‘The Flogging Molly Salty Dog Cruise 2015’ — a voyage like no other. Not only was it an epic adventure from Miami to the Bahamas and back, drenched in beer and whiskey, sun, sea and many, many great bands, it was also the birth of an idea. The inspiration that ‘40 Shillings On The Drum’ frontman, lyricist, and spirit guzzler, Daniel Scully, had been searching for.
After gigging for several years in the indie-rock outfit ‘Left Hand Red’, followed by a dip in experimental waters with electronic-rock band ‘Give Her the Gun’, it was time for something new. The epiphany Scully had upon the seas of the Caribbean was much more aligned with his own musical loves. A genre he held dear had been tapping on his shoulder for a long while but either through blindness or ignorance, he had not acknowledged it. As the muffled hum of the latest band to take the stage echoed around the great ship, there was no more avoiding it. It became crystal clear that a folk-rock direction was the answer. A place where he could share his own stories, both personal and otherwise, in a way he had never before.
Scully returned to the wind and rain of Blighty, and amongst tall tales of drunken tomfoolery, set amidst a mutual love and respect between artists and fans, he pitched the direction to a close associate. With wide-eyes and open ears, long-term comrade and lightning-fingered guitarist, Steve ‘Rock Zeus’ Cobley, listened intently. Without hesitation, he agreed that the path they were about to take was the right one, and they set about hunting down new members to join their cause.
Like hound dogs on the scent trail, they were soon led to Seb Cole, a talented musician, producer and key tinkerer extraordinaire. The pair immediately hit it off with the pianist, and a strong bond amongst the three was quickly formed. Whilst folk-rock was the basis for what Scully wanted, the three agreed to push the genre in a new direction. Experimenting with the sound and incorporating, amongst others, veins of punk, metal, and classical, they developed a strong writing bond.
Finding other people with the same passion was a more difficult task. Temporary members came and went, no one quite fitting the bill or having the time to commit to the band. Remaining resilient against the perils of disappointment and frustration, their patience paid off in June 2017 with the double addition of Zeus’ brother, Dave ‘Chicken Legend’ Cobley on bass, and Matt ‘The Kid’ Hill taking up the position behind the kit.
Hailing from Brighton, England and armed to the teeth with an array of songs about life, love, friendship, and getting smashed out of your brain, they are ready to take on the world, one town at time.
What people are saying...
‘Great recordings. Love the distortion, violin and your guitarist. You've got a great Brit pop style of vox too!’ Bobby Banjo, Beans On Toast
‘I love the energy on these recordings, it's something that I think is really missing from contemporary music. There is obviously an Irish influence, but I hear shades of The Clash (at their best), Thin Lizzy, Boomtown Rats, Elvis Costello. You've really managed to capture the feeling that you are reflecting real people on the street.’ Mark Flannery, Engineer/Producer (U2, Black Sabbath, Depeche Mode)
‘Opener Ode To Old Reilly set the tone of a band big on musicianship and melody - and intelligent lyrics with both a meaning and enough hooks to get under the skin of even the most hardened music lover.’ The Brighton Magazine, brighton.co.uk
‘Ain’t too many acts have mixed Gaelic folk and rock successfully. Great musicianship, catchy songs, I think you deserve to do really well. I can hear it stands head and shoulders above most of the new stuff I hear.’ Alex McNamara, The Australian Pink Floyd Show (The world’s biggest selling tribute act).