YOUTH CORRESPONDENT
I'm standing outside a big, black tour bus.
It's starting to rain. I begin to worry because I'm wearing a white shirt.
Suddenly, the door opens, and I get the OK to walk up. I shake hands with the tour manager, who tells me to sit down. He introduces me to accordion player Matt Hensley, the member of Flogging Molly whom I'll be interviewing.
I sit down and pull out my notebook. Drummer George Schwindt sits in the corner making a phone call, and Hensley stands to get another drink and to make a sandwich.
Lead singer and songwriter Dave King walks past me and down the stairs, out of the bus, followed by fiddler Bridget Regan.
At last, Hensley sits across from me, and I take a deep breath, ready to begin the interview.
I'll bet you get this one a lot, but here it goes: How'd you come up with the name Flogging Molly?
Yeah, I do get that one a lot. We played a bar called Molly Malone's so much that Dave said we flogged it to death.
What's it like being back on the Warped Tour?
It's a lot of fun--a lot of fun. It's that easy. It's easy for the band, just a lotta fun.
Not too long ago, two of my friends and I dressed up like pirates and drove around blasting "Swagger." What's your opinion on pirates?
[Laughs] I like pirates. I liked "Pirates of the Caribbean"--it was [flippin'] genius. It's just further proof that Johnny Depp is a [flippin'] genius.
Where's one place you'd never want to tour again?
I don't know. I don't have an answer; I've never toured any place that [screwed] up. Plus I'd just be kicking myself, because we'd end up having to go back there, and they'd be upset that we were talking [badly] about their town.
Is songwriting a hard process for you?
Personally, yeah. I'm not gifted with the gab. You'd probably have to ask Dave; he's the principal songwriter. To write music, I have to be in a certain zone.
I mean, I'm just an accordion player. But I've never written lyrics that were worth a [thing].
A friend of mine says that Guinness tastes like liquid wood. What would you say to him?
Your friend's a jackass and should be shot on sight.
Well, OK. What's your favorite movie?
"Raising Arizona." I mean, have you ever seen the whole thing? It's one of the finest [flippin'] films. I love the Coen Brothers, like with "The Big Lebowski" and stuff. It's just genius.
If you were to write a rock opera, what would it be about?
A rock opera? [laughs] Wow, I have no idea.
George Schwindt: Attila the Hun!
Matt Hensley: Yeah, sure, Attila the Hun.
Why Attila the Hun?
GS: Because he had a meeting with Pope Leo, and no one knows whatever happened. All we know is that he didn't take over Europe, but no one knows exactly what happened. It's one of history's greatest mysteries! And you can quote me on that!
MH: [laughs] Yeah, OK. That's definitely a [flippin'] George-influenced answer, but I'll take it. Attila the Hun.
There's a line in the song "The Ol' Beggar's Bush" about dancing on someone's grave. Would you ever actually dance on someone's grave?
Well, it's just metaphoric.
Because I know that Johnny Rotten [micturated] on the grave of an old teacher, and I thought that was a little extreme.
[Laughs] Yeah, well, that is extreme. But you know what? Johnny Rotten's an extreme [person], so I'm not surprised.
What's the best thing about being a musician?
You can dedicate yourself to an art. And, you know, music's an international language, you don't have to know one specific language to understand it. We put smiles on people's faces, and that feels good.
The worst?
I'm away from my loved ones--my wife, my son--for months on end. It's a lonely [flippin'] long road. I mean, it gets your mind off it when you're up on stage, when you're performing, but after that hour and a half, what do you come back to? A tour bus, a little bed where you sleep alone every night. I mean, that's not home.
It can be very lonely. We pay a bigger price than the average person thinks. But I love it. I love that we put smiles on people's faces--that makes it worth it.
If you lost your hand in a bizarre fishing accident, what would you want it replaced with and why?
Oh. My God. [laughs] What kind of question is--umm. I have no idea. I guess another hand, so I coulduhhave my handagain.
OK, that about does it for me. Thanks for taking the time for this.
Really, that's it? Ah, it was no problem. I'll say, you had some questions I had never heard before. You're very good at the whole question thing.
After shaking his hand, I walk out of the bus and make my way through the parking lot. Grinning from ear to ear, I enter the gates.
It was a good day.
EMMA RICHARDSON is a freshman at Virginia Commonwealth University.