Bruce Springsteen Joins the Dropkick Murphys on Boston Marathon Bombings Benefit CD
This week, Boston-based Celtic-punk band DropKick Murphys released a three-song EP to benefit the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. One song features Bruce Springsteen, who sought out the group in hours after the April 15 bombing.
"Our friend Bruce Springsteen joins us for a new version of 'Rose Tattoo,' featuring his vocals," the group says in a release at their website. The remaining songs are two live acoustic tracks recorded at the Gibson Showroom in Las Vegas, just four days after the bombing that killed three.
"Bruce actually called us up the day of the bombing and asked what he could do to help," Dropkick Murphys guitarist James Lynch told Springsteen fanzine Backstreets. "We didn't have to reach out. He was there for us."
"As soon as we figured out what we were going to do, Bruce went into the studio, recorded his parts and nailed them right away," frontman Ken Casey added.
Springsteen and the Dropkick Murphys have a previous relationship, with the New Jersey rocker guesting on their rendition of the Irish standard 'Peg O' My Heart' for their 2011 album 'Going Out in Style.' In addition, Springsteen has shared a stage with the group multiple times. According to Billboard, 'Badlands' is a regular part of the Dropkick Murphys set.
The Boss was supposed to be part of the announcement of the album, but a faulty cell phone connection left the group to make it on their own during a recent benefit concert.