They hail from Boston, are tattooed all over and are labelled as hardcore punks with Irish blood in their veins! Dropkick Murphys are one of the most inspired Irish punk bands of their generation, and are now internationally famous! We love their rock anthems, clearly influenced by a touch of Irish folk music… Let’s face it: the combination of punk guitars and traditional Irish instruments is a pleasure to listen to!
The band Dropkick Murphys
The Dropkick Murphys band was born in 1996 in Boston, one of the American cities where the Irish influence is particularly strong (Boston was for a long time the destination of Irish immigrants fleeing the Great Famine).
Initially, the band consisted of Mike McColgan on vocals, Rick Barton on guitar and Ken Casey on bass. But in 1997, the band welcomed Matt Kelly, a true drum tenor. Together, the 4 men play punk tunes clearly influenced by bands like The Clash, The Ramones and traditional Irish music. In fact, it’s this Irish influence that has given them a real sound identity…
From 1996 to 1998, the American 4-piece had a field day, making a name for themselves in the American-Irish punk scene. They soon embarked on a tour of the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. The success is phenomenal, and their energy electrifies the stage and the ever-growing audience!
In 1998, the band released “Do or Die”, one of the Dropkick Murphys’ greatest opuses. Sadly, Mike McColgan left the band shortly afterwards, and was replaced by Al Barr on vocals, with Rick Barton following close behind, leaving the band at the end of 1998 to be eventually replaced by guitarist and singer James Lynch.
But the Dropkick Murphys line-up doesn’t stop there, and welcomes new musicians such as Marc Orrel (guitar, vocals and accordion), Ryan Foltz (mandolin), and Scruffy Wallace (bagpipes). The band now boasts an unrivalled line-up capable of taking Irish punk to new heights:
In 1999, they released the album “Gan’s all here”, followed by “Single Collection” in 2000, and “Sing Loud, Sing Proud” in 2001. The concerts are never-ending, and the Dropkick Murphys’ inspiration seems boundless. In 2003, they recorded “Blackout”, a new, even more powerful album.
From 2003 to 2008, not a year went by without the band releasing a new album. The quality of their songwriting matures with each album, and the use of new instruments, such as the banjo, breathes new life into their tracks, which are always clearly inspired by Irish music.
The Dropkicks Murphys have also been successful in Ireland itself, winning over the Irish without too much difficulty with their muscular tunes and, as an encore, numerous melodies borrowed from the Irish folk repertoire.
