Flogging Molly is a seven-piece American Celtic punk band that formed in Los Angeles, California and is currently signed to SideOneDummy Records.

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History

Early years

Prior to forming Flogging Molly, Dave King was the vocalist for heavy metal band Fastway featuring guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke of Motörhead in the early to mid 80's. He later fronted a hard rock band called Katmandu (1991), featuring Mandy Meyer of Krokus on guitars. Afterwards, Dave King retained a record deal with Epic records and began to work on a solo album, but began to reconsider his record deal when the label opposed his idea of bringing in traditional Irish instruments. King negotiated out of his record deal to go his own way musically soon after.

In 1993, King met guitarist Ted Hutt, bassist Jeff Peters, and fiddle player Bridget Regan and put together a rock band with a celtic feel. They played a Los Angeles pub called Molly Malones for a couple of years building a small, but loyal following. Together they wrote songs such as Devil's Dance Floor and Black Friday Rule, which was the beginning of Flogging Molly's unique sound. Ted and Jeff then left Flogging Molly because a prior band of theirs received a record deal. Dave and Bridget then began to meet the new members and the current band was formed.

They continued a routine of playing every Monday night at Molly Malone's. Then 17-year old Nathen Maxwell snuck into a show as a fan and soon after joined the band. ^[1] They put out a live album, Alive Behind the Green Door in 1997. In an interview with Kerrang! magazine, King stated that the band's name comes from the bar (Molly Malone's) that faithfully supported the band from the very beginning, "We used to play there every Monday night and we felt like we were flogging it to death, so we called the band Flogging Molly." They were signed onto SideOneDummy Records after a show when the record company's owners attended a concert and noted their intensity.

Career

Flogging Molly has released an independent (26f Records) live album titled Alive Behind the Green Door , as well as four studio albums: Swagger , Drunken Lullabies , Within a Mile of Home , and Float ; and an acoustic/live DVD/cd combo Whiskey on a Sunday . They have toured with the Warped Tour, Larry Kirwan's American Fléadh Festival and contributed to the Rock Against Bush project. They have sold in excess of a million and a half copies of recorded output as of December 6, 2006. ^[2]

On March 13, 2007, the band released an exclusive EP through iTunes entitled Complete Control Sessions . The EP includes two new tracks, as well as acoustic versions of previously released songs. On December 3, 2007 the band announced through an e-mail to their subscribers that their upcoming album would be called Float .

On March 4, 2008 Flogging Molly released Float, an album dubbed "One of the most important CDs of the year, if not the decade" by Alternative Press. Flogging Molly also recognized the album as influential to their career as their first album recorded in Ireland (though mixed in California) by producer Ryan Hewitt. Fans met the release with great anticipation and enthusiasm, landing it at #4 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart. This release marks the highest chart position for SideOneDummy and the Celtic Punk genre in general. The album includes the band's first two chart singles, "Requiem for a Dying Song" which hit #35 on the Billboard Modern Rock charts ^[3] and "Float" which hit #40 on the same chart ^[4]. Another accolade came to the band in June 2009 when their album "Drunken Lullabies" went gold. ^[5]

While touring to support Float Dave and Bridget were married in a private ceremony in Tokyo, Japan.

Musical style

Flogging Molly's music is influenced by bands such as The Pogues, The Dubliners, Stiff Little Fingers, and The Clash. Dave King says the Pogues were a huge influence. The album Within a Mile of Home is dedicated to Joe Strummer and Johnny Cash.

Their music ranges from boisterous celtic punk, like the pirate-themed "Salty Dog", "Cruel Mistress", and "Seven Deadly Sins", or the defiant "What's Left of the Flag", "Drunken Lullabies", and "Rebels of the Sacred Heart" to more sombre songs like "Far Away Boys", "The Son Never Shines (On Closed Doors)", and "Float." Lyrics typically touch on subjects such as Ireland and its history, drinking, politics, love, death, and include several references to the Roman Catholic Church. "What's Left of the Flag" was written as a tribute to King's father who passed away while he was a young boy. ^[6]

Members

• Dave King – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, bodhrán, banjo, spoons
• Bridget Regan – fiddle, tin whistle, uillean pipes, vocals
• Dennis Casey – guitar, vocals
• Matt Hensley – accordion, concertina
• Nathen Maxwell – bass guitar, vocals
• Bob Schmidt – mandolin, banjo
• George Schwindt – drums, percussion

Discography

Studio albums

• 2000: Swagger
• 2002: Drunken Lullabies
• 2004: Within a Mile of Home
• 2008: Float

Live/compilation albums

• 1997: Alive Behind the Green Door
• 2006: Whiskey on a Sunday
• 2007: Complete Control Sessions

Singles

• 2000: "Salty Dog"(7")
• *B-side is "Juan El Sentimental", previously released on some international copies of Swagger
• 2002: "Drunken Lullabies"
• 2004: "The Seven Deadly Sins"
• 2008: "Float" (7") (#40 US Mod Rock)
• *B-side is "Man with No Country"
• 2008: "Requiem For a Dying Song" (#35 US Mod Rock)
• 2009 : "The Lightning Storm"

In popular culture

In film, stage and television

• Flogging Molly have appeared on Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien, and Jimmy Kimmel on numerous occasions.
• The song "The Worst Day Since Yesterday" is featured in the 2005 film Mr. & Mrs. Smith and in the title of a Season 3 episode of One Tree Hill .
• The song "Selfish Man" plays during the end credits of episode four, season one of the Showtime series Brotherhood . The song "May The Living Be Dead (In Our Wake)" also plays during the wedding reception in the show's season one finale.
• The song "If I Ever Leave This World Alive" (studio version) is featured in Episode 8 "Scar Tissue" of Season 2 of The Shield , and was used in the first season of Showtime's Weeds as well. The song is also featured in the ending credits of the movie P.S. I Love You , starring Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler, released in December 2007.
• Six of their songs are featured in the film Red Roses and Petrol , set for theatrical release in the USA and the UK early 2008.
• The song "Whistles the Wind" is played in the 18th episode of Bones , when Hodgins is speaking with McGinnis about treasure.
• "The Kilburn High Road" was inspired by the stage play The Kings of the Kilburn High Road, by Jimmy Murphy (playwright). Dave King wrote the song after reading a copy of the play given to him by Bridget Regan, who was dating the lead actor cast in the production at the time.
• The song "Drunken Lullabies" was played for a wake-up song for the USA Big Brother 9 Houseguests on Monday, March 17, 2008 to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.
• "The Ol' Beggars Bush" is featured on Gilmore Girls , in season 4 in the episode "Last Week Fights, This Week Tights"
• The Song "Drunken Lullabies" is featured during intervals through out the series Boom Boom: The Explosion of Irish Comedy

In video games

• The song "Drunken Lullabies" is featured in the video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 .
• The song "To Youth (My Sweet Roisin Dubh)" is featured on the video game FIFA 2005 .
• The song "Seven Deadly Sins" is featured in a trailer for the video game The Saboteur .

In advertisements

• The song "Salty Dog" is featured in the Guinness radio adverts for the 2008 St. Patrick's day.
• The song "Drunken Lullabies" is featured in the Killian's radio adverts for the 2008 St. Patrick's day.

References

1. Flogging Molly
2. Kick Music A/S
3. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.vnuArtistId=384232&model.vnuAlbumId=1
4. ibid.
5. floggingmolly.com post from band 18 June, 2009
6. inTuneMusic Online: Warped Tour @ Oceanport 7/19