History
In 1997, McColgan left Dropkick Murphys "to pursue a lifelong dream of becoming a firefighter for the Boston Fire Department." In 2002, McColgan decided he could no longer stay away from music and formed Street Dogs. They first recorded a seven song-demo, which feature McColgan along with his former Dropkick Murphys bandmate Jeff Erna on drums, Rob Guidotti on guitar and Bill Close on bass.[1] They signed with CrossCheck Records in 2003,[2] with Michelle Paulhus now on bass. By the time they started recording their first album, they yet again had someone else on bass, this time Johnny Rioux. Savin Hill (which was produced by former The Mighty Mighty Bosstones member Nate Albert[3] and featured guest appearances by Al Barr and Ken Casey from Dropkick Murphys) was a success and resulted in a supporting tour with Celtic punk band Flogging Molly.
The band underwent a complete shuffle in 2004 when McColgan took a leave of absence from his firefighting career to devote time to recording and promoting their second album Back to the World.The Street Dogs at this time enlisted Marcus Hollar on lead guitar, and expanded the range of their sound with the addition of rhythm guitarist Tobe Bean III. The drummer's spot was filled by Joe Sirois, formerly of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones.
Their second release, Back to the World, proved to be even more of a success for the band. It was hailed critically in the United States, Europe and Japan and opened the doors to touring with Social Distortion, Tiger Army, Bad Religion, Millencolin (in Europe), The Bouncing Souls (US And Japan) and The Briefs. The band also toured on the Vans Warped Tour in the summer of 2005 and embarked on their first headlining tours in the US and Europe.
2006 saw more shows, both headlining and opening for the likes of Rancid,[4] The Adolescents[5] and The Bouncing Souls.[6] Also in 2006, released their third album, Fading American Dream. It was recorded earlier in the year with producer Ted Hutt (Flogging Molly, Madcap, The Bouncing Souls).
While on tour opening for Flogging Molly on February 27, 2007 show at the Sokol Auditorium in Omaha, NE, bass player Johnny Rioux collapsed on stage due to an apparent seizure. McColgan stopped the show and called for paramedics. At the start of the Flogging Molly set, lead singer Dave King dedicated the show to Johnny and announced that he was all right and would be well enough to play the next night in St. Louis. Following that tour, more dates came headlining as well as European shows.
In February 2008, it was announced that the Street Dogs signed on to Hellcat Records. Their fourth album, State of Grace, for Hellcat, which they started recording in early February 2008, once again with Ted Hutt[7] was released on July 8, 2008.[8]
At recent shows, Street Dogs have been promoting Oxfam America, a humanitarian organization fighting poverty and hunger. McColgan spoke to the crowd mid-set at the Bamboozle Festival in New Jersey in May 2008 about the organization while wearing an Oxfam T-shirt. In support of State of Grace, the band toured at the Vans Warped Tour 2008 as a main stage act. Following their Warped tour stint, the group set out on their successful fall State Of Grace headlining tour and then went to Europe for the European Eastpak Antidote tour.
The band released their fifth album, Street Dogs, on August 31, 2010[9] on Hellcat Records.
On February 21, 2011, the band performed at an acoustic show with Tom Morello, Tim McIlrath, Wayne Kramer, and Ike Reilly in Madison, WI in support of the ongoing protests against Gov. Scott Walker's proposed Budget Repair Bill.
In March 2011, the Street Dogs announced a five-week stint on the 2011 Vans Warped Tour, from June 24 until July 30. This would be their third time on the tour, after 2005 and 2008. After the Warped Tour, the band planned a European festival tour in August, and then Australia and Japan in October.
The band embarked on the nine date Sham Rock-N-Roll Festival in September 2011 where they were the co-headlining act for the Dropkick Murphys. Other than appearances on various Warped Tour lineups, this was the first time McColgan toured with his former band since quitting thirteen years earlier. McColgan would even join the Dropkick Murphys onstage for performances of such songs as "Barroom Hero" and "Far Away Coast" from the Do or Die album.[10]
In an interview with AMP, Johnny Rioux was asked about a new album from the street dogs. Rioux said, "We want to do a labor standard solo record with Mike, release the large number of B-sides with the records they were recorded for, mix our live in Boston DVD and record, prepare for our first trip to Australia, return to Japan, get back into some Celtic festivals, and just be happy and grateful people are still loyal after almost 10 years."
On November 26, 2012, McColgan wrote on the band's Facebook account that starting January 1, 2013, Street Dogs would be taking a break from recording and touring, but he assured fans that the band was not breaking up.[11] Later that day, Tobe Bean announced that he would no longer be a touring member of Street Dogs, but he will "always be a Street Dog".[12] In February 2013, it was announced that McColgan and Rioux would form a side project with original Dropkick Murphys member Rick Barton called FM359. In March, it was announced their break from touring would be ending in July when they tour Europe.[13] In March, McColgan mentioned that the band would exclusively work with the Pirates Press Records label in the future, and they planned to release a 7-inch single, a live album, and a DVD. He also mentioned that the band was hoping to get Lenny Lashley from Darkbuster to replace Bean on guitar, and on April 9 the Street Dogs Facebook page announced that Lashley had officially joined the group. They also announced their next single, "Crooked Drunken Sons", a song named after their annual tour, which will be released on Record Store Day 2013. Another single, "Rustbelt Nation", followed a month later.[14] Later in the year, Hollar was replaced by Matt Pruitt (Have Nots).
Members Mike McColgan, Johnny Rioux and Pete Sosa started a side project called FM359 with former Dropkick Murphys guitarist Rick Barton, Street Dogs collaborator Hugh Morrison and Halston Luna. The group, which has an Americana sound, released their debut album Truth, Love and Liberty in January 2014. In April, on Record Store Day 2014, they released a split EP with Noi!se.
On June 22, 2018, the band released their sixth album, the first in eight years, Stand For Something Or Die For Nothing. McColgan said of the album, " "The dumbing down of America is a reason to write songs in 2018. The theme is wake the fuck up and the working class needs to unite across all colors, creeds, nationalities, genders and realize that we are being pitted against each other by snake oil salesmen and autocrats."[15]
On February 13, 2020, via the band's Facebook page, McColgan and Rioux announced the group was disbanding after 17 years. The final round of shows was expected to include a small St. Patrick's Day tour with Flogging Molly and Mad Caddies as well as two headlining shows, one in Long Beach, CA on March 16, and their final show to be announced in their hometown of Boston, MA. However on March 12, the band announced the cancellation of the Long Beach show alongside Flogging Molly's cancellation of their tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[16][17]
Former members
Mike McColgan – lead vocals (2002–2020)
Johnny Rioux – bass (2003–2020)
Pete Sosa – drums (2012–2020)
Matt Pruitt – lead guitar (2013–2020)
Lenny Lashley – rhythm guitar (2013–2020)
Jeff Erna – drums (2002–2004)
Rob Guidotti – guitars (2002–2004)
Bill Close – bass (2002)
Michelle Paulhus – bass (2002–2003)
Marcus Hollar – lead guitar (2004–2013)
Joe Sirois – drums (2004–2007)
Tobe Bean III – guitars (2005–2012)
Paul Rucker – drums (2007–2012)
Rattle and Roll
Street Dogs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're out on the town we're gearing for battle
We're owning the pub from night until morning
The gang has arrived we're sending a warning
Hatches at st. maggies raised up on the hill
Hung out on sydney with my cousin bill
Sary this before I defend her again
Oh dorchester is my hometown
Men from the old sod with fortunes to make
They will shake you and break you but never
Forsake you dorchester is their hometown
A toast to the lot a toast to the park
Do you remember tuohey hanging out past dark
Kedso bivitis maffy too
This anthem I sing for you
A toast to the lot a toast for the park
Do you remember cozzies hanging out past dark
Kedso bivitis maffy too
This anthem I sing for you
Traveled a long way moved far away
In my heart and my spirit you always stay
Take the kid from the dot you cant pull out the rat
On adams corner I swear to that
The Street Dogs' song Rattle and Roll is an ode to the Boston neighborhood of Dorchester. The song is an energetic call for the local gang to take over the pubs, go out on the town and show their presence. The opening line "Are you ready to roll are you ready to rattle" sets the tone for the rest of the song - this is a battle cry, a rallying call to arms for the neighborhood's residents. The song is also awash with nostalgia, as the lyrics refer to old haunts and familiar faces who have been a part of the singer's life.
The lyrics mention various places and people that are familiar to Dorchester residents. St. Maggie's, mentioned in the first verse, is a reference to Saint Margaret's Hospital, which was once a prominent feature of Dorchester's skyline. The line "Hung out on Sydney with my cousin Bill" refers to a street in Dorchester called Sydney Street, where the singer used to spend time with his cousin. The song's chorus mentions various names that are familiar to locals, including Tuohey and Cozzies. These places were some of the popular haunts for the local gang in Dorchester, and the song is a tribute to the memories they created there.
The song's message is clear - no matter how far you move away, the streets and people of Dorchester will always hold a special place in your heart. The final verse mentions "Take the kid from the dot you can't pull out the rat on Adams corner I swear to that", emphasizing the strong sense of loyalty that exists within the community.
Line by Line Meaning
Are you ready to roll are you ready to rattle
We are asking if you are ready to have a good time and party.
We're out on the town we're gearing for battle
We are in town and ready to have a good time, almost as if we are preparing for a battle.
We're owning the pub from night until morning
We are dominating the pub all night long.
The gang has arrived we're sending a warning
We are warning others that the gang has arrived and that we mean business.
Hatches at st. maggies raised up on the hill
There are hatches at St. Maggie's raised up on a hill.
Hung out on sydney with my cousin bill
We spent time hanging out in Sydney with my cousin Bill.
Sary this before I defend her again
I have said this before, but I will defend her again.
Oh dorchester is my hometown
Dorchester is my hometown.
We got doctors and coppers lawyers and jakes
We have doctors, police officers, lawyers, and firefighters in our town.
Men from the old sod with fortunes to make
There are men from the old country who are looking to make their fortune.
They will shake you and break you but never
They will try to intimidate you, but they will not leave you behind.
Forsake you dorchester is their hometown
Dorchester is their hometown and they are loyal to it.
A toast to the lot a toast to the park
We are proposing a toast to our friends and to the park where we spent time.
Do you remember tuohey hanging out past dark
Do you remember hanging out with Tuohey at night?
Kedso bivitis maffy too
We also remember hanging out with Kedso, Bivitis, and Maffy.
This anthem I sing for you
I am singing this anthem for all of us to remember the good times we had.
Traveled a long way moved far away
We have moved far away after traveling a long way.
In my heart and my spirit you always stay
Even though we have moved away, you will always stay in my heart and my spirit.
Take the kid from the dot you cant pull out the rat
You can take us out of Dorchester, but we will always be from there and have that toughness within us.
On adams corner I swear to that
We are saying that Adams Corner is the toughest part of Dorchester and we stand by that claim.
Contributed by Annabelle S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Gringo Green
Great band! Great shows! That's what I remember.😎
IClassStruggle
An opinion: Dropkick Murphys & Street Dogs are two of the most important bands politically, in the USA today. They are both blatantly pro-working-class/pro-organized labor and that message is able to reach large audiences all over the country (and the world for that matter). This is crucial for our class, now more than ever.
U
they opened with this song in Sydney. I was the kid that got on stage! best show of my life
Ossadas
Did they record this whole show? I for one would like to see the entire set!
Jonathan
If I had soundtrack to my life it would be correlated with the lyrics and intensity of the Street Dogs music from start to finish. To the barricade!
Andrew Horgan
Can't wait for the Fenway show!!!!!!!!!!!!! Grew up in Boston, Moved to Az in the 90's and everything was "West Coast" in the punk scence. Nobody mentioned The Freeze, Jerry's Kids or Gang Green...........DKM and The Dogs have worked hard
watchthiscityfall
@FartFaceJimmy Yes Mike McClogan the original lead for DKM. Awesome singer. My opinion Street Dogs will always be better than DKM. Much love from Phila. PA. Love seeing those X'd hands. <3 Missed you guys when you came with Left Alone and Devil's Brigade, although I'm sure it was an awesome show.
watchthiscityfall
@BSpinkie Thanks, thanks a lot, makes me hate myself even more! XD Hopefully either/or will tour very shortly, I'd rather see Street Dogs more than Devils Brigade, don't get me wrong, if it was Rancid I'd be all over it like a dog on steak but I love Street Dogs, not just the sound, but definitely the lyrics and what they stand for.
Ricardo Lozano
Im mexican, I like beer and I love this style of music just because of the talk about beer, fights and hanging out. Its just fucking fun music
JSEfilms
@bigghairybollocks The only thing I will admit is that by making Tessie the "Official song of the Boston Red Sox" and playing "Shipping Up to Boston" in every Bingo hall, now everyone thinks they're some huge Oi fan. I still very much enjoy Oi music, I don't think it's been "played to death". Either way, I don't see why everyone's making a big fuss about having Guinness in this video.