Nick Cave has paid tribute to singer/songwriter and Pogues star Shane MacGowan, who passed away aged 65.
MacGowan's death was confirmed yesterday, via a joint statement released by his wife, Victoria Mary Clarke, father Maurice, and sister Siobhan.
The songwriter had been ill for some time, have been discharged from hospital earlier this month. He had been previously hospitalised in early December 2022 with encephalitis.
"It is with the deepest of sorrow and heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of Shane MacGowan", the Pogues added.
"Shane died peacefully at 3am this morning with his wife Victoria and family by his side".
Paying tribute, Cave hailed MacGowan as “a true friend and the greatest songwriter of his generation,” adding that his death marked “a very sad day".
MacGowan and Cave had been friends for a long time, with the pair having shared a beautiful cover of Louis Armstrong's 'What A Wonderful World' back in 1992.
They subsequently performed together on numerous occasions over the years.
Paying tribute to her husband, Victoria Mary Clarke also shared this post via social media.
“I don’t know how to say this so I am just going to say it. Shane who will always be the light that I hold before me and the measure of my dreams and the love of my life and the most beautiful soul and beautiful angel and the sun and the moon and the start and end of everything that I hold dear has gone to be with Jesus and Mary and his beautiful mother Therese", she wrote.
Shane MacGowan and Victoria Mary Clarke got married in 2018.
