Flogging Molly to make first-ever B.R. appearance

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By Kaiya Morrison

How does a band inspired by traditional Celtic music translate to become a modern punk rock band? That’s exactly what Flogging Molly did, and they will bring their unique brand of music to Baton Rouge for the first time on Tuesday, September 23 to The Varsity Theatre.

“Clearly we weren’t trying to fit in or sell a bunch of albums, or else we wouldn’t be doing this type of music,” Schmidt said with a chuckle when asked why he believes Flogging Molly’s music appeals to fans of punk. “I think because we walk our own line, I think that’s what the punk rock aspect is.

“If you listen to all the bands that started punk music, none of them sound anything like what punk is considered today, and none of them necessarily sound anything like each other,” he continued to say. “It was always about the spirit.”

With such a distinct sound, it’s hard to believe there was no hard-fast intention behind its origins. From the streets of Los Angles, Flogging Molly found its beginning during the late nineties.

“It all came out of Dave [King, lead vocalist, guitar player, bodhran, and banjo for Flogging Molly], and he’s from Dublin,” Bob Schmidt, mandolin and banjo player for Flogging Molly, recalled. “He had been out of Ireland for about eight years by that point, and a lot of the things about Ireland he had taken for granted, that nostalgia for him, started coming back.

“Everybody in the band encountered [traditional Celtic] music from him,” he continued to explain. “We were all fans of the music he was doing before we ever played a note with him. It wasn’t like anyone necessarily wanted to join an Irish band, but it was what resonated with everyone.”

Prior to forming Flogging Molly, King fronted several other metal bands, but broke free when record labels opposed the idea of brining in traditional Irish instruments. Performing first under the name The Big King Band, the name fans would know and come to love came from the L.A. pub called Molly Malone’s, which was a venue the band performed at every Monday night during the initial phase of development.

“Dave was performing by himself as a soloist and then with different people when he started to get the whole band together and got to know what he wanted to do,” Schmidt recalled. “The name change came up pretty fast, but I don’t think it was a name we thought would stick. I think we thought it would change.”

But the name did stick, and Flogging Molly would solidify to include King, Schmidt, and current members Bridget Regan (fiddle, tin whistle, uillean pipes), Dennis Casey (guitar), Matt Hensley (accordion, concertina), Nathen Maxwell (bass), and George Schwindt (drums).

Except for King, all of the members of Flogging Molly are actually United State’s citizens. Schmidt, who does have some Irish heritage, said fans always assume all the members are Irish as well.

“I think most people assume we’re all Irish, even in Europe,” he said with a laugh. “It doesn’t take too much to figure out we’re not. Obviously, the music is a huge influence on what we do.”

However, the non-Irish members of Flogging Molly did have a chance to immerse themselves in the culture when recording the bands latest album, “Float,” which was released on March 4, 2008 to rave reviews.

“We started recording at the end of the year towards November and we went back and forth to Ireland to do it all,” Schmidt explained. “It was the first time I’ve ever gone away to record without having any shows in-between and just sat down and worked on just the writing. It was a fulfilling process, and it allowed us to focus.”

Ironically, Schmidt said “Float” is probably the least traditional sounding album the band has ever produced.

“I think it allowed us to put out an album that is less Irish because we were so inundated in the culture that we leaned less to the Irish sound,” he said. “When you’re inundated with that spirit, you don’t necessarily push it as hard. We didn’t even notice it at the time, but in listening to it later, there was traditional Irish stuff, but it sounds less like an Irish album.”

Schmidt said Flogging Molly has performed a great deal in New Orleans, but has never been to Baton Rouge. He said he is looking forward to the performance at The Varsity Theatre because he has a great appreciation for Louisiana culture.

“I just think there are certain places in the country that have their own spirit that you don’t find anywhere else, and Louisiana has that. It could be its own country,” he said with true sincerity. “The people are great. They love music, and it’s along the lines that there are a lot of hardships and sadness, but you know how to put it into context. If you’ve ever watched a New Orleans funeral, then you know what I’m talking about. You take it and move on. That’s why it’s always such a pleasure going back there.”

Schmidt added that there are great parallels between the Louisiana spirit and the tones presented in the music Flogging Molly plays.

Doors open at 7 p.m., and opening acts The Loved Ones and Beat Union will begin at 8 p.m. Tickets for the show are $24, and are available in advance online at www.varsitytheatre.com, or at The Chimes.

Originally Published: Issue 705 - September 17, 2008

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