Shane MacGowan

Described by Bono as 'the Noel Coward of our generation’, the singer and songwriter Kirsty MacColl would have turned 65 this year had her life not been tragically cut short in December 2000. Signed at the age of just 19 after being the backing singer for a failed punk band, Kirsty went on to write and record songs that spanned genres, including rockabilly, pop and South American. She had hits like A New England and Days and sang a key part in one of the nation’s favourite Christmas songs, Fairytale of New York. Respected by those who worked alongside her, including Billy Bragg, Johnny Marr, Jools Holland and many others, she has left a legacy that is still valued today. This programme brings together performances that highlight the wit and intelligence of this unique performer

An irreverent, modern, non-traditional re-telling of Ulysses, told rapidly by a succession of over 75 international actors. The film maintains the rhythm of the novel's stream of consciousness with intimate, minutely nuanced provocative performances.

A celebration of the Irish punk/poet Shane MacGowan, lead singer and songwriter of The Pogues, that combines unseen archive footage from the band and MacGowan’s family with original animations.

Documentary about reggae music and culture in London in 1977. Filmed in Super 8 camera by Don Letts. With participation of Richard Branson, Neneh Cherry, Paul Cook, Sly Dunbar, Paul Weller, John Lydon, Joe Strummer, Siouxsie Sioux, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and others. Released in 2017.

A whistle-stop tour of rock from over the water, taking in some of the finest Irish rock offerings from the early 70s to the present day, as captured on a variety of BBC shows from The Old Grey Whistle Test and Top of the Pops to Later... with Jools Holland.

A funny and often moving account of one of UK music's great lost treasures. Formed in 1974 by a group of school friends from Croydon, Johnny Moped were the band fronted by, and named after, the enigmatic Paul Halford aka Johnny Moped. By 1977 the group found themselves at the heart of the burgeoning punk scene in London and for a brief moment even looked like contenders. Despite being able to count both Chrissie Hynde and Captain Sensible as past members, success was not to come their way and Johnny Moped are now largely forgotten, punk rock's great lost band. Their story is however a fascinating one that, along with some of the era's most innovative music deserves to be heard.

The Pogues celebrated their 30th anniversary with two sold-out shows in September 2012 at the famous Olympia venue in Paris. The shows were filmed/recorded and directed by Gautier & Leduc. The shows featured the full band line-up of Shane MacGowan, Spider Stacey, Jem Finer, James Fearnley, Andrew Ranken, Phillip Chevron, Terry Woods and Darryl Hunt.

Adrian Edmondson narrates a documentary chronicling the story of Stiff Records, a tiny independent that took music out of the boardroom and gave it back to the fans. Stiff's successes included Nick Lowe, the Damned, Elvis Costello, Ian Dury, Madness, Tracey Ullman and the Pogues. Contributors include Captain Sensible, Jonathan Ross, Suggs, Shane MacGowan and label founders Jake Riviera and Dave Robinson.

Thirteen examples of The Pogues unique brand of hellraising folk, ranging from punky takes on traditional Irish songs like 'Dirty Old Town' to the Shane MacGowan penned originals which offered romanticised visions of life viewed through the bottom of a bottle.

A look at the creation of The Pogues' song "Fairytale of New York".