Mike McColgan
Encyclopedia
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
outfit Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys are an Irish-American punk rock band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1996. The band was initially signed to independent punk record label Hellcat Records, releasing five albums for the label, and making a name for themselves locally through constant playing and yearly St....
and the current lead singer of the Street Dogs
Street Dogs
Street Dogs are a punk rock band originally from Boston, Massachusetts. The band's current line-up includes Mike McColgan, former lead singer of Dropkick Murphys, Johnny Rioux, Marcus Hollar, Tobe Bean III and Paul Rucker.-History:...
.
McColgan was born in the Savin Hill
Savin Hill
Savin Hill is the first album by punk band Street Dogs. This is the first new material featuring lead singer Mike McColgan since he quit Dropkick Murphys in 1998...
area of Dorchester, Massachusetts
Dorchester, Massachusetts
Dorchester is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is named after the town of Dorchester in the English county of Dorset, from which Puritans emigrated and is today endearingly nicknamed "Dot" by its residents. Dorchester, including a large...
, and attended Catholic Memorial High School in West Roxbury, Massachusetts
West Roxbury, Massachusetts
West Roxbury is a neighborhood in Boston bordered by Roslindale to the north, the Town of Dedham to the east and south, the Town of Brookline and the City of Newton to the west. Many people mistakenly confuse West Roxbury with Roxbury, but the two are not connected. West Roxbury is separated from...
. His interest in music began while he sang in the school's choir. McColgan joined the U.S. Army in 1989 and served in an Army artillery unit in the first Gulf war
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
before becoming a founding member of the Dropkick Murphys in 1996. While McColgan was with the 'Murphys, they released one full-length album, Do or Die.
According to McColgan, he always wanted to be a member of the Boston Fire Department
Boston Fire Department
The Boston Fire Department provides fire protection services for Boston, Massachusetts, USA. In addition to fire protection, the Boston Fire department also provides basic emergency medical services and respond to a variety of emergencies such as, but not limited to, motor vehicle accidents,...
like his uncle and role-model, Kevin O'Toole (the subject of "Kevin J. O'Toole" on State of Grace
State of Grace (album)
State of Grace is the fourth album by the Street Dogs. It was released on July 8, 2008. It was produced by Ted Hutt and is the band's first album on Hellcat Records. It includes a cover of the The Skids' "Into the Valley"...
). When McColgan left the band in 1998 to pursue this dream he was replaced as lead singer by Al Barr
Al Barr
Alexander Martin "Al" Barr is the lead singer of the Dropkick Murphys. He was also a founder and lead singer for The Bruisers, which he helped form in 1988 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. His first band circa 1984, was called D.V.A....
, ex-vocalist for The Bruisers
The Bruisers
The Bruisers were pioneers of the American streetpunk/oi! movement, formed in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1988. The original lineup included: Al Barr , Scotty Davies , Jeff Morris and Rodger Shosa...
. Regarding his 1998 departure, McColgan said "I have no misgivings, no regrets…and there are no bad feelings...I still talk to those guys." The song "Two Angry Kids" on State of Grace is reportedly a reminiscing of the times spent with Dropkick Murphys frontman Ken Casey
Ken Casey
Ken Casey is the bass guitarist and a vocalist of the Boston Celtic punk group Dropkick Murphys. Casey was one of the original members, starting it in 1996 with Rick Barton and Mike McColgan. He is the only original member of the Dropkick Murphys left in the band, though drummer Matt Kelly joined...
.
McColgan, however, after a few years started a new band known as the Street Dogs
Street Dogs
Street Dogs are a punk rock band originally from Boston, Massachusetts. The band's current line-up includes Mike McColgan, former lead singer of Dropkick Murphys, Johnny Rioux, Marcus Hollar, Tobe Bean III and Paul Rucker.-History:...
and shortly left the fire department to again pursue music fulltime. The Street Dogs featured members such as Johnny Rioux
Johnny Rioux
Johnny Rioux is a Boston-based musician. He is known for playing in and working with many punk rock bands from the Boston area. He currently plays bass guitar with the Street Dogs and has previously played with Roger Miret and the Disasters, The Bruisers and The Kickovers...
and Joe Sirois
Joe Sirois
Joe Sirois is an American drummer who played with The Mighty Mighty Bosstones from 1991 until their hiatus in 2003. He also played drums for the Boston based band Street Dogs from 2004 to 2007 when he reunited with the Bosstones....
(formerly of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones). Guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Marcus Hollar sent McColgan an e-mail
E-mail
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
saying that if his new band ever needed a guitarist, that he was available. McColgan gave Hollar an audition and asked him to join the band.
The Street Dogs have toured with Social Distortion
Social Distortion
Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness , Jonny Wickersham , Brent Harding and David Hidalgo, Jr...
, Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly is a seven-piece Irish-descendant band from Los Angeles, California, that is currently signed to their own record label, Borstal Beat Records.-Early years:...
, Tiger Army
Tiger Army
Tiger Army is an American psychobilly band that was formed in 1995 in Berkeley, California. Its constant member and lead song writer is Nick 13. The band have released a total of four studio albums.-History:...
, The Bouncing Souls
The Bouncing Souls
The Bouncing Souls are a punk rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, formed in 1987. By the time of their acknowledgment by the national punk rock scene, they had reignited a "pogo" element to New Jersey punk rock by playing fast light-hearted songs, a model followed by various other local...
, The Adolescents
The Adolescents
The Adolescents are an American punk band formed in 1980 in Fullerton, California. It is a punk supergroup, made up of early members of Agent Orange and Social Distortion. They are often credited as one of the leading bands of the 1980s hardcore punk scene....
, The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
, The Bones, The Swingin' Utters, and Anti-Flag
Anti-Flag
Anti-Flag is a punk rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States, formed in 1988. The band is well known for its outspoken political views. Much of the band's lyrics have focused on fervent anti-war activism, criticism of United States foreign policy, corporatism, U.S. wealth...
. They have also appeared on Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
and had a successful headlining tour at the end of 2005. The band's third album, Fading American Dream
Fading American Dream
Fading American Dream is the third album by the Street Dogs. It was released on October 24, 2006 by Brass Tacks Records, a division of DRT Entertainment.The album was released both with and without a bonus DVD.-Track listing:...
, was released October 24, 2006. In support of the album, the band went out on The Gold Tour from October through December with The Bouncing Souls. In February 2008, it was announced that the Street Dogs signed on to Hellcat Records
Hellcat Records
Hellcat Records is an independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. The label, an off-shoot of Epitaph Records, was started as a partnership between Brett Gurewitz carp Bad Religion, the owner of Epitaph, and Tim Armstrong of Rancid, the latter of whom is generally responsible for...
and the band released their fourth album, State of Grace
State of Grace (album)
State of Grace is the fourth album by the Street Dogs. It was released on July 8, 2008. It was produced by Ted Hutt and is the band's first album on Hellcat Records. It includes a cover of the The Skids' "Into the Valley"...
, on July 8, 2008. The Street Dogs released their fifth studio album, Street Dogs
Street Dogs (album)
-Credits:*Mike McColgan – vocals*Johnny Rioux – bass*Marcus Hollar – lead guitar*Tobe Bean III - rhythm guitar*Paul Rucker – drums...
on August 31, 2010.
Discography
Dropkick Murphys- Oi!/Skampilation 3. (1997) (Produced By Derek TC NYSR)
- Boys on the DocksBoys on the DocksBoys on the Docks is the debut EP by the Dropkick Murphys."Never Alone" and a Murphys' Pub Version of "Boys on the Docks" were also on their debut album, Do or Die, which was released the next year...
EP (1997) - Do or Die (1998)
- The Singles Collection, Volume 1The Singles Collection, Volume 1The Singles Collection, Volume 1 is a collection of non-album tracks by Dropkick Murphys. It is the American version of The Early Years which was released in Europe, although with some track changes...
(2000, contains material released before Do or Die)
Street Dogs
- Savin Hill (2003)
- Street Dogs/The Dents Split (2004)
- Tales of Mass Deception EP (2004)
- Back to the WorldBack to the World (Street Dogs album)Back to the World is the second album from punk band Street Dogs. The album was produced by Nate Albert, formerly of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones...
(2005) - Fading American DreamFading American DreamFading American Dream is the third album by the Street Dogs. It was released on October 24, 2006 by Brass Tacks Records, a division of DRT Entertainment.The album was released both with and without a bonus DVD.-Track listing:...
(2006) - State of GraceState of Grace (album)State of Grace is the fourth album by the Street Dogs. It was released on July 8, 2008. It was produced by Ted Hutt and is the band's first album on Hellcat Records. It includes a cover of the The Skids' "Into the Valley"...
(2008) - Street DogsStreet Dogs (album)-Credits:*Mike McColgan – vocals*Johnny Rioux – bass*Marcus Hollar – lead guitar*Tobe Bean III - rhythm guitar*Paul Rucker – drums...
(2010)
The Bones (Sweden)
- Featured in: "Yesterday's Heros" - Partners In Crime Vol. 1 (2006)