Music: Murphys' law - it's anything goes now; Coming soon: The Dropkick Murphys.

Byline: Martin Neal reports

CELTIC rock, paddy punk ... call it what you like, but THE DROPKICK MURPHYS (pictured) are the pioneers.

For the past 12 years the Dropkicks have been combining no-nonsense rock'n'roll with full-on Irish folk.

Who would have thought of punk with bagpipes? They did, and it works a treat! The success of their formula has spawned countless other similar acts, but the Dropkicks still lead the way.

They bid a temporary farewell to their native Boston next month for a UK tour - that includes Newcastle's Carling Academy - in support of their newly released fifth studio album The Meanest Of Times.

The album has been well received and the tour is eagerly awaited, but singer Al Barr is keen to put it all into perspective.

"We tip our hats to our forefathers," said a weary Al in a transatlantic phone call the morning after returning from an appearance on the David Letterman Show in New York.

"Bands like the Chieftains, the Dubliners and, more recently, the Pogues.

"If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't be here. "We just do what we do best. We're just another band - another cog on the musical timeline.

"I tip my hat to people like Joe Strummer and Joey Ramone. They are my heroes."

Al explained that, early on in their history, one observer described their sound as being "like the Ramones meet the Pogues."

It's hard to disagree and, after 12 years, the band have lost none of their edge musically or lyrically.

"During that time we've established ourselves in terms of what we do and what we sound like," Al continued.

"It always surprises me when people hear one of our records and say 'it sounds like the Dropkick Murphys'.

"What the hell do they expect it to sound like?"

The Dropkicks' head-on approach to their lyrics refuses to dwindle too. You won't find any soppy love songs while the Dropkicks are in the house.

"We're not politicians," said Al, "but we sing about what we know.

"We know about the hardship of daily life, we know about the good things and the bad things in life.

"People grow up, have kids, people die. That's what happens in life and that's what we sing about.

"If we sang about things we didn't know anything about, it would be a bit cheeky."

If you haven't heard the latest album, you'll have the chance to hear a large slice of it when they visit the North-east next month.

"We think the album is our best yet," proclaimed a proud Al. "The response has been great and so far the initial sales have been very positive.

"We'll be playing seven or eight songs from the new record on the tour.

"You get tired of playing the same old songs all the time so it's a great opportunity play some of our new material."

THE DROPKICK MURPHYS, THE MAD CADDIES, THE BRIGGS:

Carling Academy, Newcastle Monday, February 4. Entry: pounds 14

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Title Annotation:	Features
Publication:	Evening Gazette (Middlesbrough, England)
Date:	Jan 11, 2008
Words:	496
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