Shane MacGowan

The Berwick Street Riot

In the late 1970s, future Pogues founder and leading man Shane MacGowan worked in a record shop in Soho. I happened to be just around the corner. I had an office inside The Who’s management HQ. In the mid-1970s, I had become friendly with The Who’s crazy drummer, Keith Moon. One day, Keith and I were driving around London in my mother's tiny little car when he directed me up Wardour Street in Soho and commanded me to stop suddenly. We parked the car, and he ran into 112 Wardour Street, with me following him. This was his manager's office. Up the stairs, we went and straight into the office of Jackie Curbishley, wife of Bill Curbishley. They managed ‘The Who’. Keith asked Jackie, “Can my mate Danny have an office here?”. She looked slightly bemused and, with a wry smile, said, yes, of course, just like that. So, I was 17 years old and now had an office. I walked into it with Keith, sat down, and thought now what? I didn’t need an office, but I had one now.