Dropkick Murphys


Dropkick Murphys are an Irish American Celtic punk band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts, in 1996. The lineup consists of co-lead vocalist Ken Casey, drummer Matt Kelly, co-lead vocalist Al Barr, rhythm and lead guitarist James Lynch, lead guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Tim Brennan, multi-instrumentalist and rhythm guitarist Jeff DaRosa, and bassist Kevin Rheault. Casey has been the band's only constant member since the band formed. The band is known for their loud, energetic live shows.
The band was initially signed to independent punk label Hellcat Records; they released five albums for the label and built a reputation around New England and the East Coast through persistent touring. They expanded their schedule to include national and international tour dates, and began a tradition of yearly St. Patrick's Day week shows, held in and around Boston. The 2004 single "Tessie", an homage to a Boston Red Sox fanclub the Royal Rooters, became the band's first mainstream hit and one of their highest-charting singles to date. The band's final Hellcat release, 2005's The Warrior's Code, included the song "I'm Shipping Up to Boston". It was featured in the 2006 film The Departed and became the band's only platinum-selling single to date.
In 2007, the band began releasing music through their own imprint label, Born & Bred, via Alternative Distribution Alliance. In 2007, The Meanest of Times made its debut at No. 20 on the Billboard charts, while 2011's Going Out in Style was an even bigger success, making its debut at No. 6 and giving the band their highest-charting album to date. The eighth studio album, Signed and Sealed in Blood, was released in 2013, making its debut at No. 9 on the Billboard charts and featured the single "The Season's Upon Us", a Christmas song which was one of the band's highest-charting singles, and the single "Rose Tattoo". The band's ninth album, 11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory, was released in 2017; it debuted at number 8 on the Billboard charts and rose to number 2 on the charts. Their tenth album, Turn Up That Dial, was released in 2021. Their eleventh album, This Machine Still Kills Fascists, was released in 2022. Their twelfth album, Okemah Rising, was released in 2023. The two albums were the band's first since their 1998 debut to not feature Al Barr. The band's thirteenth album, For the People, was released in 2025 and features an appearance by Barr.

History

Mike McColgan era (1996–1998)

Dropkick Murphys were originally formed in 1996 in Quincy, Massachusetts, initially consisting of lead vocalist Mike McColgan, bassist/vocalist Ken Casey, guitarist Rick Barton, and drummer Jeff Erna. The band was named after Dr. John "Dropkick" Murphy's alcohol-detoxification facility. The "Dropkick Murphys" first started playing in the basement of a friend's barbershop and soon 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 1997 and made their debut for the label on the very first Give 'Em the Boot label sampler album that same year. In 1998 they released their first full-length album, Do or Die, which was produced by Rancid's Lars Frederiksen. The band's only full release to feature their founding lineup.
Lead singer Mike McColgan left the band in 1998 during the middle of a US tour with the Business. According to McColgan, he wanted to follow in the footsteps of his uncle and join the Boston Fire Department, which he eventually did in 2001. The band gave a different explanation for McColgan's departure in the liner notes of their 1998 release Curse of a Fallen Soul: "We'd like to take this time to officially let you know that Mike McColgan, our former lead singer has quit the band. We apologize to anyone who was a fan of Mike as our singer, however contrary to popular rumor, he did not leave the band to join the fire department. Mike left the band because he is no longer interested in being a member of this band or the movement of which we are a part." The band explained that their music is very serious to them and that it did not feel right having a singer who was going through the motions. Even McColgan felt that the band deserved a singer who was emotionally invested in the music. McColgan returned to the punk scene in 2002 as singer of the Street Dogs.

''Hellcat Years'' (1998–2007)

After McColgan's departure, the band searched for a replacement but did not have much luck. Al Barr, lead singer for The Bruisers was well aware of the Dropkick Murphys and at first actually resented the fact that the Dropkick Murphys were quickly becoming one of the biggest bands in the area, opening for all the bigger bands to come through, a slot Barr and the Bruisers would usually have obtained. Barr was informed of McColgan's departure and quickly assumed that the band was finished. However he was contacted by Derek TC NYSR producer-founder of the groundbreaking 1990s Oi!-Skampilation series at the Middle East Club in Cambridge and told to contact Ken Casey right away. Barr auditioned for the band, first performing a new song titled "10 Years of Service" and was offered the job right away which he accepted. Barr's first release with the band was the 1998 single for "Curse of a Fallen Soul", a song that also would appear on their upcoming album. On March 9, 1999, the band released their second studio album and first with Barr, The Gang's All Here. The album featured more of a hardcore–street punk sound closer to that of Barr's former band, The Bruisers and more of an Irish influence than on their debut album. The band gained their first mainstream exposure when the video for their single "10 Years of Service" received airplay on the MTV show 120 Minutes. The band set out on a year-long tour to support the album. In late 1999, the band along with The Business, released a split single titled, "Mob Mentality" in 1999. A year later they released a full-length album of the same name featuring the two bands covering each other's songs along with songs from other artists. Dropkick Murphys also re-recorded their own song "Boys on the Docks" with Al Barr on vocals marking the third different recording of the song.
As the band began the process of recording their third album in 2000, Rick Barton decided to quit during the recording sessions. In 2014, Barton discussed his departure saying "Myself and Kenny ended up hating each other. We've since made amends, but you know, touring in a band for four straight years... that same old story." With Barton gone, the band added four new members which included former Ducky Boys guitarist James Lynch, who joined shortly prior to Barton's departure, 17-year-old guitarist Marc Orrell, mandolin and tin whistle player Ryan Foltz and bagpipe player Robbie "Spicy McHaggis" Medeiros, whose nickname was inspired by a McDonald's menu item while the band was on a tour in Scotland, would join the band as their new full-time bagpipe player replacing Joe Delaney, who played on their debut album, but could not tour with or commit full-time to the band. With a new line-up in place, the band spent the rest of 2000 recording their third album.
Sing Loud, Sing Proud!, the band's third album, was released on February 9, 2001. The album showcased the band's developing sound and new lineup and included collaborations with Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan and Cock Sparrer's Colin McFaull. The album would feature the singles and music videos for "The Spicy McHaggis Jig", "The Gauntlet" and a cover of "The Wild Rover" and featured the Boston College fight song, "For Boston", which would go on to become one of the band's most performed show openers. The band embarked on one of their biggest tours at the time. In 2002, the band recorded three shows at the Avalon Ballroom during St. Patricks Day weekend, a weekend performance of shows in their hometown of Boston that would become an annual and must see event for the band and their fans. The result of the recording was the band's first live album, Live on St. Patrick's Day from Boston, MA which was released in September 2002.
In 2002, former lead singer Mike McColgan formed the band Street Dogs. The first incarnation of the line-up would also feature Jeff Erna, the original drummer for the Dropkick Murphys. The band released their debut album, Savin Hill, in 2003. The song "Stand Up" featured guest appearances by Ken Casey and Al Barr. Casey was originally asked to produce the album; however, he was too busy with the Dropkick Murphys.
After the Sing Loud, Sing Proud tour in early 2003, McHaggis decided to quit the band and was replaced by Canadian piper Scruffy Wallace. Foltz would depart soon after. Multi-instrumentalist, Tim Brennan was recruited to replace Foltz and has been with the band ever.
Blackout, the band's fourth album, was released on June 10, 2003. The album included the minor radio hit "Walk Away", as well as the fan favorite song "Fields of Athenry". The band also re-recorded "The Dirty Glass". The song was previously released the prior year on Face to Face vs. Dropkick Murphys with Kay Hanley as a guest vocalist. The re-recorded version featured vocals from Stephanie Dougherty. Dougherty became an unofficial member of the band and would also join them on tour working their merchandise table until departing the band in 2009. The song "Time To Go" was written about the Boston Bruins, and in November 2003 the band performed the song live at the TD Garden during intermission at a Bruins game. Blackout included a special bonus DVD with the music video for "Gonna Be A Blackout Tonight" along with two live clips filmed during the 2002 St. Patrick Day shows. It featured the trailer for the band's then untitled upcoming DVD which would eventually be titled On the Road With the Dropkick Murphys and released in March 2004. The tour to support the album featured the band appearing on the 2003 Warped Tour.
For the 2004 baseball season the band released a re-working of a century-old Boston Red Sox fan anthem, "Tessie". "Tessie" was used in the major motion picture Fever Pitch and was included on the EA Sports video game 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. "Tessie" also was the first release of the band to feature Tim Brennan and Scruffy Wallace. In 2005, 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, an outtake from the Blackout album.
The Warrior's Code, the band's fifth and final album for Hellcat, was released on June 21, 2005, and made its debut at number 49 on the album charts, which at the time was the highest debut for a Dropkick Murphys album. The album features the singles "Sunshine Highway" and "The Warrior's Code" as well as the bonus track "Tessie". The album also featured a re-recorded version of "I'm Shipping Up to Boston", a song originally recorded for the band's "Fields of Athenry" single. The song featured lyrics from a Woody Guthrie poem the band found in his archives. The song was featured in the 2006 Academy Award-winning film The Departed.. Two videos, one with and one without footage from The Departed, were made due to overwhelming response to the song, which became at the time the band's first and biggest charting single reaching number 1 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100. The song helped introduce Dropkick Murphys to an even bigger mainstream audience thanks to the film and soundtrack. The song also became the walk-up song of Boston Red Sox player Jonathan Papelbon, who danced an Irish jig to the song several times throughout the 2007 Boston Red Sox World Series Championship season. During the team's victory parade, Papelbon did the jig while the band played the song on the same float. In 2012 the band said that since Papelbon signed with the Philadelphia Phillies, he could no longer use the song, as it was a "Boston song". They hoped the new Red Sox closer Andrew Bailey would use it, but both Bailey and his replacement, Koji Uehara had different songs. Washington Nationals' second baseman Daniel Murphy also used it as a walk-up song.