DESCRIPTION:
THE WELCH BOYS are a five-piece street punk band from Boston featuring members of SLAPSHOT, THE BLUE BLOODS and TOXIC NARCOTIC.

Raised and bred on the many great Boston punk and hardcore bands, THE WELCH BOYS emerge with a sound that is a perfect mix of punk rock, Oi!, and east coast hardcore. They were formed in 2004 by guitarist, and founding member of The Blue Bloods, T.j. Welch. The lineup for their self-titled debut also includes seven-year Slapshot veteran Ed Lalli on vocals, Mark Powers on bass, P.j. Dionne on lead guitar and Ron Holbrook on drums.

The Welch Boys write short, catchy, and powerful songs that emphasize sing along choruses and aggressive guitar playing. They have a sound that is firmly rooted in the punk rock legacy of their hometown, yet unique enough to set themselves apart. Lyrically, they tackle a wide variety of subjects that convey the struggles of working class life all laced with an underlying core of hope and optimism.

In August of 2007, the band lost their drummer, Ron Holbrook, to complications from drug use. The band enlisted Steve Maffeo on drums to fill Ron's shoes and continued to soldier on with the release their second album Drinkin' Angry. The Welch Boys host an annual fundraiser in Ron's name to benefit his two young daughters. The 2nd Annual Ron Holbrook Benefit took place over two nights at Great Scott in Allston and included 15 of Boston's finest punk bands. The event raised nearly $4000 for Ron's daughters.

The Welch Boys line up changed again with the departure of Maffeo. The Welch Boys were then joined by Toxic Narcotic drummer, Sam Jodrey. The band's third album, set for release in 2012 will be the first to feature the current line up.