Dropkick Murphys

Dropkick Murphys biography

Dropkick Murphys are a Irish-American punk rock band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1996. The band was initially signed to independent punk record label Hellcat Records, releasing five albums for the label, and making a name for themselves locally through constant touring and yearly St. Patrick's Day week shows, held in and around Boston. The 2004 single "Tessie" became the band's first and one of their biggest charting single while the band's final Hellcat release, 2005's The Warrior's Code, included "I'm Shipping Up to Boston", which was featured in the Academy Award-winning movie The Departed and its soundtrack and went on to become not only one of the band's biggest singles but one of their most well known songs and an anthem for Boston sports teams.

In 2007, the band signed with Warner Bros. Records and begun releasing music through their own vanity label, Born & Bred. 2007's The Meanest of Times made its debut at No. 20 on the Billboard charts and featured the band's hit single "The State of Massachusetts", while 2011's Going Out in Style was an even bigger success, making its debut at No. 6, giving the band their highest-charting album to date.

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

Mike McColgan era: 1996-1998

Dropkick Murphys was originally formed in 1996 in East Milton, Massachusetts, initially consisting of lead vocalist Mike McColgan, bassist/vocalist Ken Casey, guitarist Rick Barton, and drummer Jeff Erna (who would be replaced in the next year by Matt Kelly). The band first started playing in the basement of a friend's barbershop and soon found that people loved their music, and as a result began to tour and record. They received their first big break when The Mighty Mighty Bosstones selected them as the opening act for their 1997 tour in support of Let's Face It.

After putting out a series of EPs, they were signed by Hellcat Records. In 1998 they released their first full-length album, Do or Die, which was produced by Rancid's Lars Frederiksen. Lead singer Mike McColgan left the band later that year to pursue his life-long dream of becoming a Boston firefighter (but later returned to the punk scene with the Street Dogs).

Hellcat years: 1998-2007

thumb McColgan was replaced by The Bruisers lead singer Al Barr, who was referred to Ken Casey by Derek TC NYSR producer-founder of the groundbreaking 1990s Oi!-Skampilation series at the Middle East Club in Cambridge.

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