Dropkick Murphys
Release Video For New Single
“Chesterfields And Aftershave,”
In Tribute To Lead Singer Ken Casey’s Late Grandfather
Song Is Included On New Album For The People,
Physical LP & CD Editions Coming October 10 With
5 Bonus Tracks
Band Launches Fall European Tour
October 15 In Milan, Italy
With Frank Turner & Haywire
Dropkick Murphys have just released a new single and video from their powerful and poignant For The People album. Following the success of early track “Who’ll Stand With Us?,” a call to stand together against divisiveness and inequality, the new single and video for “Chesterfields And Aftershave” pay tribute to singer and founder Ken Casey’s late grandfather who was an important role model in his life.
The video, directed by Jon Vulpine, features evocative vignettes that follow a young “Ken Casey” and demonstrate the steadying influence his late grandfather had on his childhood. The video includes historical television clips of Boston Red Sox, Boston Bruins and Boston Celtics games that Ken watched with his grandfather when he was a child, as well as a clip from the Red Sox 2004 World Series-clinching victory referenced in the song, thanks to the help of MLB, the NHL and the NBA.
The video culminates with the song’s refrain “I hope I’d make you proud” as Ken‘s grandfather watches on (in spirit) while Dropkick Murphys perform the song at their recent free show for the Quincy 400 celebration – just a mile up the road from where the band formed in 1996.
Casey explains the song’s inspiration, “My father died when I was young and my grandfather raised me. He passed away before the band got going. I hope my grandfather would’ve really liked the message that we carry in our music because he’s the one that ingrained a lot of those beliefs in me. I hope I would’ve made him proud and I hope the band would’ve made him proud.”
Dropkick Murphys recently shared a video of band members speaking about people who helped them become who they are today: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOOtI-Sj9ju/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
“In a chaotic time, this heartfelt song about the people who helped us become who we are today was released just in time for Grandparents Day (September 7 in the U.S),” said the band.
The post includes a call for fans to tag @DropkickMurphys in a post (or send a DM) “talking about someone who’s been instrumental in YOUR life…and don’t forget to play Chesterfields in the video!”
Dropkick Murphys have also announced the titles of the 5 bonus songs that will be included on the For The People vinyl and CD release, out October 10 via the band’s Dummy Luck Music label / Play It Again Sam. Four of these songs are exclusive to the physical album and “Sirens” was previously only released digitally as a single.
The bonus tracks are:
Dropped On My Head
Take Your Bow
Straight Edge (I Liked You Better)
A Hero Among Many
Sirens
For The People also includes the following tracklist, and is available now via the album’s digital release:
Who’ll Stand With Us?
Longshot (feat. The Scratch)
The Big Man
Chesterfields And Aftershave
Bury The Bones (feat. The Mary Wallopers)
Kids Games
Sooner Kill ‘Em First
Fiending For The Lies
Streetlights
School Days Over (feat. Billy Bragg)
The Vultures Circle High (feat. Al Barr)
One Last Goodbye “Tribute To Shane” (feat. The Scratch)
Preorder the For The People CD andvinyl (available in different color variants) here: https://dropkickmurphys.store
For The People shows courage and confidence, speaking up against the injustices happening in the United States, and doing so with the strength and power that harkens back to Dropkick Murphys’ earliest punk rock roots. For The People is more than a title. It’s a heartfelt stance, a declaration of who this band is – and who they’ve always been.
While on tour supporting For The People, Dropkick Murphys have continued to advocate for workers’ rights and human rights–as they have done for their entire 29+ year career–with surprise appearances at many picket lines across the U.S. to support unions fighting for fair wages and better contracts.
The band and the album have received support from media outlets across the spectrum, including The Atlantic (Ken Casey interview with editor Jeffrey Goldberg), MSNBC’s The Beat With Ari Melber, MeidasTouch Network, CNN, RollingStone, SPIN.com, NPR (WBUR & WGBH), Kerrang!, Consequence, Stereogum, Guitar World, BrooklynVegan, Billboard, Boston Globe, Boston Herald and many more.
Dropkick Murphys unique promotional events for For The People have included:
–Dropkick Murphys Night at Fenway Park (July 11): Building on the band’s longtime relationship with the Boston Red Sox, fans enjoyed a night of fun along with a limited edition Dropkick Murphys’ “I’m Shipping Up To Boston” bobblehead. The band also had the honor of thowing out the ceremonial first pitch. A portion of ticket proceeds benefitted Dropkick Murphys‘ official charity, The Claddagh Fund, which has raised over $20 million to support non-profit organizations that are focused on children, veterans and addiction recovery.
–Free For The People Album Release Show At Quincy400 (July 12): Dropkick Murphys free concert in the streets of Quincy, Massachusetts, where the band formed in 1996. This event was in connection with the Quincy400, celebrating the 400th year of the city’s settlement.
–Unite for Veterans – Unite for America Rally (June 6): Dropkick Murphys performed on the National Mall in DC (on the anniversary of D-Day) at this event in support of veterans.
Dropkick Murphys recently wrapped the Summer of Discontent Tour with Bad Religion co-headlining and will play a handful of North American festivals (CityFolk, Riot Fest and Furnace Fest) before heading overseas for their fall European headlining tour with Frank Turner and Haywire that kicks off October 15 in Milan Italy. Find all tour dates and more info at: https://dropkickmurphys.com/tour/.
In other news, Ken Casey has been named Massachusetts Storyteller Of The Year by Mass Humanities and will be honored at a September 25 event in Boston. Mass Humanities will present the award to Casey for his decades of songwriting, his commitment to fighting injustice, and his unique use of archival material to craft relevant narratives about subjects ranging from labor rights to Irish-American identity to the threats to our democracy. For nearly thirty years, Casey has inspired all of us through his defiant stands against injustice, his generous contributions to local communities, and the punk rock ethos he brings to contemporary issues.
Dropkick Murphys are:
Ken Casey (vocals)
Tim Brennan (guitars, tin whistle, accordion, piano, vocals)
Jeff DaRosa (guitars, banjo, mandolin, vocals),
Matt Kelly (drums, percussion, vocals)
James Lynch (guitars, vocals)
Kevin Rheault (bass)
Campbell Webster (bagpipes and Uilleann pipes)
For more on Dropkick Murphys, visit:
Website: www.DropkickMurphys.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DropkickMurphys
Instagram: www.instagram.com/dropkickmurphys
Twitch: www.twitch.tv/dropkickmurphys
Twitter: www.twitter.com/DropkickMurphys
YouTube: www.youtube.com/DropkickMurphys
