A Fusion of Irish and American Culture

Flogging Molly have been included on the Lolapalooza lineup, one of the biggest festivals in the US. The band is a fusion of Irish and American culture, intertwining Irish folk with contemporary punk. You can check out the result below:

The formation of Flogging Molly is a modern chapter of The Wild Geese story. Dublin-born Dave King had already garnered considerable experience in the music industry by the time Flogging Molly formed in 1997, having previously been part of heavy metal band Fastway and hard rock band Katmandu.

King soon decided to work on a solo album, and wanted to include traditional Irish instruments to combine two starkly different sounds. King's record label did not approve of this however, and like The Wild Geese in 1691, he was forced to turn away from his record deal and go his own way, with only his passionate and innovative spirit to support him.

King soon met Bridget Regan - a fiddle player and King's future wife - Ted Hutt (guitarist) and Jeff Peters (Bassist) and began to playing traditional Irish music and rock ballads, primarily in an Irish bar in LA called Molly Malone's, where they played a weekly set.

'It's a neighbourhood pub smack in the middle of a big city. Guinness and Harp are on tap, the patrons are friendly (but sometimes dangerous), and overall, the spot is downright welcoming and cozy. In other words, it was the perfect birthplace for Flogging Molly' 

Steadily gathering a strong following, the band chose a name, honouring Molly Malone's as a place where they worked exceptionally hard and discovered the kind of music they wanted to make. In 1997 Flogging Molly was born.

The band has toured the globe and are regulars on the festival circuit, their music lending itself perfectly to the fun-filled atmosphere of summertime festivals. It's inspiring that Dave King turned away from the security of a record deal, in order to make the music he wanted to - a potent characteristic of The Wild Geese.