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The Dropkick Murphys
 The Dropkick Murphys haven't stolen any corn or taken money from bar girls, but they're being sent to Australia anyway. The last big thing that's happened in the band's life has been their inclusion in the soundtrack for box office smash 'The Departed' and, while this may usually be something where record companies, managers and special connections all come into play, this time it wasn't the case.
Frontman Al Barr explains how it really happened. "Robbie Robertson of The Band played some of our songs to Martin Scorsese and he just loved it and told him to get our song on the soundtrack and that was it!"
The high point of the story, however, is when the band sent off an e-mail requesting to use footage of the film in their video clip. "We were expecting that maybe they'd let us use some certain parts, but there would be limits. Instead we get this e-mail back saying we can use whatever we want." The best thing, as Barr explains, was that it was signed off as 'Marty'. That's right - not by some assistant, not just an impersonal 'Martin Scorsese', but simply 'Marty', as if the director and the band had been best friends for years.
Not so recently, but still of high significance for The Dropkick Murphys, was a letter received from the family of Sgt. Andrew Farrar, a US soldier killed in Iraq. His wish was to have their rendition of Fields Of Athenry played at his funeral and this was something that the band felt they had to do. "When you're that much a part of someone's life that you're in their last wishes, that's special, it's a real honour," Barr expresses. Parts of Farrar's letter to his mother feature in the track Last Letter Home on their latest album 'The Warriors Code', which was followed by the release of a limited edition CD (with all proceeds going towards a special memorial fund).
The big thing The Dropkick Murphys are preparing for right now is their annual St Patrick's Day show. Last year they sold 8,000 tickets and this year it's predicted they'll sell 10,000. Exactly one week after these three massive shows the guys will be coming directly to Adelaide.
When probed about plans for a new album, Barr keeps to himself, but when asked whether the band would ever considering doing an album of covers featuring traditional Irish songs, the words start flowing. After correcting me on my usage of the term 'cover', Barr insists, "They're not really covers, we do our own arrangement on songs, or as we call it - we fuck them up!"
And so a good story emerges..."Before we had Shane McGowan come and sing we were trying to get Tommy Makem from The Makem Brothers. Our manager at the time told him he had this band who are a little rock and roll, Irishy and he didn't want to say punk because it might alienate him. He said 'They'd like you to come in and sing on one of their records' and he said 'Oh, I'd love to do it so long as they're nothing like The Pogues, they set Irish music back a hundred years!'"
Barr claims that a lot of people are unaware of exactly how many traditional songs The Dropkick Murphys play, though he claims this is one of the band's strengths. "A lot of kids don't know these songs and that's how we've garnered such a wide age range, because you have kids that ask 'What's that? Are you kidding me? That's great!' and then the next thing you know they're coming to our show!"
For those that were excited at the possibility of an album dedicated to traditional Irish songs, I'm afraid to disappoint. "We've thought about things like that but what's gonna follow that, a kids' record?" For some reason I can't see them being the next Wiggles or Hi-5...
While not a children's band they are aware their fans are not all big, burly and strong either. "If you're ruining the picnic for everybody and you're kickin' people's blankets and stepping on their sandwiches then it's time for you to go!" Barr warns. "No one likes a bully." So that's the big rule of this family picnic - play nice kiddies! Oh and make sure you leave your steel-cap boots at home or you won't be allowed in.
Dropkick Murphys play at HQ on Sun 25 March. 'The Warrior's Code' is out now through Shock
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