The Mighty Regis

Artist Information

Biography

"Sure to smack you in the face and have you loving every minute of it" (Paddyrock.com)

The Mighty Regis is a six member musical assault combining punk, folk and Celtic influences into an original, floor-stomping gut punch of a good time. Mixing traditional instrumentation (mandolin, accordion, tin whistle), scorching guitar and a crushing rhythm section with an unabashedly DIY/punk philosophy, TMR has built its loyal following one show at a time since 2007.

Starting in Los Angeles with a weekly residency at famed Molly Malone’s, this ragtag bunch have undergone various personnel changes and become stronger along the way. In both the pubs and the clubs, they have toured most of North America on their own, supporting other national acts and as part of Warped Tour 2010.

“They not only deliver, they practically gift wrap: superb guitar, rocking percussion, awe-inspiring vocals.” (Celtophilia)

Their 2007 debut ‘Co. Sligo’ made clear both their Celtic influence and penchant for wit. Their second and third releases ‘Another Nickel for the Pope’ (2008) and ‘21’ (2010) increasingly firmed up their punk foundation and true intent, landing on top 10 lists for both Paddyrock.com and Shite'n'Onions.com. Their audience grew right in step with their sound, and with the release of the 3-song ‘Walking Around Lucky EP’ (2011) TMR showed what it was truly capable of. In the growing sea of Celt/punk bands, they were starting to spread out and hone in on something truly original.

Opportunity on the opposite coast soon knocked for founder/vocalist Mike (Franky) O’Hara, and the remaining six found they were well-equipped and anxious to keep things rolling right along. So with the lineup of vocalist/lead guitarist Ben (Sarge) Wise, vocalist/rhythm guitarist/tin whistler Marypat (Ryan) Farrell, founder/mandolin player Brett (Gavin) Pearsons, accordion player Dave (Paddy) Goldstein, bass player Kiehl (Darby) Smit and drummer Mike (Mickey) McCurdy, this tight bunch are as focused as ever on spreading their gospel.

Favorites on the shite'n'onions podcast, the Scallywag show, Paddy Rock Vol.4 (with Mahones, Ramshackle Army, Whiskey of the Damned), and featured on Fuel, FuseTV and "Live! With Regis and Kelly", the Reege continue to impress, making lifelong fans and friends every stop along the way...and they’re coming for you next.

Instrumentation

Ben (Sarge) Wise - Vocals, Lead Guitar
Marypat (Ryan) Farrell - Vocals, Guitar, Tin Whistle
Brett (Gavin) Pearsons - Vocals, mandolin
Dave (Paddy) Goldstein - Accordion
Kiehl (Darby) Smit - Bass
Mike (Mickey) McCurdy - Drums

Discography

"Co. Sligo"
"Another Nickel For The Pope"
"21"
"Walking Around Lucky" (EP)

Official Website

http://www.themightyregis.com

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Last.fm
• MySpace
• YouTube
• Jango
• Uncleowen Records (Japan)
• iTunes
• Music Nation page

Audio

• Slugger O'Toole
  Listen   Download
• Walking Around Lucky
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• Scully Cap Mob
  Listen   Download
• Celtic Storm (2010)
  Listen   Download
• Paddy Don't Live In Hollywood
  Listen   Download

Lyrics

• Real Deal Irish
• Black Shamrock
• Reilly's Daughter...
• Murphy's Broken Heart
• 21 Patty Finn
• The Brothers Rafferty
• Me Mother Became A Werewolf
• Take Me Home
• Celtic Storm

Video

PADDY DON'T LIVE CLEAN HD

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Photo Gallery

Press

• The Mighty Regis is, well, mighty! [+ Show ]
  

  Sometimes you're in the mood for fisticuffs, and an old Irish trick to rile an opponent up is to off...Sometimes you're in the mood for fisticuffs, and an old Irish trick to rile an opponent up is to offer them milk at the bar. The other way is to slap some headphones on them and turn up The Mighty Regis -- a band that isn't afraid to pen a few songs about hard drinking and Irish pride.
  
  After cutting their teeth on Co. Sligo and Another Nickel For The Pope, the third and most recent album, 21, shows the band off in fine form. "Paddy Don't Live In Hollywood" has Franky McNorman leading the charge on vocals over punk-bred choruses. Gavin McLoud's mandolin raises the tide on "Celtic Storm", a high energy seaside yarn built on the foundation of a traditional Celtic melody. The remainder of the album winds through the familiar, but fun, territory that is Celtic Punk. The Mighty Regis reels back from the distorted guitars of their contemporaries Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly though, to show off the more traditional mandolin, tin whistle, and accordion.
  
  The band will be playing a free show at the Silverlake Lounge w/ Kinch, Sleep Maps and Mouse Kills Tiger on January 17th, so make sure to pick up a few pints of Guinness and the album 21 beforehand.

• Paddyrock.com's Review of "21" [+ Show ]
  

  The Mighty Regis are back with yet another release of smokin’ Celtic Rock release with their latest ...The Mighty Regis are back with yet another release of smokin’ Celtic Rock release with their latest ’21'. The Mighty Regis have finely tuned their sound both lyrically and with musicianship with each release they have put out over the years… which is very prevalent on their re-released versions of ‘Celtic Storm’ and ‘Brothers Rafferty’ from their previous releases on the albums “Another Nickel For The Pope” and “Co. Sligo“. THE MIGHTY REGIS ARE CELTIC ROCK!!!! If you enjoy the sounds of The Mahones, Flogging Molly, and the Pogues… you will love this release!!
  
  I do believe ’21' will not only be getting a ton of requests for airplay here at Paddy Rock, but will be at the top of our list of BEST Celtic Rock & Punk releases for 2010.

• Review: Mighty Regis @ Vans Warped Tour Toronto [+ Show ]
  

  Winner: The Most Surprising Performance Award! Whoa, where did these guys come from? Pure madnes...Winner: The Most Surprising Performance Award!
  
  Whoa, where did these guys come from?
  Pure madness!
  Enter accordion, banjo, and Blue Jays t-shirt.
  Welcome to my heart!
  
  Don't mind my surprise at your appearance at Warped Tour, more particularly the West 49 Stage.
  You kind of blew me away!
  With your crazy stage use and heavy choreography between each member AND their instruments.
  Wowza!
  
  Mighty Regis were definitely the shock of the day.
  Will I be checking them out again now that Warped has passed?
  HELLS YES!
  
  I'm Sarah. I do what I want.

• Schwindy's indie music spotlight: The Mighty Regis (21) [+ Show ]
  

  Let's play a little word association. Celtic punk. If you didn't think about particular bands, you p...Let's play a little word association. Celtic punk. If you didn't think about particular bands, you probably thought about music that features mandolin, tin whistle, maybe accordion. Well, The Mighty Regis is a Celtic punk band (originally from Sligo, now living in the LA area) that features the aforementioned instruments. It certainly has some similarities to bands like Flogging Molly and The Tossers. However, there is something different about this band. While other Celtic punk bands seem an equal mix of Celtic and punk, this is a band that highlights the punk and uses the Celtic as an accent in the music. Just listen to the guitar in "The Junkyard Dog and the Parlor Cat and tell me it doesn't bring Ramones to mind.
  The song with the greatest Celtic influence is "Those that Gone Before." This ballad features harmony vocals and tin whistle by Ryan O'Neill. It is significantly slower in tempo than the rest of the songs. It wouldn't surprise me at a live show to hear the band introduce this as its pretty song. this is the sort of song that, when you hear it performed live, you want to raise your pint glass and sway as you sing along.
  As on Another Nickel for the Pope, Ryan sings lead vocals on one song. I still find her voice really striking. It's a pretty voice backed by some punk attitude. Whenever I hear her voice, I wish someone could bottle that sweet-tough combination. But then the more I think about it, I'm glad no one has figured out a way to do that because it would make singers like Ryan O'Neill less rare.
  This album is a good follow-up to Another Nickel for the Pope. If you're already a fan of this band, 21 (available at CD Baby)will not disappoint you. If you don't know this band, but you like high-energy Celtic punk, go out and get this album. It will be a good warm-up for St. Paddy's, but I guarantee that won't be the only time you listen to this album.

• Album Review: The Mighty Regis - "21" [+ Show ]
  

  Celtcore is a hard genre to be in if you don’t like being compared to other bands. No matter what a ...Celtcore is a hard genre to be in if you don’t like being compared to other bands. No matter what a band sounds like, it will inevitably be compared to the Dropkick Murphys (if the band is on the punkier side), the Pogues (if it’s on the folkier side) or Flogging Molly (if it’s somewhere in between). A reviewer with more diverse tastes might even compare to the Tossers (for the folkier side) or the Real McKenzies (for bands that sway more Scottish than Irish). I’d be against these constant comparisons if most Celtcore bands didn’t fit so neatly into them.
  
  Then I heard the Mighty Regis playing the Kevin Says stage at Warped Tour. If ordered at gunpoint to make a comparison, I would have to say they’re closest to Flogging Molly (with whom the Mighty Regis are friends, and in fact started at Molly Malone’s, the LA pub where Flogging Molly also got their start and their name). However, the Mighty Regis manage to cut a unique sound from the now widespread blending of Irish and Scottish folk with punk. I can’t quite explain what makes them so unique (I guess it’s an x-factor kinda thing), but you can hear it for yourself on the band’s latest release, 21.
  
  The band doesn’t go for the diehard street punk vibe of Dropkick Murphys, staying more mellow and fun. The result is that this is a full-on party album instead of, well, whatever feeling the Murphys give people (for me, they just make me want to run around punching stuff). And unlike most albums by the Murphys or every album by their brethren Flogging Molly, there isn’t a single ballad on the album. The band never breaks down to just acoustic guitar and vocals with maybe some slight accordion or tin whistle. The closest the band gets is on the mid-tempo “Those That Gone Before” (to be fair, the song is just very light instrumentation and vocals for the first 45 seconds before the rest of the band kicks in) or the mostly instrumental closer “Jeni’s Whiskey.”
  
  In only 3 albums, the band seem to have mastered the delicate blend of instruments involved in Celtcore faster than other bands of the genre. Dropkick Murphys are set apart from other punk bands by the non-traditional use of folk elements. Flogging Molly modernize Irish folk by adding electric guitars. The Real McKenzies started as a punk band and added bagpipes as revenge to their heritage loving parents that dressed them in kilts in their youth. By contrast, the Mighty Regis make acoustic guitars and mandolins sound perfectly natural next to electric guitars. For good examples, see “Paddy Don’t Live In Hollywood,” “Celtic Storm,” and “The Junkyard Dog And The Parlor Cat” (on that last one, I didn’t even notice the mandolin the first time through).
  
  Overall, I think 21 straddles a fine line. Any previous fan of Celtcore should love the album, or at least fall on the more positive side of toleration. And I think most of my friends that don’t like Celtcore would be able to listen to it without wincing. Who knows, might even convert some of them to fans.
  
  Just for fun, here’s a video of the band playing Flogging Molly’s “The Worse Day Since Yesterday” with Molly’s own Matt Hensley on accordion.
  
  
  Side note: I didn’t mean to imply in that first paragraph that I don’t like Celtcore, but I feel like I came across as critical of the genre. I love Celtcore. I own several albums by the bands mentioned. I own both volumes of Shite & Onions and subscribe to the PaddyRock podcast. So I really do like Celtcore, I just feel like there’s not a lot of unique bands.
  
  Side note 2: I do see the oddness of starting the post complaining about comparisons and then spending the rest of the post comparing. What I meant in the first paragraph was comparisons composed of “they sound like...” Later on, I mentioned the other bands to show the relative differences of the Mighty Regis. That may not be any better, but at least I didn’t just say “the Mighty Regis sound like Flogging Molly.”

• Traditional and new, good and bad: The Mighty Regis and the So So Glos at Neon Reverb [+ Show ]
  

  Pretty modest crowd at March 11’s Neon Reverb Thunderbird Lounge showcase — the kind that can often ...Pretty modest crowd at March 11’s Neon Reverb Thunderbird Lounge showcase — the kind that can often dismay performers into half-assedness — and yet still, full-assedness was the trend.
  
  After a punky set from Oklahoma City’s The Boom Bang, all seven members of The Mighty Regis (”We’re an Irish band stuck in Los Angeles,” said frontman Frankie McNorman) packed the T-bird’s corner stage, sound-checking, brandishing acoustic, electric and bass guitars, mandolin, accordion and drums, before finally tearing into opener “Holy Heads Rolling,” a tight, rich, up-tempo Irish punk-lite original. “Paddy Don’t Live in Hollywood” came next, with its clean musical drop-outs during each sung delivery of the title phrase — a kind of fish-out-of-water lament, doubly melancholy after McNorman’s introduction. Stuck inside of SoCal with the Dublin blues again, and all that.
  
  
  The Mighty Regis only got more relaxed, more energetic as its set went on, eventually showing off some formidable shape-shifting in the form of a sudden key change (’80s/’00s rock fusion interlude) and accompanying wails from female backup vocalist/acoustic guitarist Ryan O’Neill, all culminating in an awesome, ripping blast on the downbeat to finish. At some point, O’Neill mentioned having lost her balls gambling, not having any balls left, and it now being “all smooth down there.” Maybe so, but it was her acoustic that really made that downbeat blast work, and her vocal movement from a high-note crack-squeak to a guttural growl showed a range not heard last night in McNorman.
  
  Even in 2010, this kind of music, this Irish trad-rock thing, still chugs along beautifully, all green and chewy when brought by bands like TMR. It’s not their fault the last decade’s over-playing of such stuff on dive bar jukeboxes by packs of swaying, thick-necked hooligans has cheapened the sound so.

• The Mighty Regis learn Indie lessons @ Warped Tour 2010 [+ Show ]
  

  The Celtic punk LA band The Mighty Regis were hanging out in the press tent and turns out we’re mutu...The Celtic punk LA band The Mighty Regis were hanging out in the press tent and turns out we’re mutual fans of Rev Peyton’s Big Dam Band, so we starting chatting.
  
  
  Frankie McNorman (Singer/acoustic guitar), Darby (Bass), Gavin (Mandolin), and Paddy (Accordion) gave me the lowdown on their group, the camaraderie of the fest, touring as an Indie band, and finding a label…
  
  Tell me about your band?
  Frankie: We are in our 4th year as a band. We are a punk-Celtic group that started in LA. We got our chops at the same place Flogging Molly started, at Molly Malone’s. We’ve been playing all over the area and some East Coast shows for 3 years and this is our first Warped Tour.
  
  Did you cats play the whole Warped Tour?
  Darby: We didn’t play the whole tour. We’re a do it yourself band, so we did the ones that were most financially viable. We financed it ourselves and have to do the whole thing, so we did the first 24-
  
  That’s a lot!
  Darby: It was crazy. We’re used to playing a show, and maybe 2 or 3 more that week, but with this, we’d play a show and the next day, we were in the next state. The weather was crazy…but the fans were out there dancing and the fans don’t care how long you drove, they just want to have a good time. That charges you up again.
  
  Makes it worth doing? So it’s the fans that keep you going?
  Gavin: No. Not at all. Oh, wait, is this recording? No, yeah, of course it’s the fans. That’s the great thing about Warped Tour. There are no other tours like it where fans get to meet the bands up close and personal. You know, we’re fans of bands here. We talk to people then invite them to go see Rev Peyton, Bouncing Souls, or someone like them with us. It’s great. It’s a great way to build your fan base and meet great people at the same time.
  
  And meet other bands too?
  Gavin: That’s one of the beneficial parts. It’s always been like a gateway tour, you know, somebody sees you out here and your playing, and they ask you to come support them, like Rev Peyton, and it’s amazing.
  
  Do you have any new releases?
  Gavin: Just before we went on Warped Tour we put out a record. “Twenty-One” came out 3 days before we started Warped. It’s our 3rd self released and we’re looking for a label, but a label that does something we can’t do ourselves. Seems like more and more labels, and the business, are doing less and less.
  
  That’s what I’ve heard.
  Gavin: If anyone is reading this though, it’s not that we don’t want to talk to you, we’re still looking!
  
  I just spoke to a band in Chicago and they said the label just basically pays for PR. I guess it will make you a stronger band if you know the groundwork?
  Paddy: It also makes you appreciative further on that someone is doing the work you used to do, because you understand and appreciate what they’re doing, so it keeps you humble. If we can do a tour like this on our own and survive it, we can do anything. Everything after this will be easy. They call this punk rock boot camp.
  
  Any last words?
  Paddy: Go see live music!
  Gavin: What is this “Almost Famous”
  Paddy: “I am a golden God”, what can I say?
  
  (Laughing) Awesome guys, thanks!

Setlist

ORIGINALS:
Black Shamrock
Slugger O'Toole
The Brothers Rafferty
Celtic Storm
Conroy's Pub
Get Drunk and Go Home
Paddy Don't Live In Hollywood
Rutland
Scully Cap Mob
Them Bastards
Walking Around Lucky
21 Patty Finn

COVERS:
Big Strong Man
Boys From The County Hell
Danny Boy
Dirty Old Town
Fairytale of New York
Legion of the Rear Guard
Reilly's Daughter/Irish Rover/Finnegan's Wake
Repeal of the Licensing Laws
Streams of Whiskey

Basic Requirements

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