DROPKICK MURPHYS bring Woody Guthrie’s words to life on new single ‘Ten Times More’

Dropkick Murphys
Photo Credit: Dave Stauble

Dropkick Murphys’ new single and video “Ten Times More,” from their forthcoming This Machine Still Kills Fascists, are out now. This Machine Still Kills Fascists will be released digitally and on CD on September 30 via the band’s Dummy Luck Music / [PIAS], with a special edition vinyl out on November 11.

TMSKF is unlike anything Dropkick Murphys have done to date: A full album of songs that bring Woody Guthrie’s words to life. Not a tribute album or a collection of covers, This Machine Still Kills Fascists is a collaboration between Dropkick Murphys and Woody Guthrie – artists separated by time and space, but connected by a common philosophy – to create something entirely new.

Armed with nothing but percussion, a harmonica, and their own voices, Dropkick Murphys take on Woody Guthrie’s battle cry for the downtrodden, the oppressed, and the working man, evoking a military cadence with the song’s call-and-response delivery. The music and melody for “Ten Times More” were written, arranged and recorded by Dropkick Murphys on the spot. That’s right: The band used the original demo take for the album. Extra stomp tracks, harmonica and backing vocals were added in the studio – but the drums, majority of the stomping, shaker, lead and backup vocals were a one-and-done. The band loved the organic feel they captured on that take and didn’t want to mess with it.

The fittingly austere video for “Ten Times More” features grainy footage of the band stomping and clapping their way through the song, with fleeting cameos from effigies of some of America’s foremost labor opponents, swindlers, and modern day fascists.

Watch the video for “Ten Times More” BELOW:

Meanwhile, Dropkick Murphys’ first single from This Machine Still Kills Fascists, “Two 6’s Upside Down,” is currently at #17 and climbing on the Americana radio single chart.

Music fans from around the world can join Dropkick Murphys on Monday, August 29 at 8:00 PM ET / 1:00am BST for the streaming Dropkick Murphys Live At Paste Studio On The Road: Boston presented by Paste Magazine and Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame, from the Wang Theatre at the Boch Center in Boston. The live stream can be seen on Paste Magazine’s YouTube channel.

In addition, on September 14, Dropkick Murphys will appear at AMERICANAFEST in Nashville, where fans can enjoy a Q&A with band members discussing the new album and their inclusion in the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame, as well as a short acoustic performance of songs from This Machine Still Kills Fascists.

This Machine Still Kills Fascists continues Dropkick Murphys’ journey with Woody Guthrie that began nearly two decades ago with “Gonna Be A Blackout Tonight” and “I’m Shipping Up To Boston.” For those two songs, Dropkick Murphys pulled Guthrie’s lyrics into their musical world, giving them the DKM treatment through and through. For this album – created from a larger body of mostly unpublished works, curated for the band by Woody’s daughter Nora Guthrie – they knew they needed to enter Woody’s musical world, an altogether new challenge for a band whose raw power had relied on searing electric guitars up until this point.

Dropkick Murphys and their longtime producer Ted Hutt aptly recorded This Machine Still Kills Fascists at The Church Studio in Tulsa (just a few minutes from Woody Guthrie’s birthplace, and the modern-day Woody Guthrie Center). The historic studio was founded by Leon Russell and was the original location of legendary Shelter Records. During the album sessions, Dropkick Murphys made a point to visit Woody’s hometown of Okemah and walk the same streets Woody walked. Retreating to Woody’s home state of Oklahoma to record the album had a powerful effect on the band and the creative process behind these songs. Ultimately, Dropkick Murphys had so much material based on Woody’s poignant lyrics that they recorded two albums, with Vol. 2 scheduled for release in 2023.

This Machine Still Kills Fascists also features guest vocal collaborations with alt country artist Nikki Lane (“Never Git Drunk No More,”) and Evan Felker from country roots group Turnpike Troubadours’ (“The Last One”).

The band will commence their rescheduled tour of the UK/Ireland in January 2023. Original tickets will be honoured, and the remainder is on sale now with full details below, including a rabble-rousing show at London’s SSE Arena on 21st January.

Dropkick Murphys – This Machine Still Kills Fascists band members are: Ken Casey (lead vocals), Tim Brennan (guitars, tin whistle, accordion, piano, vocals), Jeff DaRosa (guitars, banjo, mandolin, vocals), Matt Kelly (drums, percussion, and vocals), James Lynch (guitars and vocals), Kevin Rheault (bass).

Dropkick Murphys UK / Irish Tour Dates

January 2023

13 BELFAST Telegraph Building
14 DUBLIN 3Arena
16 NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE O2 City Hall
17 GLASGOW OVO Hydro
18 MANCHESTER O2 Victoria Warehouse
20 CARDIFF Motorpoint Arena
21 LONDON SSE Arena Wembley
22 BIRMINGHAM O2 Academy Birmingham

Xsnoize Author
Mark Millar is the founder of XS Noize and looks after the daily running of the website as well as hosting interviews for the weekly XS Noize Podcast. Mark's favourite album is Achtung Baby by U2.

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