The Pogues drummer Andrew Ranken has died at the age of 72, the band has announced.
As an early member he performed with the English Celtic punk group from 1983 to their break-up in 1996, and then again from 2001 until 2014 after playing with various other groups.
He was also more recently a member of blues band The Mysterious Wheels.
Announcing the news on The Pogues’ official account, a statement from the band read: ‘It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Andrew Ranken, drummer, founding member, and heartbeat of The Pogues.
‘Andrew, thank you for everything, for your friendship, your wit and your generosity of spirit, and of course for the music, forever a true friend and brother.
‘Our thoughts and love are with his family at this sad and difficult time.’
A cause of death has yet to be announced but Ranken had suffered with ill health recently and had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to Rolling Stone.
Ranken was credited on all of the band’s official recordings, from 1984 debut Red Roses for Me to 1996’s Pogue Mahone, including as a drummer, percussionist and background vocalist.
This of course includes their seminal 1987 Christmas song Fairytale of New York, with singer Kirsty MacColl, far and away their biggest hit, as well as 1985’s Rum, Sodomy & the Lash and 1988’s If I Should Fall from Grace with God.
Fairytale of New York remains one of the biggest-ever festive songs to have never landed the coveted Christmas number one spot.
He had been asked to join the group by founders Shane MacGowan and Jem Finer when they met on the London music scene, an invitation he initially turned down due to his gig as lead singer of The Operation – before changing his mind.
Sister of The Pogues’ late frontman MacGowan, Siobhan MacGowan, also paid tribute, writing on social media: ‘Andrew was such an important part of the story. ‘
‘A band brother and unbelievably talented and unique drummer. May he rest in peace.’
Fans shared their condolences and devastation too.
‘Awful news. I always loved his vocals singing The Star Of The County Down. RIP Andrew,’ shared Paul Snowdon on X as Matthew Reed Baker added: ‘Oh no, what sad news. So sorry for him and his family and the band. He was such a musical force, and from what I’ve read, quite the stand-up guy.’
Others also mourned the loss as they observed that the world ‘is running out of Pogues’.
It comes after MacGowan died in November 2023 at the age of 65, and collaborator MacColl died in 2000 aged 41 after a boat accident.
Last year, original Pogues members James Fearnley, Jem Finer and Spider Stacy reunited without MacGowan or Ranken to celebrate 40 years of Rum, Sodomy & the Lash.
Talking to Metro about the upcoming tour in November 2024, the band reflected on their earlier raucous days, saying they wouldn’t change a thing.
‘So much a product of its environment, and it’s time,’ the Boys from the County Hell hitmaker Stacy remembered. ‘From our point of view, The Pogues becoming what they what they are and what we are, it wouldn’t have worked at any other time, in any other place, probably with any other people.’
They also shirked the idea of using AI in any way to bring back the late MacGowan’s vocals, as the Beatles’ did with their track Now and Then featuring John Lennon in 2023.
”It’s very easy to sit here and go, “oh no, never,” but, I mean, probably no, never,’ replied Stacy. ‘I think I know where you’re going, and the answer, really is no.’
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