Originally published in Verbicide issue #22

Irish-American rock band Flogging Molly are primed to enjoy an exciting 2008, with the release of a new album coinciding with their annual “Green 17” tour in March. For the first time, the band recorded new material across the pond in Ireland, at a studio called Grouse Lodge in County Meath. Guitarist Dennis Casey found the atmosphere perfect for recording, with plenty of activities to keep the band busy.

“The studio has it’s own pub,” he explains happily. “When we were done recording it was a great place to unwind, have a few beers, some whiskey, throw some darts, play music. The place is in the middle of the country, surrounded by farms. You could go horseback riding, hiking. We hiked up to an old castle in ruins. It was a long walk, [and] a bit intimidating because we had to walk through a field with about 50 bulls that were wondering what we were doing there.” When asked what the band’s fourth full-length album sounds like, Casey simply states, “[it sounds like] Flogging Molly.”

Casey does acknowledge a growth in the music of the band over the years, and admits that the album will have a distinct sound: “The songs are different obviously, but we are always pushing ourselves in new directions, trying new things, new ways of recording. We’ve been a band for 10 years now. I think we have grown. Having said all of that, it still is a Flogging Molly record, and still sounds like Flogging Molly — the same 7 people making music.”

The group briefly faced their first lineup change in a decade this year when accordion player Matt Hensley left the group for personal reasons. Casey described Matt’s departure as, “Difficult. Painful. Sad. As I said, we have been together 10 years. It is hard to lose a member and have another person walk into our world. Hard for that person as well, because Matt is a very great man. I am — needless to say — very glad he is back and recorded the record with us.” Casey’s electric guitar and punk rock oriented half of the band meshes with the more traditional half of the band featuring acoustic guitar, mandolin, violin, and Matt’s accordion to give Flogging Molly their distinct sound (“I try to stay out of their way,” Dennis says).

Matt is, in fact, an important part in the melodic aspect of Flogging Molly’s songs. Casey elaborated that “Matt is the one who is always trying to get us to play a session. He is always practicing tunes. He uses a concertina when he plays tradition tunes. That’s one thing we would do in the pub after recording. And on tour we will go to a pub after the show and get a session going.”

With all seven members in tow, the band looks forward to more touring and getting used to the new material on the road.

“I think [each song can] evolve and morph into something different,” Casey says. “That’s one thing about our music. We play it a lot (touring) and it doesn’t get stale. It seems to grow. Or,” he adds with a laugh, “maybe I’m going deaf.”