Dropkick Murphys: Pat’s That.

The Dropkick Murphys play the Waterloo Hotel on October 11 and Livid at the RNA Showgrounds on October 12.

Al Barr is the odd Dropkick Murphy out. He's the non-Irishman and the guy who lives outside of Boston, Massachusetts, in the 'Live Free Or Die' State Of New Hampshire.

"True, that's our State motto," he laughs. "We boast more militia groups and gun markets than anywhere else in the US. It's not indicative of yours truly, although I do lean towards fighting for your own home and property. Go back to the old settlement ways."

A bunch of Daniel Boone, hey.

"There you go. He's actually a direct descendant of mine. I'm not making it up. My grandfather did the family tree and we're long descendants of Daniel Boone. I stopped boasting about it after fourth grade, after the TV show stopped being big. I haven't got a coonskin hat but I've got an old flintlock."

For once the history suits the man and his occupation - lead singer of the seven-piece tradition-based roots punks that energetically mangle punk, Irish folk, rock and hardcore into one screaming dizbuster and then let it loose live where they are at their most potent. For proof, look no further than their latest album, Live On St. Patrick's Day From Boston MA. It's Murphys mania as they deliver 25 sonic stampedes. They're high on the hog, pure energy and fun, and they're one step removed from The Clash and The Pogues, both of whom they hold on high.

"We're knee-deep in tradition, lots of Micks," Barr laughs. "I love to give 'em shit as the only Scottish Kraut in the band. When I first became part of the whole thing we'd get in the van after a gig and somebody would pull out a couple of CDs and it'd be like 40 Pub Tunes or 70 Galway Tunes - which do you want to hear? I'd reply, 'Anything but that. We've been playing that all night how about some Hendrix'."

The Dropkick Murphys also know what they want. Visit their website and there's a small statement of intent:

“The band's main goal is to play music that creates an all for one, one for all, environment where everyone is encouraged to participate, sing along, and hopefully have a good time. In the true spirit of punk rock we view the band and the audience as one and the same; in other words our stage and our microphone are yours.”

"We've a lot to be grateful for as a band considering where we've come from and how far we've gone, playing our music all over the world. Who'd have thought that," Barr says. "To be honest I was a little wary about doing a live album because there are so few which really work and we are such a live band. We tried to do this three times before and it didn't work out. We set up trucks in Atlanta and Boston and tried to do it and it was always a nightmare and came out horribly. This came out well and I think it was because we recorded over three consecutive days and went through 75 songs to get 25 that worked. We also got the earlier parts of the set where things aren't too far gone and there's still something going on because by the end of the night, whether it's the players or the crowd getting on stage and having a good time, things tend to deteriorate, but that's part of the fun too.”

"We were able to capture what a blast that weekend was. You can hear everybody singing along and that's what Dropkick Murphys is all about, apart from the punk and the Irish thing, it's the whole melting down of the crowd. That's where we draw our strengths."

And crowd involvement is part of the tradition of both types of music.

"Exactly, and it's also the folk and punk connection. Punk music is like the folk of today. Music by the people for the people. We're lucky enough to bring all these things together," Barr says. "We've just recently been doing these Irish folk festivals, playing elbow-to-elbow with a lot more traditional acts but the heart and soul comes through with these people. A few months ago we played in London with Shane MacGowan and the original Pogues line-up, and Joe Strummer... phew. I tell you I broke into tears when Strummer went into Police & Thieves. It was amazing. It was magic. The guy is my dad's age nearly and he's still got just as much as he ever had. He was inspiring.”