Dropkick Murphys mould their own brand of holiday cheer into a rousing anthem with wild riffing, an intoxicating chorus, and hilarious lyrics. “When we wrote the music, it had a nice Christmas sway,” says Casey. “Everybody was like, ‘Write a Christmas song!’ So I sat down with a pen and paper, and I thought, ‘Fuck, there are a million Christmas songs? How do you top the greats?’ I decided to go the other way and write something for the large percentage of the population who either don’t like the day itself or their families. I wanted to point out some realities. It’s more fun that way. There’s some sarcasm, humour, and truth. I think the world has enough timeless Christmas classics…it needs a few more for the poor jerk who has lost it all and has nobody or worse off has tons of family members who all suck worse than the next.”
The Dropkicks’ music is universal stuff. Songs for the common man, about common things, that come together with such fury and infectious melody that everyone within earshot is struck straight. Dropkick Murphys, as much as any of the ‘punk’ or ‘blue collar’ labels they’ve earned, are fantastic songwriters. They are on the same quest as their beloved Woody Guthrie or their buddy Bruce Springsteen: how to get that big truth to come out the other end of the speakers in a way people all over the world will feel in their bones.
Dropkick Murphys tour the UK/Ireland in early 2013
JAN 12 – Dublin, Ireland @ Vicar Street
JAN 15 – Manchester, UK @ HMV Ritz
JAN 16 – Glasgow, UK @ Barrowland
JAN 17 – Nottingham, UK @ Rock City
JAN 18 – London, UK @ HMV Forum
JAN 19 – London, UK @ HMV Forum
