Rogue's hit stage

Swashbuckling string of stars perform an album of pirate songs and shanties

25 July 2008 - Tracks from the album Rogue’s Gallery are being performed live by Lou Reed, Pete Doherty, Oscar winning actor Tim Robbins and Mercury nominee Rachel Unthank and the Winterset, at three special shows in Dublin, Gateshead and London this month.

The album is a celebration of pirate songs and shanties and is the brainchild of actor Johnny Depp and Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski.

Whilst filming the blockbuster they became fascinated with traditional sea songs and put together a CD alongside the film.

Other artists including Nick Cave, Bono, Sting, Jarvis Cocker and Rufus Wainwright have featured on the Rogue’s Gallery album – which was produced by Hal Wilner.

"They’re an oral history, it’s kinda amazing all these songs that tell you about what it was like to be at sea."
Lou Reed

At rehearsals in Dublin, Lou Reed explained why it's important to keep these songs alive.

He said: “They’re an oral history, it’s kinda amazing all these songs that tell you about what it was like to be at sea. They are part of our history, it’s part of our heritage.”

Actor Tim Robbins, who’s taking to the stage for the shows, says it's essential to get in touch with our past and make it relevant today.

“I think that’s really important that we know where we came from particularly in folk music because it’s an oral tradition,” he explained. “It’s not really written down. It’s not like Beethoven or Mozart, it’s a raw form, something that needs new people to reinvent and carry on the tradition.”

And according to the Mercury nominee Rachel Unthank and the Winterset, who’re also performing, the songs are a lot more raucous than you’d expect.

She said: “By God, if you want rock and roll, look at the Shanties. If you want a bit of grit and substance and a bit of naughtiness as well, it’s all there. They are really rock and roll when it comes down to it.”

Georgie Rogers