Flogging Molly

For Dave King, the Dublin-born singer/guitarist/songwriter of SideOneDummy recording group Flogging Molly, the band’s third studio album, Within a Mile of Home, brings him back to his childhood and the traditional Irish music he grew up with. With the help of his Flogging Molly compatriots and producer Ted Hutt, Within a Mile of Home has finally taken King full circle, back to his roots, and oh what a journey it has been.

How did you promote yourself and your music when you were first starting out?

We played at the same pub every Monday night. Recorded a live CD from one of the nights. Printed a batch up and started to sell them to raise the money to record in a studio. Recorded the CD Swagger and got signed to Side One Dummy and went on tour.

Did you ever doubt yourself or think about giving up?

No, not with this band. I felt there was something very special about it and its members from the day I joined. I'm still amazed at how far we've come though.

What's the wackiest thing you ever did to try and get a gig or sell a record?

I offered a person a full refund if they didn't like the CD. I did that more than once, it's not so wacky I guess. I felt the music will sell itself.

What other ways do you express yourself creatively outside your music?

Make gifts for people.

How much did others encourage you to express yourself at an early age?

My family was very supportive, until I would turn my amp really loud and practice.

What is your community today, and how do you stay connected to it?

I live in Hollywood now. It's hard to stay connected to it because we tour so much. I guess the band and our bus is my community and I can't help but stay connected to that.

Do artists and musicians have a responsibility to be leaders in their communities?

I think if a musician or artist can stay in a community and make a living, their work will naturally lead people.

Who do you aspire to be compared to?

Anyone who is truly great, cause I'm still trying to get there.

Who are you sick of being compared to?

No one. When people stop comparing that may mean they stopped listening.

Do you think music can change the world?

No, I think people can.

Have your political views changed over the years?

No.

Describe one of your proudest moments as a musician/performer/artist.

My first show with Flogging Molly. It was in San Jose, California 1999. There was about 600 people there, that was the most I'd ever played in front of. I was really nervous but the second we started the place went nuts. I was thinking in my mind I've been waiting and sacrificing for so long for something like this, that feeling comes back every show to this day.

The Los Angeles-based post-grunge seven-piece Flogging Molly are an interesting mix of traditional Irish music and spunky punk rock. Former Fastway acoustic guitarist/frontman and Dublin native Dave King formed the band with fiddle player Bridget Regan, guitarist Dennis Casey, accordion player (and former pro skateboarder) Matt Hensley, bassist Nathen Maxwell, drummer George Schwindt, and mandolinist Bob Schmidt. Getting their start playing regularly at the L.A. bar Molly Malones, Flogging Molly eventually took their music to the road; their explosive and passionate live show was the heart of the band, after all, and the band toured relentlessly around the world throughout their career. Their rowdy folk-rock punk revival sound has been compared to the likes of other Irish bands such as the Pogues and Black 47, but the raucous septet opted for its own unique brashness that defied genre lines. Flogging Molly released its debut, Swagger, in March 2000 on Side One Dummy and followed up two years later with Drunken Lullabies. Crafting exuberant anthems to raise up a full Guinness to, King often used personal touchstones -- such as his childhood in a war-torn Ireland, his father's premature death, and an eight-year exile in the United States -- for the band's compelling lyrical content. Within a Mile of Home appeared in September 2004, and the band continued to hit the road hard in support. The DVD documentary Whiskey on a Sunday was issued in July 2006; it was a candid look at Flogging Molly as both a band and seven individuals, and came with a ten-song CD of acoustic and live tracks. In early 2007, as the group geared up for a U.S. headlining run, Hensley amicably departed to spend more time with his family. In March 2007, Flogging Molly released the iTunes exclusive EP Complete Control Sessions. Their fourth studio album, Float, followed a year later. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide