I’m back after a week off and I’m ready to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Better late than never, right? And, no, the gravelly voice you hear is not a byproduct of Jameson; it’s the byproduct of 6:30 on a Friday morning and not enough coffee.

Anyway, on this week’s show I spend some time talking about two of my favorite Irish groups, Thin Lizzy and, of course, the Pogues, giving a nod to the statue of the late great Phil Lynott in Grafton Street, Dublin, and waxing philosophical about the Pogues’ fantastic album, If I Should Fall From Grace With God, which was released in 1988 (35 years ago!). I’m especially fond of the song “Thousands Are Sailing,” which, aside from being personally meaningful to me as an Irish American, might just be the most perfect song ever written.

From there, I turn to International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which occurred on March 21, 2023 (thanks to Punk Rock History on Twitter for mentioning it!). From the Dead Kennedys’ “Nazi Punks F— Off” to the Clash’s anti-fascist, anti-violence, anti-racist credo, the true punk spirit will always stand for eliminating racial discrimination everywhere. 

But, on a serious note, I can’t help but wonder about the road we’re traveling and how eerily similar it is to William Sheridan Allen’s description of small town Germany in his book, The Nazi Seizure of Power: The Experience of a Single German Town, 1922-1945. I read that book decades ago in college, yet what he describes seems a little … too familiar today. 

Finally, to lighten things up a bit, I talk about a truly enjoyable Twitter exchange I had the other day with longtime guitarist Mike Branch of the Hellcats and Night Rose. Mike is a great guy, so please follow him on Twitter and Instagram and check out his music. You won’t be disappointed!

So please give this week’s show a listen and share your thoughts in the comments below. And as Joe always said, “Without people, you’re nothing.”