The Mahones have been playing their own brand of Celtic punk for 20 years and are starting to see success from it including legions of dedicated fans, numerous albums and even a shout out in an Oscar winning movie.
“Our song ’Paint The Town Red,’ is in the Oscar winning movie ‘The Fighter,’ and the manager in the film even shouts ‘Paint The Town Red’ by The Mahones,” enthused Mahones frontman Finny McConnell taking a quick tour break in Prince Albert. They will be playing the Slice, March 9.
“ So we’re pretty happy about it. We didn’t expect it, so we’re stoked,” he continued adding he is just as excited about the band’s tenth (sixth studio) CD “The Black Irish” which features guests like Ian Blurton of C’mon and Change of Heart, members of Billy Talent, Big Wreck and the Tragically Hip plus Scruffy Wallace and Rick Barton from the Dropkick Murphys, one of many bands to follow in the Mahones Celtic punk footsteps.
The Cd is a mix of classic Celtic punk, lots of drinking songs, some tender ballads and a version of the Replacements “Here Comes a Regular.”
“In your 40s you start to look back on your life while in your 20s you are looking forward. I’m a storyteller, so I’m starting to remember all of these stories,” said McConnell, pointing out one of the songs is about spending three days drinking with the Pogues’ Shane McGowan on “ A Great Night on the Lash.”
The Mahones even get political on “The Blood is on Your Hands.”
“I wrote a song for all of the soldiers who have passed away . It’s wondering how politicians who send them tell the families of these kids. The politicians just don’t know,” he said adding he also shows his sensitive side on “Girl With The Galway Eyes.”