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What makes a band truly remarkable? Insightful lyrics? Memorable melodies? Blow-your-mind live performances? Truth is, it takes all of those things - along with boundless enthusiasm, an infectious energy and a supreme devotion to the fans. With this rare combination, a band may ascend past "good," - or even the record industry's holy grail term of "marketable". In the case of Flogging Molly, the band is that rare gem that possesses all of these traits and more, and because of their passionate devotion to over-achieving in each of these categories, and their ability to deliver shows with a charm and ease that is uniquely ‘Flogging Molly’, they have established themselves as one of the most beloved bands performing today. 

Founded in Los Angeles in 1997 by the Irish expatriate Dave King, Flogging Molly got its start (and its name) from a local Hollywood bar called Molly Malone's, where each week the band performed, grew their following, and laid down the blueprint for its eventual success. As every member of Flogging Molly will emphatically explain, there were no predetermined expectations for the band's sound. From week to week, as the crowds and the set list grew, the sound simply evolved organically. Traditional Celtic instruments like violin, mandolin and accordion blended seamlessly with grinding guitars and pounding drums. Without consciously attempting it, Flogging Molly merged the music of King's childhood in Dublin with the music of his adulthood in L.A. 

"We're not a traditional band," explains Dublin born singer/songwriter King. "We are influenced by traditional music and inspired by it, but without question we put our own twist on it." When asked to categorize the band’s sound King thinks for a second and replies, "Well, if it didn't have mandolin, accordion, fiddle and whistle, I guess it would be punk rock, and if it didn't have guitar, bass and drums, it would be traditional Irish music." In the end King simply proclaims that, "You can't be bothered being labeled." 

Drawing on the hardships and joys of their own lives and a musical history ranging from old world Celtic to modern day punk rock, Flogging Molly came together as a musical amalgam that didn’t fit into any prescribed musical categories. With a sound anchored in such diverse influences, Flogging Molly was not initially embraced by the mainstream music industry, a fact that in the early days often found them on the outside looking in, yet now seems nothing more than a footnote in their rise to success. The band simply didn't fit any preconceived notions of what a "successful" band was. 

Not deterred in the least, Flogging Molly embraced a do-it-yourself mentality and found a like-minded DIY-style record label, Side One Dummy Records, whom have been the band’s label partner since their debut studio CD Swagger was released in 2000. The album featured the anthemic "Likes of You Again" and "Black Friday Rule" along with the best ode to a hangover yet, "The Worst Day Since Yesterday" (which later found its way into the Angelina Jolie-Brad Pitt film, Mr. and Mrs. Smith). The album obliterated initial expectations and sold over 50,000 copies in its first year. Flogging Molly headed back into the studio to record their 2002 follow up, Drunken Lullabies (now certified by the RIAA as ‘gold’ for over 500,000 US albums sold), which included instant classics like the rousing "Rebels of the Sacred Heart" and the doleful "The Son Never Shines (on Closed Doors)." 2004's Within a Mile of Home once more showcased the band's ability to play driving rock and roll on one track then slide effortlessly into lilting, pastoral harmonies on the next, and included a beautiful duet between King and Lucinda Williams on "Factory Girls." 

Flogging Molly's 2008 album, Float, recorded in King's native Ireland, delivered still another iteration of the band's sonic evolution. More mature, yet retaining the immediacy that marks all of their work, Float has found the widest audience acceptance yet of any Flogging Molly album. Hard charging tunes "Paddy's Lament" and "You Won't Make a Fool Out of Me" give way, as listeners have come to expect, to more sober ruminations on tracks like "Float." The overall effect is a symphonic layering of sound that possesses a unique rhythmic flow from boisterous to bereaved and back again. 

Flogging Molly’s most recent release is a response to the call of their fans who have been begging for a way to experience the band's amazing live show on DVD. The band released Flogging Molly: Live at the Greek Theatre in March 2010, a three disc set (Double CD + full-length DVD) capturing Flogging Molly’s epic performance at the Greek Theatre on September 12, 2009. The release features over 90 minutes of music spanning the band’s entire catalog. The DVD, shot in HD with over ten cameras showcases the band at one of the most beautiful venues in Los Angeles, the city where it all started. DVD bonus content includes seven Flogging Molly videos as well as behind the scenes interviews with the band. 

First, last and always a live band, Flogging Molly tours quite a bit more than the average group. On the road seemingly at all times, the band is a regular on the punk-themed Warped Tour and have played nearly all of the major rock festivals in Europe, America and Japan. Even still, their fans can't seem to get enough, and for Flogging Molly, a bar band at heart, the feeling towards their fans is mutual. "I feel as good about meeting [the fans] as they feel about meeting me," says bassist Nathen Maxwell. 

Spend 10 minutes in a room with the members of Flogging Molly and you will have no doubt about their passion for their music. As mandolin and banjo player Bob Schmidt describes it, "We're deadly serious about what we do. As much as it's a raucous good time and obviously a fun event, it's no joke to us." Guitarist Dennis Casey echoes that sentiment, saying, "I just give it all I've got on stage each night because I just believe in it so damned much." 

Flogging Molly isn’t just a band, they’re a seven member nuclear family. They are as devoted to one another as they are to the music they create. It's no wonder their extended family - the legion of loyal Flogging Molly fans - keeps growing every day.

[Bio by Gary Zeldner]