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THE BLEEDING IRISH -- It's Not Your Father's Irish Music

Back when youthful singer/songwriter Nick O'Madden first picked up the guitar, the Bleeding Irish were born. O'Madden began a collaboration with energetic upright bassist Joe Hagins, who like O'Madden, has previously played electric bass for various bands over the previous decade. Drawing on a family background filled with past and present members of militant groups, and the memories of struggles both in the US and Ireland, O'Madden and Hagins decided to turn the fertile metaphor of Irish rebel music into something their youthful audience could sink their teeth into.

Following the addition of electric guitarist Jimmy Brooks and his original take on music, the trio began an explosive period of both crafting high energy anthems to youthful rebellion and slamming the crap out of traditional standards with a heaping dose of punk rock dynamic, Irish-style.

After slightly more than a year of writing music, and playing with bands including Dropkick Murphy, Royal Crown Revue, Throw Rag, and a stint on the 2008 Vans Warped Tour, accomplished Irish fiddler Patric Petrie and hard-grooving concertina player Todd Warren joined the group. Featuring acoustic guitar, electric guitar, upright bass, concertina and fiddle, the Bleeding Irish's music speaks for itself and infectiously to everyone within listening distance.

Comments have ranged from Dropkick Murphy comparing the Bleeding Irish to "The Dubliners meet Minor Threat," and Royal Crown Revue saying the Bleeding Irish's music "kicks the Queen right in the crotch!" Members' musical influences include The Dubliners, The Pogues, Social Distortion, Minor Threat, The Chieftains, AC/DC and the Wolfe Tones.

In short: The Bleeding Irish spit out a frenzied blend of influences that infuse a driving, Guinness-drenched, punk rock-soaked, bold "listen to me roar" flavor to old and new tunes a like, from shanties to to flat-out mosh pit favs.