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)
Strike A Blow
Street Dogs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not concerned with getting the party started right
Throwing darts as we see fit, the music today we will hit
Screaming through the microphone to illicit your thoughts
And you won't hear this on the play list tonight
It's time to take a stance and strike a blow
Do you remember back in 1994
How fourth wave cities, they reopened the door
Boston, Berkley, Orange County, Seattle, L.A.
A time on the radio the whole world it played
The tide is high again bring life to radio
It's time to take a chance and strike a blow
Praise cities advocate for rock'n'roll
Trash talk fluff on radio, inside our fury we will go
The song sung before, we'll sing it again
They don't want to hear it, they don't want to hear it
They don't want to play it, they don't want to play it
They don't want to hear it, they don't want to hear it
They don't want to play it, they don't want to hear it
Yeah we'll wear it on our sleeve tonight
Not relenting here or stopping the fight
We feel the obligation to sing it aloud
Here comes the refrain so jump into the crowd
It's time to take a chance and strike a blow
Go for the jugular and strike a blow
Trash talk fluff on radio, inside our fury we will go
The song sung before, we'll sing it again
Street Dogs's song "Strike A Blow" is all about advocating for rock and roll and taking a stand against the current state of music. The lyrics start off by denying the current trend of music that focuses on getting the party started and instead concentrate on throwing darts with their music to hit the listener's soul. They shout through the microphone to provoke the audience's thought and refuse to have their music played on the radio's playlist for fear of losing their authenticity. They then take the listener on a nostalgic journey back to 1994, the fourth wave era, when cities like Boston, Berkley, Orange County, Seattle, and LA spearheaded the bandwagon, playing rock and roll music that caused waves around the world.
The song's protagonist demands that the tide must rise again to bring life to the radio, and that it's time to take a chance and strike a blow for rock and roll. There is anger about radio stations that only play fluff and refuse to participate in the evolution of music. Street Dogs's fury does not relent; they feel obligated to sing their songs aloud and engage the crowd by jumping right in.
In summary, "Strike A Blow" is a battle cry for rock and roll music, a wake-up call to the industry to stop playing the same old tunes and recognize the new talent that is being stifled.
Line by Line Meaning
We're not singing bounce, we're not getting dirty
We're not playing commercial, sanitized music that lacks depth or edge.
Not concerned with getting the party started right
We don't care about creating a superficial, trendy atmosphere that briefly entertains people.
Throwing darts as we see fit, the music today we will hit
We're expressing our opinions and emotions freely, and we're criticizing the current state of music industry, which lacks creativity and authenticity.
Screaming through the microphone to illicit your thoughts
We're shouting our message to the world, hoping to spark a reaction and an engagement from our listeners.
And you won't hear this on the play list tonight
Our music is not mainstream or approved by the powers that be, so it's unlikely to be played on popular radio or TV stations.
It's time to take a stance and strike a blow
We believe it's time to stand up for what we believe in, and to make a powerful statement that challenges the status quo.
Pump fists and advocate for rock'n'roll
We're encouraging people to show their passion and support for rock'n'roll music, which is still alive and relevant.
Do you remember back in 1994
We're reminding our audience of a time when the music scene was more vibrant and diverse, and when new genres and bands were emerging.
How fourth wave cities, they reopened the door
We're referring to the emergence of alternative and indie music scenes in various cities across the US, which brought new energy and creativity to the music world.
Boston, Berkley, Orange County, Seattle, L.A.
We're mentioning some of the cities that helped shape the alternative and punk movements in the 90s, and whose influence is still felt today.
A time on the radio the whole world it played
We're noting that bands and songs from those cities and scenes were played on the radio across the globe, and that they had a widespread impact.
The tide is high again bring life to radio
We believe that there's a new wave of music emerging, that is fresh, exciting, and authentic, and that can revive the spirit of rock'n'roll on the radio and beyond.
It's time to take a chance and strike a blow
We reiterate our call to action, and urge our listeners to take a risk, to challenge the norms, and to push for change.
Praise cities advocate for rock'n'roll
We celebrate the cities that have nurtured the rock'n'roll spirit over the years, and we encourage others to embrace and promote this culture as well.
Trash talk fluff on radio, inside our fury we will go
We're denouncing the meaningless and shallow music and talk that dominates the airwaves, and we're expressing our anger and passion for real music and ideas.
The song sung before, we'll sing it again
We believe that the best way to honor and preserve the rock'n'roll legacy is to keep creating and performing new songs that capture its spirit and values.
They don't want to hear it, they don't want to hear it
We acknowledge the resistance and the indifference that our message and our music may face, but we refuse to let that discourage us or silence us.
They don't want to play it, they don't want to play it
We're aware that many media outlets and industry gatekeepers may reject our music, but we're determined to find alternative ways to reach our audience and to build our community.
Yeah we'll wear it on our sleeve tonight
We're proudly and openly displaying our love for rock'n'roll, and we're inviting others to join us in celebrating its ethos and culture.
Not relenting here or stopping the fight
We're committed to our cause and our message, and we're willing to endure obstacles and setbacks in order to achieve our goals.
We feel the obligation to sing it aloud
We believe that we have a moral duty and a creative impulse to share our music and our voice with the world, and to inspire others to do the same.
Here comes the refrain so jump into the crowd
We're signaling the chorus of our song, which invites our listeners to sing along, to dance, and to participate in our collective energy and enthusiasm.
Go for the jugular and strike a blow
We're urging our fans and supporters to be bold, daring, and assertive in their pursuit of change and justice, and to not hesitate to make their mark.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Joe Sirois, Johnny Rioux, Marcus Hollar, Mike McColgan, Nate Albert
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind