Flogging Molly - Irish American News
Flogging Molly - Irish American News
Flogging Molly - Irish American News
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2 <strong>Irish</strong> <strong>American</strong> <strong>News</strong> “We’ve Always Been Green!” January 2012<br />
Fresh off a<br />
European tour,<br />
riding high from<br />
the release of<br />
their fifth studio<br />
album Speed of Darkness, and set to<br />
kick-off a U.S. tour in February, the<br />
band <strong>Flogging</strong> <strong>Molly</strong> has a lot going<br />
on to keep them excited. Dave King,<br />
the Dublin born, <strong>Flogging</strong> <strong>Molly</strong><br />
lead singer, takes time from his busy<br />
schedule to talk candidly with <strong>Irish</strong><br />
<strong>American</strong> <strong>News</strong>. King shares with<br />
IAN his enthusiasm for the bands<br />
upcoming Green 17 Tour, Christmas<br />
in Ireland, and how he feels the <strong>Irish</strong><br />
people have made their imprint on<br />
the world.<br />
For those who are unfamiliar with<br />
<strong>Flogging</strong> <strong>Molly</strong>, they were formed<br />
<strong>Flogging</strong> <strong>Molly</strong> Green 17 Tour<br />
by Maggie O’Leary<br />
in Los Angeles in 1997. Often described<br />
as an <strong>American</strong>-<strong>Irish</strong> punk<br />
band, <strong>Flogging</strong> <strong>Molly</strong> infuses<br />
elements of traditional Celtic<br />
music, punk, rock and the blues.<br />
King says “we are influenced by<br />
traditional music and inspired by<br />
it, but without question we put our<br />
own twist on it.” The seven piece<br />
band, whose members are Dave<br />
King, Dennis Casey, Matt Hensley,<br />
Nathen Maxwell, Bridget Regan<br />
(who also happens to be King’s<br />
wife), Robert Schmidt and George<br />
Schwindt each offers an eclectic<br />
variety of musical talents. In any<br />
given song, you can expect to hear<br />
a number of instruments ranging<br />
from the violin, mandolin, banjos,<br />
tin whistle, accordion, piano, drums<br />
and guitar to name a few. Topped off<br />
with King’s raspy, yet eloquent voice,<br />
<strong>Flogging</strong> <strong>Molly</strong> has a sound that is<br />
very distinct.<br />
The band has come a long way<br />
since their early days playing at<br />
<strong>Molly</strong> Malone’s, the pub in Los<br />
Angeles where King and Regan first<br />
began playing together. “We played<br />
there every Monday night and we<br />
felt like we were just ‘flogging’ the<br />
place to death.” Hence, the band’s<br />
name became <strong>Flogging</strong> <strong>Molly</strong>. Their<br />
small fan base from the pub in L.A.<br />
has now grown into an international<br />
conglomerate of faithful fans.<br />
Kicking off their 8th annual leadup<br />
to St. Patrick’s Day, the 2012<br />
Green 17 tour begins in Detroit,<br />
MI on February 17th. “We always<br />
wanted something that would coincide<br />
with St. Patrick’s Day and this<br />
tour has been a great thing for us. We<br />
always look forward to Green 17 and<br />
since we’ve been touring the world,<br />
it’s now good to get back to cities<br />
like Detroit, Chicago, New York and<br />
L.A.” The tour stops in over twenty<br />
cities across the states and will end<br />
in Tempe, AZ on March 17th. The<br />
entire tour is known from years past<br />
to be a bona fide celebration.<br />
In hopes of catching a little R &<br />
R between tours, King and his wife<br />
traveled to their home in Ireland for<br />
Christmas. The couple whose primary<br />
residence is in Detroit, also have<br />
a home in Wexford which is about<br />
85 miles south of Dublin. They were<br />
able to spend Christmas with King’s<br />
mother who still lives in Dublin.<br />
“It’s been three years since we could<br />
spend Christmas in Ireland because<br />
we’ve been touring so much. We<br />
live in this little village there and<br />
the people are just so ridiculously<br />
nice—it’s wonderful and always<br />
great to get back.”<br />
When I ask King how he feels<br />
being “<strong>Irish</strong>,” he humbly and<br />
simply states he is proud. He<br />
points out the strength of the <strong>Irish</strong><br />
community around the world.<br />
“Seeing how the <strong>Irish</strong> have integrated<br />
into so many cultures and<br />
countries around the world is a<br />
true testament to the nature of the<br />
<strong>Irish</strong> people. We’ve become big<br />
parts of communities in America,<br />
Australia, England, and Europe—<br />
wherever it is—you can find an <strong>Irish</strong><br />
pub or an <strong>Irish</strong> community.” Exactly!<br />
Enough said!<br />
<strong>Flogging</strong> <strong>Molly</strong> has been touring<br />
for over a decade and has maintained<br />
a hugely loyal fan base around the<br />
world. To hear them live is an unforgettable<br />
and remarkable experience.<br />
Check out www.floggingmolly.com<br />
for a complete list of tour dates. Follow<br />
the band on twitter @_floggingmolly<br />
and I-phone and Android users<br />
can download the <strong>Flogging</strong> <strong>Molly</strong><br />
app onto their smart phones!<br />
Enjoy a “Perfect<br />
Pint” at<br />
Bridie’s!<br />
Join us... Saturday, Jan. 28th for our<br />
4th Anniversary Celebration!<br />
with renowned live band, all the way from Dublin...