Podcast Episode 159
Today we talked about a band that consistently makes decent to good punk music in a genre that they kinda sorta made popular. The Dropkick Murphys are a staple in any late 90s punk kid’s repertoire. This specific album is the first and last to feature original singer Mike McColgan.
What really sets the Dropkicks a part from most bands falls into two parts. Their iconic Celtic Punk style and their ability to be punk outside of music. The Celtic Punk style could be said to be started by 80s band The Pogues. However, The Pogues style focused more so on the folk aspect rather than the punk. Dropkick extrapolated on the thought and really drove it home.
When punk bands write music there are many categories that the lyrics fall into. Union workers rights isn’t usually one of them. Do Or Die deals with a lot of issues concerning unions and equal pay type of stuff and it’s refreshing to hear a more focused anger. These new punk kids could learn a thing or two rather than just writing a “Fuck President (insert current president)”.
Do Or Die is a borderline lo-fi attempt at being punk. But, from the opening Celtic punk “Cadence To Arms” to the closing drunk shanty of “Skinhead On The MTBA” Do Or Die really solidified the Dropkicks as a force to be reckoned with. Who knew that they would continue to write music that was just as good if not better? Damn, some good stuff.
Asinine Radio 