Flogging Molly

Flogging molly is a beautiful thing mixing Irish roots and punk rock they weren’t the first to do it but they damn sure do it right. Something a lot of people don’t know the singer Dave king was in an 80’s metal bands call Fastway featuring guitarist Eddie Clarke of Motohead and bassist Pete way of ufo. To say the least it’s a big jump from where he was. Looking back and hearing this interview this was one of the toughest Interviews I ever did such short answers and No’s it was hard to get a good interview with guitarist of flogging Molly Dennis, One thing is for sure it was the best show Ive ever been to and that’s a lot to say. So much unity and fun from the crowd it was intense and it really hit home me being half Irish. Heres the interview with the man of few words Dennis

BBM: ok so tell me a little bit about Flogging Molly. How did yall form when did yall form?

Dennis: In 1997 we were playing in a pub called Molly Malones and the name came about from that we where playing there every Monday and the owner said hey Flogging Mollys to death . Flogging mean beating it up till death. I thought that was a good name for a band and that’s where we all met

BBM: What made yall want to have an Irish themed band?

Dennis: Those are Our singers roots he’s from Ireland and he writes most of music. I think he wanted to re capture and when he was kid his parents use to play Irish after  go to pubs I think he just wanted to reconnect with it.

BBM: Where yall ever discouraged playing a niche genre?

No

BBM: I heard he was in a hair metal band is this true?

Dennis: I don’t know if he was in a hair metal band but he was in a metal band called

BBM: They did like the Trick or Treat sound track?

Dennis: Yeah yeah yeah

BBM: You want tell me about it?

Dennis: (laughs) No I don’t. I didn’t know him then but im sure you can find it on the internet.

For those of you who don't know that's Mr. king the singer!

BBM: Tell me about the last album how did it do are you happy with it?

Dennis: I’m happy with it it’s doing pretty well its been out a year now.

BBM Are you doing anything?

Dennis: Where working on a dvd

BBM: Hows that going along?

Dennis: Its done its edited we recorded another song for it and out takes from tracks. I think it should be out in the spring.

BBM: Tell me about within a mile from home. Why did you choose the cover art and the name of the album?

Dennis: The name of the album we thought fit because we were always on tour. We where always almost home and with in a mile of home you know. It kind of sums up where the band was at that time. The cover art just thought it fit idk its kind of a theme for the last 2 albums. I never realized that till some one pointed it out to me. I love it Drunken lullabies is just a guy walking down an ally.

BBM: Do you ever get writers block and how do you get past it?

Dennis: No

BBM: Really?

Dennis: Writing a song is one thing but writing a good song that’s hard to do.

BBM: What’s your favorite song?

Dennis: of all time?

BBM: Of flogging molly

Dennis: Oh flogging molly I like black Friday rules

BBM: Well why?

Dennis: I like the way its sounds I like what’s it about and there’s a long guitar solos in the middle of it.

BBM: How would you say that sound of the band has changed over time?

Dennis: I mean it changes the way people change as people. More and more you see more things you experience things and you change as people . It seem more rounder its cooler

BBM: How the tour going so far?

Dennis: Good almost every nights been sold out we where in new Orleans last night for Mardi Gras it was a good show.

BBM: Funniest touring moment?

Dennis: I get asked this but it’s hard to remember we went into a bar me and Nathan in Austria these guys thought we were skin heads and we were going to break up the place and mess it up. He didn’t know we were in flogging molly. Then we told him we were in the bands and then he was really mad he like wanted to fight. We told him we were in the bands he said no way he flipped out he didn’t know he was learning one of our songs at that time too and uh it was funny to see the transformation in his face. It’s not really funny.

BBM: Do you like touring?

Love it

BBM: You’re a different genre of music and you made it big in America what are some words of wisdom you could give someone wanted to make it in a band?

Dennis: Play as much as you can and play out live as much as you can.

BBM: Favorite place to tour?

Dennis: Places ive never been

BBM: What are some places you never been?

Dennis: Australia where going there in may Eastern Europe.

BBM: How would you describe the sound of Flogging molly to someone who’s never heard yall?

Dennis: We mix Celtic music with rock music and play it really fast.

BBM: Yall are on a big label what did you do to them notice yall?

Dennis: Our accordion play Matt Hensley was a professional skater and he knew the guy who owned the label and told him to come check us out.

BBM: How are they treating yall?

Dennis: Outstanding it’s a great label

BBM: How’s touring America different than other places like Europe?

Dennis: Uh the beers better

BBM: Where?

Dennis: n Europe

BBM: Favorite European beer besides Guinness?

Dennis: Dutch cider is great any beer you get is really good its on tap

BBM: What do you think of Texas Beers?

Dennis: Uh I’ve never had Texas Beers

BBM: You don’t like shiner Bach?

Dennis: I don’t like shiner Bach when you go over there theirs more alcohol in European beer and they’ve been making it for freakin 900 years you know they got it down. Well I like draft beer to a lot of beer over there is draft

BBM: What are your current thoughts on the music industry you know downloading music and all that?

Dennis: I like that you know I think people should be able to download music. You mean people  downloading it without paying for it? Its up to them what they want to do. I guess I don’t have an go either way because some bands benefit form that there’s people who never heard you can download your music and check you out.

BBM: Do yall run your own Facebook?

No everyone seems to be on it

BBM: I love it what are some bands you liked growing up?

Dennis: Dead Kennedys. AC/DC, Rolling stones, beetles

BBM: How did you become a piece of flogging Molly?

Dennis: I was the last one to doin the band. Dave our singer his friend saw me playing at a club and said I should audition for the band.

BBM: What bands where you in?

Dennis: Like nothing that you would ever even know

BBM: Any side projects?

Dennis: No

BBM: Any last words anything you want to add to this interview?

Dennis: No (laughs)