The Celtic soul lives on.
Andrew Ranken, the steadfast drummer whose rhythms anchored the Celtic punk pioneers across all seven studio albums, has died at 72.
No cause was confirmed, though the musician had battled chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in recent years.
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His passing was announced by surviving founding members Jem Finer, James Fearnley, and Spider Stacy, who called Ranken “the heartbeat of The Pogues.”
He joined in 1983, replacing original drummer John Hasler, and remained until the band’s 2014 hiatus, returning for their 2001 reunion. Beyond drums, he played harmonica and occasionally sang lead.
Ranken later formed The Vendettas with Stacy and Darryl Hunt. He was preceded in death by Shane MacGowan, Hunt, and Philip Chevron. His family, friends, and bandmates are in our thoughts.
