Dropkick Murphys

Thanks to their indefatigable work ethic, electrifying stage shows, commitment to civic engagement and several popular songs that captured the Beantown zeitgeist, Quincy-based Celtic punks Dropkick Murphys have served as Boston’s unofficial brand ambassadors for over 25 years. And after recording 12 studio albums, three live albums and 35 singles, they show no signs of stopping any time soon.

FORMATION, HELLCAT SIGNING, LINEUP CHANGES

Named after Acton-based WWII-era osteopath/professional wrestler/alcohol- rehabilitation facility owner John “Dropkick” Murphy, the band formed in 1996 with the original lineup of lead singer Mac McColgan, bassist/vocalist Ken Casey (the group’s lone constant member), guitarist Rick Barton and drummer Jeff Erna. They earned their stripes in the late ‘90s after opening shows for The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, signing to punk cred-burnishing label Hellcat and playing regular St. Patrick’s Day shows in Boston.

McColgan left in ‘98 (eventually returning to the music scene with the Street Dogs), replaced by The Bruisers’ Al Barr, who’s handled frontman duties ever since. The band’s line-up evolved throughout the ‘00s – including the addition of bagpipe players Robbie “Spicy McHaggis” Medeiros and Josh “Scruffy” Wallace, both of whom added Celtic flavor to the band’s punk attack – and their popularity spread, with the power of their live show captured on albums like 2002’s Live On St. Patrick’s Day (recorded over three shows at the Avalon Ballroom in Boston).

“TESSIE,” “SHIPPING UP TO BOSTON,” RECENT ACTIVITY, CHARITY WORK

The group first attracted national attention with their cover of the century-old Boston Americans’ Royal Rooters rally song, “Tessie,” which was the soundtrack of the Red Sox championship-drought-ending season in 2004, and they cut a second rendition that plays at Fenway Park after victories. In 2006, their song “Shipping Up to Boston” appeared in Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winning film The Departed and quickly became one of their most-enduring tunes, a musical sort of shorthand for blue-collar Boston pride.

Since 2007 the band has released six studio and two live albums on their own label, Born & Bred, and are as busy as ever, performing for fans at Red Sox, Celtics, Bruins and Patriots games, sharing stages with the likes of Bruce Springsteen and touring, with regularly-scheduled hometown St. Patrick’s Day gigs. Their latest studio disc is 2023’s Okemah Rising, released on the Dummy Luck label in May 2023.

Well known for supporting causes that are near and dear to their hearts, the band received the Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps’ Embracing the Legacy Award for their years of work with charitable organizations. The most recent lineup includes Casey, Barr, drummer Matt Kelly, guitarist James Lynch and multi-instrumentalists Tim Brennan and Jeff DaRosa.

(by Stephen Haag)