This is a very talented great band and if your from Boston and have never heard of Dropkick Morphy's you may be living under a rock. They are a very fresh punk rock band with Irish roots a very unique and awesome sound. I sat down with scruffy Wallace and here what he had to say.
BBM: Whats your name and what do you do for the band?
I'm Scruffy Wallis, and I play bagpipes
BBM: Give me a little history of Dropkick Murphys?
Dropkick Murphys have been around since late 1995. Four guys who started out from Boston practicing in a lower basement of a barber shop. Just guys who wanted to have a good time and play music who they grew up with.
BBM: Whats the story behind the name of Dropkick Murphys?
It came from a guy in Boston who had a drinking problem. He started this place called Dropkick Murphys as a recovery center from drug addicts and alcoholics. In Boston it became a legend that your parents would scare you with like if you don't clean yourself up Im going to send you to Dropkick Murphys. The name is befitting of Boston.
BBM: Tell me about your tattoos are you religious?
No, Im kind of obsessed with artwork from churches. I dont know Ive always thought of it as very beautiful art so I started tattooing my self when I was 17.
BBM: Describe the music of Dropkick Murphys
We played music that we grew up with what our parents had around us. So the fusion of punk rock and Celtic music in my opinion. Celtic music is one of the original punk rocks. It was music that talked about rebelling against certain things and in todays music thats kind of the point of the music. About saying how you feel about a certain view. So expressing that view in traditional music we reach people on all kinds of levels. We try to write songs about things that our effecting the world today and trying to offer an idea on it and hopefully people can form their own opinions on that.
BBM: Where you a fan before you joined the band?
Absolutely. Before I got into the band I use to listen to the records and they sang about a lot of things that I related to in my personal life. Im a former soldier and a union man and all those things incorporate in Dropkick Murphys appeal to my life.
BBM: In Warriors Code theres soldier music and bagpipes. Did you enjoy making Warriors Code?
Absolutely! It was a cool experience being able to have musical input to such a great record. The topics are important to me because of the soldiers. As a former soldier its nice to know that people care enough to sing about it instead of just saying, I support the troops. We dont really give a shit on your opinion on the war right or wrong but the most important thing is that they know that there supported by the people in there own country they dont want to be there then anyone else but theyre doing their job that deserves respect.
BBM: Any plans for St. Pattys day?
Yeah we play for our family and friends and its a really good time. We dont get to see our family a lot during the year because we tour a lot.
BBM: Funniest touring moment?
Once in England we where doing a festival and I had to go to the bathroom and I couldnt find one to save my life and I ended up walking into the bushes and peeing because it was 10 minutes before our set. Passing out with my kilt over my head is funny.
BBM: How long have you been playing bagpipes?
Ive been piping for 20 years. When I left great Britain I told my granma, I want to learn to play guitar, and she told me to learn to play something from home so I starting playing, and Ive never stopped.
BBM: Favorite place to tour and why?
I have a lot of fun in Japan. The people there are great. The culture is different but its cool.
BBM: Is the new album in the works?
We are going to the studio this summer to record the new album. This is going to be a really good record.
BBM: Give me a little history of Dropkick Murphys?
Dropkick Murphys have been around since late 1995. Four guys who started out from Boston practicing in a lower basement of a barber shop. Just guys who wanted to have a good time and play music who they grew up with.
BBM: Whats the story behind the name of Dropkick Murphys?
It came from a guy in Boston who had a drinking problem. He started this place called Dropkick Murphys as a recovery center from drug addicts and alcoholics. In Boston it became a legend that your parents would scare you with like if you don't clean yourself up Im going to send you to Dropkick Murphys. The name is befitting of Boston.
BBM: Tell me about your tattoos are you religious?
No, Im kind of obsessed with artwork from churches. I dont know Ive always thought of it as very beautiful art so I started tattooing my self when I was 17.
BBM: Describe the music of Dropkick Murphys
We played music that we grew up with what our parents had around us. So the fusion of punk rock and Celtic music in my opinion. Celtic music is one of the original punk rocks. It was music that talked about rebelling against certain things and in todays music thats kind of the point of the music. About saying how you feel about a certain view. So expressing that view in traditional music we reach people on all kinds of levels. We try to write songs about things that our effecting the world today and trying to offer an idea on it and hopefully people can form their own opinions on that.
BBM: Where you a fan before you joined the band?
Absolutely. Before I got into the band I use to listen to the records and they sang about a lot of things that I related to in my personal life. Im a former soldier and a union man and all those things incorporate in Dropkick Murphys appeal to my life.
BBM: In Warriors Code theres soldier music and bagpipes. Did you enjoy making Warriors Code?
Absolutely! It was a cool experience being able to have musical input to such a great record. The topics are important to me because of the soldiers. As a former soldier its nice to know that people care enough to sing about it instead of just saying, I support the troops. We dont really give a shit on your opinion on the war right or wrong but the most important thing is that they know that there supported by the people in there own country they dont want to be there then anyone else but theyre doing their job that deserves respect.
BBM: Any plans for St. Pattys day?
Yeah we play for our family and friends and its a really good time. We dont get to see our family a lot during the year because we tour a lot.
BBM: Funniest touring moment?
Once in England we where doing a festival and I had to go to the bathroom and I couldnt find one to save my life and I ended up walking into the bushes and peeing because it was 10 minutes before our set. Passing out with my kilt over my head is funny.
BBM: How long have you been playing bagpipes?
Ive been piping for 20 years. When I left great Britain I told my granma, I want to learn to play guitar, and she told me to learn to play something from home so I starting playing, and Ive never stopped.
BBM: Favorite place to tour and why?
I have a lot of fun in Japan. The people there are great. The culture is different but its cool.
BBM: Is the new album in the works?
We are going to the studio this summer to record the new album. This is going to be a really good record.
BBM: How would you say Dropkick Murphys sound has changed since the bad first started to now?
If you look back at Do or Die and the Gangs All Here theres a lot of great anthems on those records and they sing loud. Black Out came and it turned a corner. More rock, and there is still some punk and hardcore stuff, but as we get older the more that we play together and find ourselves, our music naturally evolves. So the evolutions of the music is happening in the science of still evolving but its still in the heart of us, so the message will never change what we believe.
BBM: What song means the most to you and why?
I have two actually. The song The Gauntlet because the message is saying my friends at home no matter what happens I will be with you. We are together and we cant be separated in the bonds of brotherhood . And the other one would be a Few Good Men and there was this time in my life where a lot of fighting was going on. Where I was living and places were I would hang out. Its hard to say as a union worker the song The Torch means a lot because, I didnt want to be that worker on the factory lines and be 70 and have nothing to show.
BBM: Any last words, anything you want to add onto this interview?
Thanks for the interview it was nice hanging out with you guys and hope you have a good time
tonight. Thanks for the interview it was nice hanging out with you guys and hope you have a good time
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