SINGLE REVIEW: MICK O’TOOLE- ‘False Flag Collapse’ (2016)

No egos, no divas just working class men having a good time.

Back in 2012 in the deepest darkest Shire, Wiltshire in a town called Calne a bunch of mates came together and feeling bored with heavy metal decided to get a celtic punk band together. They called themselves Mick O’Toole. Named from a character in a song from fellow celtic-punk local legends The Boys Of County Hell who have been the major inspiration for the band along with likes of The Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, Gogol Bordello and The Pogues not to mention many other great punk bands such as The Clash, The Sex Pistols,The Adverts and Rancid. Mick O’Toole’s great sound comes from combining the ethos of punk with traditional folk music. With their first EP ‘Deep In Cider’ they set the benchmark sky high but managed to outdo even that with the release last year of ‘1665 Pitchfork Rebellion’ and it has shaken the celtic-punk world. Going on to claim EP of the year at both Celtic Folk Punk And More (here) and us as well (here) in our ‘Best Of 2015’ list. With hundreds of gigs behind them including blowing down the house at the London Celtic Punks New Years Eve bash in Camden the bhoys have but one goal. To keep making music that brings people together for a good ole knees up and a grand old sing along. They showcased this new single at that gig and it went down super well. Have a listen via the Bandcamp player below or the YouTube video above and I’m sure you will agree. Fast, furious, folky punky fun with a serious message of unity. The story goes that the inspiration for the song was hearing Johnny Rotten sticking it to the man while being interviewed by Jon Snow for the Channel 4 news programme.

‘Vile, nonsense, stupidity, lying and deceit. Modern politicians right now are uneducated morons and over privileged. Really bloody learn to love each other properly cause you only get one go at it”
-John Lydon

“Come gather round people politicians are preaching

The white Collars heating the fire of fearing

To scare us to war to fight for meaning

That wide open eyes have trouble in seeing

So black out your senses and all of your feelings

Let hatred immerse leave sympathy hidden

Yeah you boys and girls and people of ages

Hate on our neighbours for different agendas

We will go to war We will kill them all

It makes no sense at all But we still go to war

So why don’t we question what we’re told

When we fall like trees to the authorities

They’ll take what they want They’ll use all they need

Cut us wide open for their pleasure and greed

They abuse us, they use us, they tear us apart

Turn the lights off so we can’t see in the dark

We’re pawns in their games they use us to shield their comfortable lives as we die in the fields

We’re all brothers and sisters, we’re daughters and sons, fathers and mothers we all come from one

So why aren’t we all at peace

It’s time to take back the world that is ours

Let’s parade through the street and party all hours

Let’s refuse to conform to the hierarchy of old

We’re all this together no more us against the world

Load up guns and sharpen knives Strap bombs to yourself your kids and your wives

The powers have spoken and we have forgotten

That we’re here to love not for death and destruction”

Mick O’Toole at The 100 Club, January 2016

Special guest vocals on the track are supplied by the Jamie Oliver of the UK Subs and was recorded, mixed and mastered by George Lever at G1 Production. Extra instruments and writing credits go to ex-O’Toole and all round top fella Johnny ‘Reprobate’ Edwards. Yet another great track from Mick O’Toole and the news we have all been wanting to hear from them is that they will be hitting the recording studio again soon and with several of the celtic-punk scene’s most favoured bands set to have 2016 album releases I am certain Mick O’Tooles will rival any of them for the Best Of 2016!

Contact The Band

Facebook Bandcamp ReverbNation YouTube Twitter

Buy The EP

FromTheBand– only £1!!!

you can watch this interview we done with the O’Toole lads a while back here.