Dropkick Murphys are possibly one of the most well known Celtic Punk bands. They formed in Quincy, Massachusetts, part of metropolitan Boston and they are strongly tied to Boston ever since. The original lineup consisted of lead vocalist Mike McColgan, bassist/vocalist Ken Casey, guitarist Rick Barton, and drummer Jeff Erna, who was replaced by Matt Kelly after about a year.
Their style is heavily influenced by the likes of The Clash, The Pogues, The Dubliners, Greenland Whalefishers and Ramones. Band members also often cite AC/DC as a strong influence. Dropkick Murphys have a distinct sound that combines Hardcore, Punk, old Irish folk music vocal melodies and instruments like bagpipes, accordion and tin whistle. Even though they are best described as Celtic Punk band, their early work is sometimes classified as Oi! and their newer albums also retain some of the Oi! DNA. Many of their songs maintain the combination of high-octane instrumentation, strong chants and clear social commentary.
The band is also politically vocal and known for supporting the working class and union causes. All Dropkick Murphys t-shirts are union-made in the US. In 2005 Dropkick Murphys released 2-song CD for the family of US Marine Corps sergeant killed in Iraq. In 2014 the band played special performance at the memorial ceremony for Maj. Michael Donahue, killed in Afganistan. Their latest album 11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory tackles the issue of opiate addiction heavily.
The band is named after John E. “Dropkick” Murphy, Massachusetts wrestler and owner of an alcoholic rehabilitation facility.
Dropkick Murphys were actually at some point banned from performing in Boston on St. Patrick’s Day after some underage fans snuck into their show. This fact is jokingly mentioned in the song Going Out in Style.