Spider Stacy
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Peter "Spider" Stacy (born December 14, 1958, in Eastbourne, England) is a British musician. He is one of the founding members of Irish band The Pogues.
Stacy got his start in music in London's punk scene during the late 1970s as frontman for The Millwall Chainsaws. In 1981, he teamed up with Shane MacGowan, Jem Finer and James Fearnley to form The Pogues and is credited with naming the band. Initially, being one of the less musically-inclined members of the band, his role was confined to co- vocals and hitting a beer tray against his head. Faced with having to learn an instrument, Stacy learned to play the tin whistle, which remained his role until the departure of MacGowan left him with lead vocal duties.
He appeared in the Alex Cox movies Straight To Hell (1986) and Walker (1987)
Stacy was with the Pogues until they disbanded in 1996, having provided lead vocals on the Pogues last two albums. During this time they also had their biggest American single with the Stacy-penned "Tuesday Morning". It was also the highest placed single that the Pogues had on their own in the UK charts and their only entry in the US Billboard charts. Their higher placed singles had guest musicians Kirsty MacColl and The Dubliners.
He has done very little touring outside the Pogues. He appeared playing whistle on Fairytale of New York and singing back up vocals on There's A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop at Kirsty MacColl's last ever show at Shepherds Bush Empire, London in October 2000. He's played the odd show with Boz Boorer (Morrissey), Alabama 3, Shane MacGowan & The Popes and a couple of small tours with the Vendettas in the late 90's. He has played a handful of shows in the states with a pick up band in 2001, the Tossers in 2002 and 2004 with the Filthy Thieving Bastards. He rejoined the Pogues when they reformed in 2001, and has been with them ever since. He also performs with James Walbourne regularly, and they are currently recording an album in London.
In 2005 he appeared with Patti Smith at the Festival Hall in London during her Meldown season. He sang Joe Hill with her band and accompanied her on whistle whilst she sang a 17th century murder ballad.
Soundtrack For An Exhibition 8-11 June 2006. Musee Art Contemporain, Lyon, France. The soundtrack was composed by Susan Stenger with contibutions by Robert Poss, Alan Vega,Alexander Hacke, F.M. Einheit, Will Oldham, Kim Gordon,Bruce Gilbert,Ulrich Krieger,Warren Ellis,Jim White, Jennifer Hoyston,Andria Degens and Spider Stacy. Conceived by Mattieu Copeland
2007, along with Ronnie Drew, he appeared on the album version of (F)lannigan's Ball from the Dropkick Murphys album The Meanest of Times. It reached no. 20 in the Billboard charts. He appears on stage with them regularly.
James Fearnley of the Pogues and Spider guested with the Shout Out Louds in October 2007 at the Henry Fonda Theatre in LA, performing the Pogues' Streams Of Whiskey.
[edit] References
- Ann Scanlon, The Pogues: The Lost Decade, Omnibus Press, 1988
