Guide Note

Dropkick Murphys are a Celtic punk rock group known for their strong affiliation with the Boston Red Sox. Their debut album Do or Die was released January 27, 1998.

Fast Facts

1. Origin: Boston, Massachusetts
2. Years Active: 1996-present
3. Record Labels: Hellcat Records, Born and Bred Records

The Dropkick Murphys formed in 1996 in Boston, MA, a suburb of Boston. They are allegedly named after a rehabilitation center. The band quickly gained popularity and released a string of EPs, which led to their first album in 1998. After their original lead singer left the band to become a firefighter, Al Barr, formerly of The Bruisers, joined up to front the Dropkick Murphys.

The Dropkick Murphys incorporate all the traditional instruments associated with punk rock - guitar, drums and bass. They also utilize many traditionally Irish instruments, such as the bodhran, the bagpipes, and the tin whistle, as well as traditional folk instruments like the banjo and mandolin.

The band's music had been played for some time at Fenway Park. In 2004, the Dropkick Murphys covered a song that had been the theme song of the championship 1903 Red Sox, "Tessie", and had several Red Sox players sing backup. The song became the theme of the Red Sox, and the team won the World Series later that year. Director Martin Scorcese chose the band's song "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" as the opening song for his film The Departed, which is set in Boston. The band also performs annual Saint Patrick's Day concerts in Boston, which are extremely popular.