra power attached to them. I think Ireland is a place that's very full of this kind of law, this kind of. This kind of. I hesitate to use the word supernatural because it creates the wrong impression. I'm thinking more of the sort of smaller, quieter forces of nature, but at the same time it's best not to sort of disturb them. So maybe in a sense I'm talking about the supernatural, but I think it's something that has been held on to. And I think it's probably something you find in a lot of. Particularly like, rural communities all over the world in Ireland, in contrast to maybe other European countries. Certainly it seems to be sort of closer to the surface. So it's something that is a. It's something that comes naturally. I think it's. It's a tricky one as well. It's a tricky. You know, I. I feel a certain. You know, I'm not Irish. I don't have that upbringing, so I'm here. A lot of it is. I'm just more going by sort of stuff I've picked up and stuff I'm sort of. And there's a certain amount of conjecture, but there's also a certain amount. It's Just like you observe and you listen and. And watch and. Yeah. You know.

[Buzz Knight]

So tell me how excited you are to be hitting the road coming up here in the fall.

[Spider Stacy]

These. These shows that we've been doing since I was first approached by. To do the. What turned into the Red Roses for me show at Hackney Empire, which is originally just going to be in a. A little folk club over the road. And it just blew up into something entirely different. Everything is kind of like, you know, the first show was great. Then we did Dublin, which was fantastic. The tour we've just done of. For the Ramasanth and the Lash, I think was one of the most. In many ways, one of the most enjoyable I've ever. I've ever been on. Just simply because we've got all these. All these fantastic artists, both musicians and singers. I think we're really, really doing justice to the songs. I think they're being played in a way that really brings sort of. Brings back the. Sort of the fire and. The fire and the fury that they kind of need being done by people who, you know, in many cases people who've actually sort of grown up with the band. I mean, Darren lynch from Lancome, who's going to be one of our guitarists on this tour, was saying, you know, when he was like getting. He was learning the. He was. When we were rehearsing. Sorry, when we were rehearsing for I'm Sort of Me in the Lash and he was saying, you know, like, I've. I've known your band since I was 7 years old. I had been playing these songs since I was about 7 years old and I. I never really actually realized just how complex, how complicated they are because we've got all these. These weird arrangements, weird sort of little chords that just pop up here and there where people don't necessarily expect them to be, but they are there. But. But the point was that he'd been listening. He'd been a fan of the band since he was 7. And that's kind of true about. Particularly with regard to the Irish musicians that we've got along with us. They've been fans of the band since they were kids. I think that sort of like, you see that in the. In just the sheer enthusiasm that they. They bring to it. I mean, the playing is. Is. Is stupendous the way that. I mean, we're really lucky that in. In. In we're really lucky. One thing that Islands just have this extraordinary outpouring of. Of really superlative talent. Talent over the last sort of starting about maybe 10 years ago or whatever. And they're all people who really love the Pogues, so that's. That's really sort of like, work to our advantage. But, you know, when you get some. Somebody like. Like Lisa o' Neill singing A Rainy Night in Soho, it's just, you know, there's a. There's a part in that where the song. There's a breakdown. And we have another. One of the artists we've got with us is a. Her name's Iona Zajak. She's Scottish. She's a beautiful singer, but she also plays the Celtic Heart. Oh, my God. Shane would have just exploded if he had. If, If. If he had seen this, he would have. I. You know, he wouldn't have been able to contain himself because he would have loved it. But there's a bit in. In Rainy Night where it all drops down, and it's just Lisa's voice and Iona's playing the harp, which is. You know, and this first of all happened at rehearsals, and then it was happening actually at the shows as well. But other people playing would be kind of like, we'll be looking at each other sort of going, I'm not crying. You're crying. Because it just. It's. It's so sort of like, oh, you know, it's very, very powerful. It's. I'm really excited to be bringing it. I. I could talk about it all day long. I think people are really in for a treat.

[Buzz Knight]

Oh, I love it. That's so great. So I want to close. So how do you see your own musical identity evolving now compared to the. The early days of the Pogues?

[Spider Stacy]

Well, I mean, I. I think as far as I'm concerned, we keep on. Keep on doing this kind of for a few more years and. And then I guess in time, time will take its toll, and then it will be time to say, all right, enough is enough. But, you know, but for the moment, this is. This is so good. This is so much fun that I. I really don't want to stop doing. Doing it just yet. We've still got to do Full From Grace as well, you know, and there's the others, so please do my best not to.

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah. Spider, thank you so much. It's so great to have you on Taking a Walk.

[Spider Stacy]

It's an honor, and I really enjoy myself. Thank you very much. Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a Walk podcast.

[Buzz Knight]

Share this and other episodes with your.

[Spider Stacy]

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[Buzz Knight]

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[Spider Stacy]

Iheartradio app, Apple Podcasts and wherever you get your podcasts.

[Buzz Knight]

This episode of Taking a Walk is brought to you by Chase Sapphire Reserve. Whether I'm booking my next vacation or going to a concert, Chase Sapphire Reserve is my gateway to the world's most captivating destinations. When I use my Chase Sapphire Reserve card, I get eight times points on all the purchases I make through Chase Travel and even access to one of a kind experiences like music festivals and sports events. And that's not even mentioning how the card gets me into the Sapphire Lounge by the Club at select airports nationwide. No matter where I'm walking, travel is more rewarding with Chase Sapphire Reserve. Discover [e-mail] Sapphire Reserve cards issued by JP Morgan Chase Bank NA member FDIC member subject to credit approval terms apply. If a baby is giggling in the backseat, they're probably happy. If a baby is crying in the backseat, they're probably hungry. But if a baby is sleeping in the backseat, will you remember? They're even there when you're distracted, stressed or not, usually the one who drives them, the chances of forgetting them in the back seat are much higher. It can happen to anyone. Parked cars get hot fast and can be deadly, so get in the habit of checking the back seat when you leave a message from Nitza and the Ad Council.

[Podcast Announcer]

Have you ever wished for a change but weren't sure how to make it? Maybe you felt stuck in a job, a place, or even a relationship. I'm Emily Tish Sussman and on she Pivots I dive into the inspiring pivots of women who have taken big leaps in their lives and careers. I'm Gretchen Whitmer, Jodie Sweetin, Monica Patton, Elaine Welteroth. Learn how to get comfortable pivoting because your life is going to be full of them. Listen to these women and more on she Pivots now on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Spider Stacy]

That was diagnosed with cancer on Friday and cancer free the next Friday. No chemo, no radiation, none of that.

[Buzz Knight]

On a recent episode of Culture Raises Us podcast, I sat down with Warren Campbell, Grammy winning producer, pastor and music executive to talk about the beats, the business and the legacy behind some of the biggest names and got gospel, R B and hip hop.

[Spider Stacy]

Professionally I started at Death Row Records.

[Buzz Knight]

From Mary Mary to Jennifer Hudson, we get into the soul of the music and the purpose that drives it. Listen to Culture Raises us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Podcast Announcer]

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