| Somewhere between heaven and hell waits Victory Records‘ newest addition - THE TOSSERS. Chicago‘s precursor to LA‘s Flogging Molly, & Boston‘s Dropkick Murphy‘s The Tossers are the perfect Irish hybrid. Influenced by Shane Macgowen and the Pogues in more than a few ways, The Tossers play their own brand of Irish music loaded with attitude and alcohol. Celtic-punk, traditional in nature but steeped in politics and punkrock, the Tossers run the gamut from croon to crass.
The south side of Chicago has a tough, working class reputation. Its also known for one of the largest populations of Irish this side of the Emerald Isle. So It‘s not entirely incongruous that a hard luck kid from the south side of town would choose to play traditional Irish folk music in pubs around the neighborhood. At 18, Tony Duggins was doing just that playing pub favorites and covers of greats like Ewan MacColl. Before long, he had roped his brother and his best friends into playing original songs he had written, and so became the Tossers. They took their name from the slang term for a miscreant or bum. In the early 1920s, the Irish instituted their own currency after the southern free state won independence from Britain. British coins became worthless throwaways "tossers."
The Tossers marry traditional instrumentation (mandolin, banjo, fiddle, tin whistle, etc) with the raucous turmoil of punks. They will tell you that they are not a punk band, that they are a folk band. But their incendiary nature, intense live shows, overt politics, and drunken antics make them exactly that. PUNKROCK. From the very beginning, there‘s been a dichotomy to the Tossers; sure you can raise a glass, dance and have a laugh, but underneath, this is a band that has something intelligent to say and an undeniable way to say it. Raised on Grand Ole Opry, early rock n roll, country hits, and punk, (in addition to Irish classics like the Dubliners and the Clancy Brothers) a wide array of influences keeps the music interesting and unpredictable.
From upbeat reels to raunchy guitar fueled rockers, the Tossers are fearless in their social, political and religious commentary. Their songs tell stories of humor and tragedy, wit and wisdom, love, loss, and death. The Tossers can educate you, break your heart, or punch you in the face. In the end, though, they know that sometimes you just have to sit back, crack a beer, and say, "Fuck it. Lets have a good time!" |
|
Facebook
Twitter
Contact Artist
Add to Profile
Add to station