We have announcement we need to make about the band and we're going
to let
Marc start things off;
Dear DKM friends & fans,
You may have heard some talk that I am going to stop playing with the
Dropkick Murphys. I wanted to confirm that the rumors are true and I
am
leaving the band. I'm very grateful for everything playing with DKM
has
brought me and I'm sad to be going but I feel like the time has come
for me
to try working on different styles of music and some of my own
projects, I'm
ready to spread my wings as they say.
I've been pickin', ticklin', strummin', squeezin', crashin', trashin'
and
smashin' with the Dropkicks for many years and am proud to have been
a part
of all the achievements and success we've had. However the greatest
achievement of all has been the friends I've made and the people I've
met
along the way. Everyone has always supported me and the rest of the
guys
100% in everything we've done which makes my leaving all the more
difficult.
I'm very anxious and excited to see where the road takes me. DKM are
(of
course) going to continue on and Tim Brennan will be taking my place
playing
guitar, Tim is one of the greatest musicians around and I know he'll
do an
amazing job. I wish him and the band all the best for the future and
thank
all the guys so much for everything they've done for me and for
giving me a
chance to see the world and play in one of the best punk rock bands
around.
I am going to miss you all and can't tell you how lucky I feel to
have been
given the opportunity to play in DKM. Thank you all DKM fans
everywhere.
DKMs alive! Keep
listening!
Marc Orrell.
It goes without saying that we're very sad to see Marc go but we'll
always
be great friends and he will be part of the Dropkick Murphys family
forever.
Just like the mafia, once you're in you can't get out! Marc has told
us he
wants his music to go in a different direction and we all agreed that
some
of the new musical styles he wants to explore just aren't going to
fit in
with the Murphys sound. Marc and the rest of us all feel that
preserving the
Dropkick Murphys style the fans have come to know and expect should
be the
main priority. As Marc mentioned above Tim will be moving over to
playing
guitar and another great friend of ours and fellow Boston guy Jeff
DaRosa
will be taking over Tim's old duties. Jeff is another super talented
musician and has been tight with us since our days playing at the Rat
and
will be familiar to you from bands he has been in previously like the
Pinkerton Thugs and The Vigilantes (whose record we released on our
label
many years ago).
We want everyone to know that we are still very committed to Dropkick
Murphys and making our fans happy. As you all already know Tim is an
extremely accomplished guitar player and musician so the transition
is going
to be very smooth. DKM will continue on with the same dedication,
effort and
heart we always have and we want you all to know Marc's leaving will
not
change any of our forthcoming plans. This is just another bump in the
DKM
rocky road.
Ken, Matt, Al, James, Tim & Scruffy.