Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly is an Irish-American folk-punk rock band from Los Angeles, USA. They formed there in 1997 at Molly Malone's Pub. Their music consists of a mixture of elements from Irish folk and punk music. The traditional Irish instrumentation of folk guitar, mandolin, banjo, accordion, fiddle and tin whistle is enhanced by the punk music characteristic instruments of electric guitar, electric bass and drums.
History
Dublin-born Dave King was the "number one fan" of the folk-influenced heavy metal band Mama's Boys in his younger days, who later expanded into Irish folk as Celtus. Thus inspired, King took the lead vocalist position with the heavy metal band Fastway, which was active in the late 1980s and early 1990s and included former Motörhead guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke. After King left Fastway in 1988 and his project Katmandü failed, he occasionally played in pubs. Over time, other musicians joined him, eventually forming Flogging Molly in 1997. The band at this point consisted of Dave King (vocals and acoustic guitar), Bridget Regan (fiddle), George Schwindt (drums), Ted Hutt (guitar), Toby Mc Callum (mandolin) and Jeff Peters (bass). The first album, Alive Behind the Green Door, was recorded at Molly Malone's pub in Los Angeles in 1997 and self-distributed to bring money into the band's coffers. In 2005, this album was re-released through SideOneDummy Records. Between 1997 and 2001 there were several changes in the band line-up. The final line-up, which lasted until January 2007, was: Dave King, Bridget Regan, Dennis Casey, Matt Hensley, Nathen Maxwell, George Schwindt and Robert "Bob" Schmidt. The signing to Side One Dummy Records was followed in 2000 by the Steve Albini-produced album Swagger, which was released in Europe on the Swedish label Burning Heart Records. Completed in 2002, Drunken Lullabies took the band to #157 on the Billboard charts, and its follow-up Within a Mile of Home made it to #20 and #1 on the Billboard indie charts in 2004.
In early 2007 Matt Hensley left the band to spend more time with his family. He was replaced by PJ Smith and Damien O'Merril for live performances during this time. Matt returned to the band in the fall of 2007 and can be heard on the album Float, which was released on March 4, 2008.
On May 27, 2011, the album Speed of Darkness was released in the United States, and the single Don't Shut 'em Down was previously available as a free download.
In 2015, Flogging Molly launched a cruise called "The Salty Dog Cruise". It lasts three nights and four days and starts in Miami and goes via two stops in the Bahamas (Nassau and a private island) back to the starting point. In 2016, the festival date coincided with St. Patrick's Day. The lineup included some greats of the Irish folk and punk genres.
In 2017 the album Life Is Good was released. Already since 2016 Mike Alonso plays as a new drummer in the band.
Discography
Studio albums
- 2000: Swagger
- 2002: Drunken Lullabies
- 2004: Within a Mile of Home
- 2008: Float
- 2011: Speed of Darkness
- 2017: Life Is Good
Other albums
- 1997: Alive Behind the Green Door (26f Records)
- 2006: Whiskey on a Sunday (CD+DVD) (SideOneDummy, Tedd Hutt)
- 2007: Complete Control Sessions (EP) (SideOneDummy) (available only on iTunes)
- 2010: Live at the Greek Theatre (SideOneDummy)
Swagger and Drunken Lullabies were also released in Europe by Burning Heart (the song Sentimental Johnny on Swagger was replaced by a Spanish version on the European pressing). The song The Worst Day Since Yesterday from this album was used as the soundtrack in the 9th episode of the 1st season of the television series Stargate Universe.
Singles
- 2000: Salty Dog
- 2002: Drunken Lullabies
- 2004: The Seven Deadly Sins
- 2008: Float
- 2008: Requiem for a Dying Song
- 2009: The Lightning Storm
- 2010: Punch Drunk Grinning Soul
- 2011: Don't Shut 'em Down
- 2011: Revolution
- 2011: The Heart of the Sea
- 2017: The Hand of John L. Sullivan
- 2018: Going Home
- 2018: There's Nothing Left Pt. 2
Video albums
- 2006: Whiskey on a Sunday (US:
Platinum)
