News

Rhino is expanding one of their recent Record Store Day “drop” vinyl sets for CD: a collection of BBC performances by Celtic-punk group The Pogues.

The BBC Sessions 1984-86 features six sets recorded over three years by the raucous ensemble, including a 1984 set for John Peel’s radio program when they were still going by the full name of Pogue Mahone (a rough approximation of the Gaelic phrase for “kiss my ass”). Two Peel sets, one each for David “Kid” Jensen and Phil Kennedy (released for the first time anywhere), and two for Janice Long (the latter, from 1986, debuting on this disc and extending the span of time from the RSD vinyl) make up the collection, capturing the band’s sound as heard on their first three albums: 1984’s Red Roses For Me, 1985’s Elvis Costello-produced Rum, Sodomy & The Lash, and 1986’s If I Should Fall From Grace With God.

A small handful of the songs were not recorded for other albums, like the immortal Irish tune “Danny Boy”; 10 of the album’s 23 tracks were previously collected on a career-spanning box set released by the label in 2008.

The band’s performance of “Sally MacLennane” from their latter Peel set at the end of 1984 is streaming now, and the full collection will be available on CD and digitally October 30. Pre-order your copy at the links below!

The BBC Sessions 1984-86 (Pogue Mahone/Rhino, 2020)

Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

* previously unreleased + not available on RSD vinyl

John Peel Session – Broadcast 4/17/1984 (as Pogue Mahone)

1. Streams Of Whiskey *
2. Greenland Whale Fisheries *
3. Boys From The County Hell *
4. The Auld Triangle

David ‘Kid’ Jensen Session – Broadcast 7/9/1984

5. Dingle Regatta *
6. Poor Paddy On The Railway
7. Boys From The County Hell
8. Connemara, Let’s Go *

John Peel Session – Broadcast 12/12/1984

9. Whiskey You’re The Devil *
10. Navigator *
11. Sally MacLennane
12. Danny Boy

The Phil Kennedy Show – Broadcast 3/2/1985

13. A Pair Of Brown Eyes *+
14. Muirshin Durkin *+
15. Sally MacLennane *+

Janice Long Show – Broadcast 7/11/1985

16. Wild Cats Of Kilkenny *
17. Billy’s Bones
18. The Old Main Drag
19. Dirty Old Town *

Janice Long Show – Broadcast 11/5/1986

20. If I Should Fall From Grace With God +
21. Lullaby Of London *+
22. The Rake At The Gates Of Hell +
23. Turkish Song Of The Damned +

Tracks 4, 6-7, 11-12, 17-18, 20 and 22-23 released on Just Look Them Straight In The Eye and Say…Poguemahone!! The Pogues Box Set – Rhino U.K. 5144281352, 2008
Tracks 1-12 and 16-19 released on BBC Sessions – Pogue Mahone/Rhino LP 0190295299491, 2020