Fiesta is a single by The Pogues, featured on their 1988 album, If I Should Fall from Grace with God. It is based on a Spanish fairground melody Jem Finer, the band’s banjo player, had picked up in the city of Almería, southern Spain.
The music video for Fiesta was directed by popular British comedian and actor Adrian Edmondson and filmed on the roof of the iconic Gaudi designed Casa Batilló in Barcelona. Fiesta was the last Pogues singles to make the UK Top 30 while Shane MacGowan was still in the band. The song is a live highlight and has been included in most set lists since its release, often as the closer with whistle player Spider Stacy adding percussion by beating a beer tray against his head. Fiesta has appeared in many television programmes and movies and was adopted by Celtic Football Club in the early 2000's. The Pogues were an Anglo-Irish Celtic punk band fronted by Shane MacGowan and others, founded in Kings Cross, London in 1982 as Pogue Mahone – the anglicisation of the Irish Gaelic póg mo thóin, meaning "kiss my arse”. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s, recording several hit albums and singles. MacGowan left the band in 1991 owing to drinking problems, but the band continued – first with Joe Strummer and then with Spider Stacyon vocals – before breaking up in 1996. Their politically tinged music was informed by MacGowan and Stacy's punk backgrounds, yet used traditional Irish instruments such as the tin whistle, banjo, mandolin and accordion.
Jock McKenzie studied trumpet at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester where he was a joint recipient of the college’s concerto prize. Since 1987 Jock has based his musical career in Hampshire, working as a freelance trumpeter, conductor, composer, arranger and brass teacher. Currently Jock holds the position of Professional Leader (Brass) for Hampshire Music Service and is the Director of the Hampshire County Youth Band. It is the mix of all of these musical roles that has led to Jock establishing a reputation as a leading creator of brass music resources, particularly in the field of education and brass ensemble music. In 2020 Jock was awarded an “Honorary Fellowship of the University of Winchester” for services to music education. Currently Jock is working part-time for the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama; providing tuition for their Brass Teaching Module. In 2024 Jock was given the award for “Services to Youth” by Brass Bands England.
