DROPKICK MURPHYS have unveiled a new single as a taster for their forthcoming new album.
'Middle Finger' is taken from the album Turn Up That Dial, the Boston band's tenth album, which follows on from 2017's Billboard Top 10 album 11 Short Stories Of Pain & Glory.
Working with longtime producer Ted Hutt, the 11 new songs on Turn Up That Dial were recorded under strict lockdown conditions: tracks were laid down at Q Division Studios in Somerville MA in shifts of two band members at a time while backing vocals were recorded in five separate rooms. Hutt, meanwhile, oversaw sessions by videolink from his studio in LA.
Along with 'Middle Finger', the album features recent singles 'Mick Jones Nicked My Pudding' and 'Smash Shit Up'. It closes with 'I Wish You Were Here', singer Al Barr's moving tribute to his late father Woody.
“Al’s dad was just an incredible man,” explains band founder and co-lead singer Ken Casey. “He and Al had a very special bond. To watch Al grieve his death was heartbreaking. He persevered through it, even when we had to go back on the road, away from family. He kept his head held high. We’ve never ended an album with a slow song, but we had to end it with a tip of the cap to pay our respects to Woody and so many others. It’s a moment to stop, count our blessings, and remember those who we’ve lost, including the 400,000-plus people to this virus.
“On this record, the overall theme is the importance of music, and the bands that made us who we are,” Casey continues. “We just hope [the album] takes people’s minds off their troubles. We’re so fortunate and grateful to be in the position to share a little happiness in our own way. Our gratitude levels are off the chart. 25 years ago, somebody bet me 30 bucks I couldn’t form a band with three weeks’ notice to open for his band. As kids, we’d never been out of New England and here we are – we’ve made ten records and have been all over the globe. If there’s a message to this album, it’s ‘put your fist up and play it loud.’”
As previously announced, the band will be livestreaming a special St Patrick's Day show on 17 March at 7pm in Boston time / 11pm London time. Admission is free but donations are encouraged at www.DKMstream.com
Turn Up That Dial is out through the band's Born & Bred label on 30 April. Pre-order it here.
Stream/download 'Middle Finger' here.
Pic by Ken Susi