Interview with Mike McColgan of the Street Dogs
I used to go to The Rat every Sunday and see the Dropkicks with you singing. How does a huge tour like the Warped Tour differ from those small venues? Have you played the Warped Tour before?
When [the Warped Tour] started, what they did was they got as many bands they could get a hold of, had skateboarding and had music, and, even though it’s gotten really big, there’s still a good, strong punk and ska element this year. We played it in 2005. It is way different, though, than other shows—only playing a half hour. We’d play on top of a cardboard box or in Carnegie hall. We’re not gonna turn down an opportunity to get our music out there.
How political are you with your music? Do you think an audience like Warped Tour cares about your message?
In the Street Dogs, we’ve never shied from the politics that are in us as people—our feelings, our anger, the disenchantment. The transparency of the Bush administration catering to the rich: it’s clear and apparent to any reasonable, practical person who looks at things objectively. As a songwriter and lyricist, I’d be doing music a disservice if I was talking about how bummed I am my girl left me. Those are trite, insipid things. What about the bands that have the courage to stand up and say things are fucked up and don’t expect a pat on the back for it? Bands like The Clash and Stiff Little Fingers were like that. That’s what we’re trying to follow in the steps of. Billy Bragg and Bob Marley—lyrically, they were punk. With the Street Dogs, not everything is political; we won’t shy away from it, though. It’s always been a part of me, too.
I think if you take a close look at our music lyrically, you’ll see the heavy political nature, but if you see us visually without that, we’re not gonna come off as this huge political outfit. As far as what we say and play, we’re not trying to indoctrinate anyone and make them feel like they are wrong. There are people who come up to me and disagree with what I say, but say they are thankful I stand for something,
Any regret from leaving the Dropkick Murphys to become a firefighter?
I made the decision I made. I stuck by it and I feel comfortable. No second thoughts: that never entered my mind. And I never expected that—I felt there might be a level of regret, but it never happened. I was in the Boston Fire Department for four years. What the Dropkicks did went above and beyond expectations. I can say confidently and truthfully that the Dropkick Murphys is an excellent group on record and live. They’ve taken the Boston scene all throughout the world. It’s only been a positive force. Their music, their track record—it’s amazing.
How does being from Boston influence your music? There are many Boston-centered songs. What do you think the draw is for people outside of Boston to music from and about Boston?
I think, on some level, especially in our choruses, there is a universal appeal. We let the listener know, hey, this is our experience, this is what we’ve gone through, and maybe what you’ve gone through is similar. And we can all put our glasses in the air and come together. That’s that infinite moment, when it all comes together. You explain where you’re from, what you’ve been through, talk about relationship, politics, war, love, friends gone, and you try to let people into that. As a writer, you don’t want to pigeonhole it—you try to let people in. At some level, we have succeeded at doing that. The nation was born in Boston. They taught the rest of the nation to be the rest of the nation. In some sense, Boston and Massachusetts is where everything started and it’s still a barometer of where everything is at.
How did you decide to leave the Boston Fire Department and return to music?
It started innocent and casual with Johnny Rioux calling me up, telling me that he had some songs he wanted me to sing on in 2002. It evolved to writing some songs and playing some shows. We got an offer to do a record, went ahead and did it, got some shows with Flogging Molly on the East Coast, and I found out that performing , writing and recording was a real gratifying, soul-fulfilling thing. In 2004, I made the decision to do this full time; I’ve never looked back since. I’ve been blown away by how much people wanted to see and hear what we were doing. I felt good about playing again. Our newest release [coming in June on Hellcat Records] is the best record we’ve done.
What’s a day on the Warped Tour like for you?
We’ll be out there meeting people, signing records. We’ll get out of the venue, unwind, go to a bar or see a movie—just social time away from Warped Tour. Some bands get crazy, some don’t. We’re not like Guns N’ Roses and Mötley Crüe. We’re out here for the music. I’m not saying they’re not, we’re just pretty focused on what we’re doing: striving every day to make an impact, everywhere we go, make a mark.