Â鶹Éç

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When they first crossed paths in Camden in the early days of the 70s punk scene, Â鶹Éç Radio London's Robert Elms didn't think much of Shane MacGowan. Indeed, he recalls MacGowan's first band, The Nips, as "shambolic, and not a good way". But - after a brief spell buying dodgy records off Shane - Robert became, like many in that era, mesmerised by MacGowan and The Pogues. For Elms, they perfectly encapsulated a London-Irish experience he was intimately acquainted with. And, after a boozy two-day bender-cum-interview, he felt he knew the real Shane, not just his music. Here, Robert Elms recalls his fondest memories of the late Shane MacGowan, pays tribute to the great man, and considers his legacy in London, Ireland and beyond. (Image credit: Getty Images)