News on your favorite shows, specials & more!

DROPKICK MURPHYS


BIO:
Dropkick Murphys are an Irish-American Celtic punk band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts, USA. First playing together in the basement of a friend's barbershop, they blended traditional folk rock and punk rock known as Celtic punk. Their influences include Stiff Little Fingers, The Pogues, The Clash, Thin Lizzy, The Dubliners, and the Swingin' Utters. The band has made a name for itself and built a following as a result of their non-stop touring all over the world and their famous St. Patrick's Day weekend shows, which are held in and around Boston. The group is also well-known for their patronage of the Boston Red Sox and Bruins. Name origin There are differing stories as to the origin of the band's name. Former band member Marc Orrell has said: The Dropkick Murphy will come and get you if you don't go to sleep tonight. It's a rehab center, I think it's in Connecticut. I think it was the guy who used to come around late at night for all the drunks, like if you were too drunk to drive home, he would come and get you and put you in this hole that you couldn't get out until you were sober enough, I don't know. There's a bunch a stories, it's also a boxer, a bunch of things, a rehab center in Connecticut, grandparents used to scare kids with it. History Dropkick Murphys was originally formed in 1996 in Quincy, Massachusetts. The band first started playing in the basement of a friend's barbershop and soon found that people liked their music, and as a result began to tour and record. The band put out a series of EPs and were signed by Hellcat Records. In 1998 they released their first full length album, Do or Die. Lead singer Mike McColgan left the band later that year with his life long dream of becoming a Boston firefighter, and was replaced by The Bruisers lead singer Al Barr, who was referred to Ken Casey by Derek TC NYSR producer/founder of the groundbreaking 90's Oi!/Skampilation series at the Middle East Club in Boston. In 1999, they released their follow-up album, The Gang's All Here. In 2001 they released their third album, Sing Loud, Sing Proud!. The album showcased their developing sound as the band widely progressed from being a 4-piece punk rock outfit, and included collaborations with Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan and Cock Sparrer's Colin McFaull. It also marked a significant lineup change for the band. Original guitarist Rick Barton was replaced by former The Ducky Boys guitarist, James Lynch and Marc Orrell, and additional instruments were added and played by new members Ryan Foltz and Robbie "Spicy McHaggis" Mederios, whose name was inspired by a McDonald's menu item while the band was on a 1999 tour in Scotland. Shortly after, both Foltz and McHaggis left the band, being replaced by mandolin/guitar player Tim Brennan and bagpipes player Scruffy Wallace. Their next album, Blackout, was released in 2003. The new album included the radio hit "Walk Away," as well as the fan favorite song "Fields of Athenry". Notably "The Dirty Glass" with female vocals from Stephanie Dougherty (Deadly Sins) is a song about a bar in Quincy, Massachusetts called Darcy's. The song "Time To Go" was written about the Boston Bruins, and the band performed the song live at the Fleet Center during at a Bruins game during intermission at a November 2003 game. Also in 2003 the Murphys were on the Vans Warped Tour. For the 2004 baseball season the band released a re-working of an old Boston Red Sox song, "Tessie". "Tessie" would be used in the major motion picture Fever Pitch and was included on the EA Sports MVP Baseball 2005 soundtrack. The band was invited to the Fever Pitch premiere of the movie which was held at Fenway Park where the video was also shot. The song continues to be played at Red Sox games along with Dirty Water after games the team wins. In 2005, the Dropkick Murphys released Singles Collection Volume 2, featuring covers, b-sides, and other material that didn't make it onto previous albums, and the band contributed a recording of "We Got the Power" to Rock Against Bush, Vol. 2. Their fifth studio album, The Warrior's Code on Hellcat Records, was released on , 2005. It features the singles "Sunshine Highway", "The Warrior's Code" as well as the bonus track, "Tessie". It also includes "I'm Shipping Up to Boston", a song that was inspired by a Woody Guthrie poem the band found in his archives also called "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" which is featured in the 2006 Academy Award winning film The Departed, Martin Scorsese's adaptation of the Hong Kong crime thriller Infernal Affairs (Scorsese mentioned the band in an interview after he won his first Oscar). Two videos, one with and without footage from The Departed were made in response to the overwhelming response to the band's new hit song. The song was also featured in The Simpsons episode "The Debarted." "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" became the walk-out song of Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, who would dance an Irish jig to the song several times throughout the 2007 Red Sox Championship season. During the team's victory parade, Papelbon did the jig while the Murphys played the song on the same float. The song "Last Letter Home" contains excerpts from personal letters between Sgt. Andrew Farrar, his mother, and his wife. The following is taken from the album notes: We had already finished this song that was based on general correspondences to & from the soldiers serving in Iraq, when we were contacted by the family of Sgt. Andrew Farrar who had recently died while serving there. The family wanted to tell us he was a big supporter of the Dropkick Murphys. They also passed on a letter that he had written to his mother shortly before his death in which he thanks her for sending him a Dropkick Murphys CD & said that if anything should happen to him while in Iraq, he would like one of our songs played at his funeral. He also left behind a wife, Melissa and two young boys Tyler & Liam. His tour of duty in Iraq was coming to an end & he was due to come home & renew his wedding vows with Melissa to another song of ours, "Forever". Sgt Farrar died on January 28th, on his 31st birthday. We were present at his funeral to grant his wish and played "Fields of Athenry" as his casket entered the church. This song was re-written to include excerpts from that letter. The band released a single, with the family's permission, including the Andrew Farrar-dedicated "Fields Of Athenry" and "The Last Letter Home". All proceeds went to the Farrar family. In 2007, the band issued their sixth album and major label debut The Meanest of Times. it was released by Warner Bros. Records under the Dropkick Murphys own label, Born & Bred Records. On , 2007, the band played on a small stage in Fenway Park prior to Game 7 of the 2007 American League Championship Series. On , 2007, the band performed on a flatbed truck during the Boston Red Sox rolling rally to celebrate their 2007 World Series Championship, playing "I'm Shipping Up to Boston", "Dirty Water", "Tessie", "The State of Massachusetts", "For Boston", and "Sunshine Highway", to celebrate. Red Sox relief pitcher Jonathan Papelbon performed his trademark dance on the flatbed with them. Fellow Red Sox relief pitchers Hideki Okajima and Mike Timlin also rode on the band's flatbed. In 2008 Marc Orrell announced he was leaving the band and that Tim Brennan would replace him as a full-time guitarist. Tim's duties will be taken over by Jeff DaRosa. To tie in with St. Patrick's Day, a free Dropkick Murphys track pack for Guitar Hero III on the Xbox Live Marketplace and the Playstation Network was released on 15 March 2008 containing: "Famous For Nothing"; "(F)lannigan's Ball" and "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya" from their latest album, "The Meanest of Times". Also, the song "The State Of Massachusetts" is available as downloadable content for Guitar Hero II for the Xbox 360. In July 2009, the song "I'm Shipping Up To Boston" was released as a downloadable track for Guitar Hero World Tour, and was also released in the video game Rock Band the following month. In 2008 frontman Ken Casey re-opened McGreevys Pub, which is said to be the first sports bar ever. The bar has drawn good reviews for both its food and atmosphere. The Murphys have also continued touring, including a number of dates in July set to feature The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. At their July 10, 2008 concert date at LeLacheur Park in Lowell, Massachusetts, they announced that the show was being recorded and would be released as their next live album. They made similar announcements during shows in Portland, Maine and Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The band also stated at the Pawtucket show that the sellout crowd of 10,060 was the largest in the band's history. On Thursday, March 12 2009, the band played the first of a series of seven St Patrick's Day shows at Boston's House of Blues, announcing that the series was to become a DVD/Live Album combination, to be released later in 2009. They are also aiming to release a new studio album some time close to St Patrick's day 2010. On April 22, 2009, the Dropkick Murphys joined Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band onstage in Boston for his Working on a Dream Tour, playing 'Glory Days' and 'American Land', and the band's guitarist proposed to his girlfriend Diana onstage and was following by the Springsteen song 'So Young And In Love'. On June 16, 2009 the band opened up for Aerosmith at the Comcast Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts, in a "Hometown Heroes" concert, they later joined Aerosmith onstage to perform "Dirty Water". "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" also became the offical song advertising the AFL or Australian Rules Football, featuring on the ad promoting the sport in Australia. Political causes Dropkick Murphys have been known for supporting working class and union causes, and have a strong relationship with the AFL-CIO. The band has said that they are all Democrats, and during the 2004 United States presidential election were part of Punkvoter, a political activist group dedicted to defeating George W. Bush. That year they also appeared on the Rock Against Bush, Vol. 2 compilation contributing the song ""We Got the Power". Band members Al Barr ? lead vocals Ken Casey ? bass guitar, lead vocals Matt Kelly ? drums, bodhran, vocals James Lynch ? guitar, vocals Scruffy Wallace ? bagpipes, tin whistle Tim Brennan ? guitar, accordion, vocals Jeff DaRosa ? acoustic guitar, banjo, bouzouki, keyboard, mandolin, whistle, organ, vocals.

Latest Tweets

DropkickMurphys Twitter 11/3 @ 6:00 AM
DropkickMurphys - We’re doing a live stream from the legendary RYMAN AUDITORIUM In NASHVILLE on November 19 !! It’s the last show on… https://t.co/dGDDqo0jYv
Retweet | Reply | Link   

DropkickMurphys Twitter 10/13 @ 10:12 AM
DropkickMurphys - 1 WEEK from today, our THIS MACHINE… THEATER TOUR kicks off !! We are very excited to have @jaimewyattmusic & Jesse… https://t.co/EfHygjy4rr
Retweet | Reply | Link   

DropkickMurphys Twitter 10/7 @ 12:48 PM
DropkickMurphys - THIS MACHINE STILL KILLS FASCISTS has been out a week — what’s your favorite song? Reminder…vinyl for the album wi… https://t.co/aDpBWy6pw5
Retweet | Reply | Link   


MORE TWEETS

Latest Articles


Dropkick Murphys To Celebrate St. Patrick's Day With Livestream Concert Photo Dropkick Murphys To Celebrate St. Patrick's Day With Livestream Concert
by Michael Major - March 04, 2024

2024 marks Dropkick Murphys' 5th year in a row of livestreamed performances as part of their annual run of hometown Boston St. Patrick's Day shows. In 2020, the livestream visionaries were one of the first to embrace streaming performances, starting with their Streaming Up From Boston St. Patrick's ...

Dropkick Murphys Set U.S. St. Patrick's Day Tour 2024 With Special Guests Pennywise & Photo Dropkick Murphys Set U.S. St. Patrick's Day Tour 2024 With Special Guests Pennywise & The Scratch
by Michael Major - November 14, 2023

Dropkick Murphys have announced the full itinerary for their 2024 U.S. St. Patrick's Day Tour. All dates will feature punk legends Pennywise as special guests, with hotly-tipped Dublin rock band The Scratch opening the shows through March 15. Openers for the March 16 and March 17 shows at MGM Music ...

Dropkick Murphys Announce Boston 2024 St. Patrick's Day Week Shows Photo Dropkick Murphys Announce Boston 2024 St. Patrick's Day Week Shows
by Michael Major - October 17, 2023

Dropkick Murphys have announced their 2024 St. Patrick's Day Week hometown shows in Boston, which will all feature SoCal punk legends Pennywise as special guests, and opening acts to be announced soon. The run of shows begins Thursday, March 14 at Citizens House Of Blues Boston....

The Record Company To Release New Single 'Talk To Me' Photo The Record Company To Release New Single 'Talk To Me'
by Michael Major - June 15, 2023

With this new offering, band members Chris Vos (guitar, lead vocals, harmonica), Alex Stiff (bass, backing vocals), and Marc Cazorla (drums, backing vocals) are kicking off their next musical era with a single that features guitar cries through a hypnotically hummable bassline and head-nodding beat....

Gogol Bordello, Green Day, Fugazi, Dead Kennedys Members Release Ukrainian Charity Si Photo Gogol Bordello, Green Day, Fugazi, Dead Kennedys Members Release Ukrainian Charity Single
by Michael Major - May 23, 2023

Out on Hütz’s own label, Casa Gogol, the track features punk & hardcore heavy hitters like Tre Cool (Green Day), Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys), Joe Lally (Fugazi, The Messthetics), Roger Miret (Agnostic Front), Monte Pittman (Ministry), Sasha (Kazka) and Puzzled Panther....

Dom Flemons Releases New Album 'Traveling Wildfire' Photo Dom Flemons Releases New Album 'Traveling Wildfire'
by Michael Major - March 24, 2023

Produced by Ted Hutt (Old Crow Medicine Show, Dropkick Murphys) and recorded at Los Angeles’ Kingsize Soundlabs, Traveling Wildfire is Flemons’ most personal album to-date as he refocuses on songwriting—reflecting on recent epiphanies and spiritual evolution as well as the current social climate....

UK Punks Grade 2 Announce US Headlining Tour Photo UK Punks Grade 2 Announce US Headlining Tour
by Michael Major - March 15, 2023

Famed for blistering live performances and exceptional musicianship, they’re taking their anthemic self-titled album on a nineteen-date run starting May 4th in Pomona, CA, making stops along the way in Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, Phoenix and more before ending in Vegas on March 28 for Punk Rock B...

Dom Flemons Debuts New Song 'It's Cold Inside' Photo Dom Flemons Debuts New Song 'It's Cold Inside'
by Michael Major - March 09, 2023

Produced by Ted Hutt (Old Crow Medicine Show, Dropkick Murphys) and recorded at Los Angeles’ Kingsize Soundlabs, Traveling Wildfire is Flemons’ most personal album to-date as he refocuses on songwriting. Watch the music video directed, produced and edited by Weird Life Films now!...

Dropkick Murphys to Release 'Okemah Rising' Photo Dropkick Murphys to Release 'Okemah Rising'
by Michael Major - March 01, 2023

The 10-track album (available on CD, LP and streaming services worldwide) takes off from 2022’s This Machine Still Kills Fascists, on which Dropkick Murphys write original music around previously-unpublished lyrics of the late Guthrie in a unique collaboration, with the band finding a common philoso...

Nikki Lane Confirms Second Leg of Headline 'Denim & Diamonds' Tour Photo Nikki Lane Confirms Second Leg of Headline 'Denim & Diamonds' Tour
by Michael Major - January 18, 2023

Nashville vocalist and songwriter Nikki Lane confirms the second leg of her Denim & Diamonds Tour with headline shows in San Francisco, Seattle, Denver and more as well as festival appearances at Stagecoach and Two Step Inn—see the full routing now. The tour is in support of Lane’s critically acclai...

Dropkick Murphys St. Patrick's Day 2023 Tour Dates Announced Photo Dropkick Murphys St. Patrick's Day 2023 Tour Dates Announced
by Michael Major - November 15, 2022

Dropkick Murphys have now announced the full run of dates for Pega Presents…Dropkick Murphys St. Patrick’s Day 2023 Tour. The full-throttle rock tour launches March 1 in Charlotte and culminates with four hometown Boston shows, March 16, 17, 18 & 19. The Rumjacks and Jesse Ahern open most shows....

The Bronx Release 'Blowtorch' Single Ahead of Fall Tour Photo The Bronx Release 'Blowtorch' Single Ahead of Fall Tour
by Michael Major - September 20, 2022

The upcoming five-week trek are some of the SoCal band’s first headlining dates in support of the widely-praised Bronx VI album, with The Bronx previously joining outings with Rancid, Dropkick Murphys and Frank Turner. Tickets are on-sale now....

Dropkick Murphys Release 'All You Fonies' Single Photo Dropkick Murphys Release 'All You Fonies' Single
by Michael Major - September 14, 2022

Just a few weeks before the release of Dropkick Murphys’ new album This Machine Still Kills Fascists, the band has released the new single and video, “All You Fonies.” The cinematic video for “All You Fonies” was shot at the historic Roman amphitheater Les Arènes de Nîmes while Dropkick Murphys were...

Dropkick Murphys Release 'Ten Times More' Single Photo Dropkick Murphys Release 'Ten Times More' Single
by Michael Major - August 22, 2022

TMSKF is unlike anything Dropkick Murphys have done to date: A full album of songs that bring Woody Guthrie’s words to life. Not a tribute album or a collection of covers, This Machine Still Kills Fascists is a collaboration between Dropkick Murphys and Woody Guthrie – artists separated by time and ...

Lenny Lashley Announces Folk-Punk Album 'Five Great Egrets' Photo Lenny Lashley Announces Folk-Punk Album 'Five Great Egrets'
by Michael Major - August 03, 2022

Folksinger and punk rock stalwart Lenny Lashley will be releasing a collection of new songs titled Five Great Egrets under the moniker Lenny Lashley’s Gang of One later this year via Omerta MIA. Brooklyn Vegan recently unveiled his lead single “It Got So Dark” describing it as “an anthemic, shamboli...

Dropkick Murphys Release New Single 'Two 6's Upside Down' Photo Dropkick Murphys Release New Single 'Two 6's Upside Down'
by Michael Major - July 06, 2022

The video for 'Two 6's Upside Down' finds Dropkick Murphys performing the song while gathered around the Woody Guthrie statue in Woody's native Okemah, OK, interspersed with footage of the band debuting the song before enthusiastic European festival crowds this summer. The clip was directed by Dave ...

Dropkick Murphys Live to Perform at Kings Theatre on October 24 Photo Dropkick Murphys Live to Perform at Kings Theatre on October 24
by Michael Major - June 28, 2022

Legendary punks, Dropkick Murphys, will perform live at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn on October 24 for the New York City date of their This Machine...Theatre Tour. The band will be performing their upcoming album ‘This Machine Kills Fascists’ in full with this run being their first ever intimate and si...

Dropkick Murphys Announce New Album 'This Machine Still Kills Fascists' Photo Dropkick Murphys Announce New Album 'This Machine Still Kills Fascists'
by Michael Major - June 21, 2022

Dropkick Murphys have announced a new album unlike anything they’ve done to date, bringing Woody Guthrie’s words to life on This Machine Still Kills Fascists, to be released digitally and on CD September 30 via the band’s Dummy Luck Music / [PIAS], with a special edition vinyl out in November. Plus,...

The Rumjacks & Flatfoot 56 Unite on New Split EP Photo The Rumjacks & Flatfoot 56 Unite on New Split EP
by Michael Major - May 09, 2022

Multinational Celtic Punks The Rumjacks have released a new split EP with Chicago's Flatfoot 56. The EP is the follow-up to the acclaimed 5-piece's recent EP 'Brass For Gold,' and their 2021 LP 'Hestia.' The Rumjacks (recently on tour with Dropkick Murphys) are currently on their own headline tour a...

Bad Religion, Dropkick Murphys & More Join Punk in the Park Lineup Photo Bad Religion, Dropkick Murphys & More Join Punk in the Park Lineup
by Michael Major - May 09, 2022

Iconic bands Bad Religion and Dropkick Murphys headline a powerful lineup that also includes Face To Face, The Bouncing Souls, Anti-Flag, Adolescents, The Flatliners, The Bronx, Voodoo Glow Skulls, CH3, Bad Cop Bad Cop, Mercy Music, The Vulturas, Slaughterhouse, TV Party, Suzi Moon and many more....

The Rumjacks & Flatfoot Announce 'Split' EP Photo The Rumjacks & Flatfoot Announce 'Split' EP
by Michael Major - March 17, 2022

Celtic Punks The Rumjacks have been canvassing the country as support on the Dropkick Murphys current St Patrick's Day 2022 Tour, where they're playing tracks off their most recent EP 'Brass For Gold,' as well as their 2021 full-length 'Hestia,' and a slew of older fan favorites....

Dropkick Murphys Release New Single 'We Shall Overcome' Photo Dropkick Murphys Release New Single 'We Shall Overcome'
by Michael Major - March 15, 2022

The song is woven vividly into American history – not only as the celebrated anthem of the American Civil Rights Movement of the late 1950s and 1960s, but also as a protest song in the earlier labor movement. Both the history and message of the song resonated with Dropkick Murphys, longtime champion...

Dropkick Murphys to Release Digital-Only Expanded Edition Of 'Turn Up That Dial' Photo Dropkick Murphys to Release Digital-Only Expanded Edition Of 'Turn Up That Dial'
by Michael Major - March 10, 2022

The release will feature three bonus tracks including the band’s poignant rendition of “We Shall Overcome.” Previously released B-sides, the cover songs “James Connolly” (by Larry Kirwan) and “The Bonny” (by Gerry Cinnamon), are also included in the expanded edition, which will be available in both ...

Hip-Hop Band OXYMORRONS Release New Single 'Think Big' Photo Hip-Hop Band OXYMORRONS Release New Single 'Think Big'
by Marissa Tomeo - March 05, 2022

Oxymorrons gained serious momentum in 2021 with their innovative 'Mohawks & Durags' EP and back-to-back tours with Anti-Flag and Neck Deep. The genre-agnostic band are keeping the party going with the release of a mighty tune bound to please fans eardrums. Produced by Zach Jones (Crown the Empire, F...

New Headliners Announced For Riot Fest 2021 Photo New Headliners Announced For Riot Fest 2021
by TV News Desk - August 19, 2021

Anyone who purchased a three-day or single-day Sunday ticket will now gain access to the festival’s Preview Party on Thursday, September 16, free of charge....











Videos


Recommended For You