INTERVIEW: Mike McColgan talks about FM359

FM359 is a new project from some punk rock heavyweights, including current and former members of Street Dogs and Dropkick Murphys. I got a chance to exchange a quick email interview with singer Mike McColgan and learn a little bit more about the new band. 
 
Ramble and Roll: For those who have not heard about the new project or don't know many details, could you maybe say a little about the band, the music, and the members behind FM359?

Mike McColgan: FM359 is me, Johnny Rioux, Rick Barton, Halston Luna, Hugh Morrison and Pete Sosa. Musically the project is a folky keltic Americana romp. We had a lot of fun making this record. 
 

RR: Were there any factors aside from the Street Dogs hiatus that lead to forming FM359? 

 

MM: The hiatus was not the main reason for the formation of FM359. For quite some time me and Johnny had talked about doing another project beside Street Dogs and FM359 just happens to be said project. FM359 also just happened in a sense as it wasn't very planned. We all sat down and just wrote songs and tracked them straight away. There was no rehearsal of the songs prior to tracking. It just all happened very quickly and sometimes that is better than methodical preparation.

What would you say to someone who thinks that FM359 will just be a re-hash of the Street Dogs, considering that you guys have all collaborated before on the Street Dogs previous albums?

 

Well I would say that this project is completely different on a number of levels. Earlier I spoke of the quick and rapid nature of FM359 and Street Dogs is more rehearsed, planned and worked out etc. FM359 also showcases an amazing new guitar talent in our buddy Halston Luna who in a lot of ways unconsciously drove the project. Hugh Morrison our squeezebox player in FM359 takes on a more prominent role as well with the writing of three songs on the project. Sound wise , feel wise and direction wise I also feel like this project is much different than Street Dogs.

Any plans for more gigs or tours after the Pirate's Press anniversary celebration? Perhaps having some of you guys pulling double-duty on tour, like when the Street Dogs went on the road with Murder The Stout? 
 
It's safe to say FM359 will most likely do more dates in 2014 and that it is quite possible potentially at times that they may coincide with Street Dogs shows.

How has the hiatus from the Street Dogs and the pursuit of this side project benefited you as musicians?

Although that hiatus was quite shorter than we had anticipated it has in fact aided and abetted the writing and tracking of the FM359 project.
 

How did it feel working on material for something other than the Street Dogs? Was it a welcome change or did you have to make a conscious effort at writing something different?

It felt different for sure but at the same time not weird or too far out of my comfort zone. There also was no conscious effort whatsoever to write anything completely different than SD. As a lyric writer I respond to what the band plays. That is what occurred during the making of FM359 and it was also more spontaneous and less thought out. It was a very liberating process all in all.
 

What are some of the influences and themes you guys have tackled in writing these songs for FM359?
 

Truth, love, and liberty just like the title of the album. Those are the prevailing topics on the album. We cut down to the marrow of our bones on this one so to speak. This is deeply introspective and also a look out glass onto the streets in a sense as well.

If you only had one minute to pitch the full length to someone who had no prior knowledge of the band, what would you say to sell them on it?
 

Come lend your ears to a sonic,  folky walk down truth, love and liberty boulevard. As it is told by a handful of legitimate troubadours.You will not walk away disappointed. 

Now that the Street Dogs are back in the saddle, will we see more releases from FM359 in the future?

Both bands will release new material in the future.

To close, is there one thing you would like to leave our readers with that we have not touched upon yet?

Please give FM359 a listen and thank you for your time.

A downfall of email interviews is they're usually a little one-sided. For a more in depth talk with Mike McColgan, check out my buddy Nick's interview with him here.

Buy the FM359 7" at Pirates Press Records 

FM359 on Facebook