“He’s at it again.”
Just months after landing in hot water for comments he made about Aslan’s Christy Dignam after his death, music journalist Dave Fanning has sparked fresh controversy for his remarks during a BBC tribute to Shane MacGowan.
Thousands flooded the streets of Dublin city on Friday morning (8 December) to witness the Irish singer-songwriter and Pogues frontman’s funeral procession.
Then, on Friday afternoon, MacGowan’s funeral mass took place in Nenagh in Tipperary – where the music legend spent his early childhood – with his friend and fellow musician Nick Cave performing a beautiful rendition of the Pogues’ single ‘A Rainy Night in Soho’ at the ceremony.
Covering the events was BBC News, where Fanning was interviewed about MacGowan’s career.
Dave Fanning’s comments during Shane MacGowan tribute on BBC spark controversy
And many fans of the singer-songwriter were not happy with the following remarks made by the journalist during that BBC conversation:
“There was a quote I think from Bruce Springsteen, or somebody, I think it was Bruce Springsteen, saying he was the greatest songwriter ever. He isn’t.
“Shane wrote a bunch of great songs. But I mean Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote 100 powerful songs. John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote 200. Nick Cave, who’ll be there today, he to me, is the best artist of the last 30 years, he’s written 50.
“So, like, Shane did great stuff, but I mean, he wouldn’t be my number one in the world.”
Sharing this segment of the interview on Twitter, the account KM2 TV Archive wrote: “He’s at it again.”
He’s at it again. pic.twitter.com/LCq8kCKHaI
— KM2 TV Archive (@KillianM2) December 8, 2023
Commenting on the clip, one person also said: “God Almighty. He couldn’t just say something nice. RIP Shane.”
Another wrote: “Why did they even bother interviewing him? He has the most pessimistic view of everything. The man died and was an incredible songwriter. Don’t need to analyse it for the sake of it.”
A third user joked: “Welcome to roasting the dead with me, Dave Fanning.”
Sharing the clip as well, comedian Michael Fry commented: “In general if you’re gonna say something you should follow the rules of: Does THIS need to be said? Does this need to be said by ME? Should I say this NOW?
“If the answer is ‘No’ to any of the above, maybe don’t bother.”
In general if you’re gonna say something you should follow the rules of:
Does THIS need to be said? Does this need to be said by ME? Should I say this NOW?
If the answer is No to any of the above maybe don’t bother. https://t.co/rQSdwHKInF
— Michael Fry (@BigDirtyFry) December 9, 2023
Earlier this year, Fanning was criticised for several comments he made during an RTÉ tribute to Aslan frontman Christy Dignam following his death.
At the time, Fanning said: “I know this is a time for eulogising but I don’t want to deify the guy either – he [Dignam] blew it royally.
“He would say later on that: ‘Because I was abused at the age of six by a neighbour and there was this hole in my life for ages so I filled it, not by trying to get high with heroin, but just by filling it with heroin to keep myself away from the memory of it.’
“And I remember saying to him: ‘Are you sure about that now, Christy? Are you sure you’re not trying to pull the wool over my eyes?’.”
Fanning later apologised for his comments about Dignam.
Main image via RollingNews
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- Thousands line streets in Dublin for Shane MacGowan’s funeral
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