Editing Street Dogs (section)

== History ==

In 1997, McColgan left Dropkick Murphys "to pursue a lifelong dream of becoming a firefighter for the [[Boston Fire Department]]." In 2002, McColgan decided he could no longer stay away from music and formed Street Dogs. They first recorded a seven song-demo, which feature McColgan along with his former Dropkick Murphys bandmate [[Jeff Erna]] on drums, Rob Guidotti on guitar and Bill Close on bass.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shitenonions.com/reviews_may03.htm |title=Shite'n'Onions |publisher=Shitenonions.com |accessdate=October 26, 2011}}</ref> They signed with CrossCheck Records in 2003,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.punknews.org/article/4606 |title=Street Dogs sign to CrossCheck |publisher=Punknews.org |accessdate=October 26, 2011}}</ref> with Michelle Paulhus now on bass. By the time they started recording their first album, they yet again had someone else on bass, this time [[Johnny Rioux]]. ''[[Savin Hill (album)|Savin Hill]]'' (which was produced by former [[The Mighty Mighty Bosstones|Mighty Mighty Bosstones]] member [[Nate Albert]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.punknews.org/article/5751 |title=Street Dogs Done Recording |publisher=Punknews.org |accessdate=October 26, 2011}}</ref> and featured guest appearances by [[Al Barr]] and [[Ken Casey]] from Dropkick Murphys) was a success and resulted in a supporting tour with [[Celtic punk]] band [[Flogging Molly]].

The band underwent a complete shuffle in 2004 when McColgan took a leave of absence from his firefighting career to devote time to recording and promoting their second album ''[[Back to the World (Street Dogs album)|Back to the World]]''. The Street Dogs at this time enlisted Marcus Hollar on [[lead guitar]], and expanded the range of their sound with the addition of rhythm guitarist Tobe Bean III. The drummer's spot was filled by Joe Sirois, formerly of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones.

Their second release, ''Back to the World'', proved to be even more of a success for the band. It was hailed critically in the United States, Europe and Japan and opened the doors to touring with [[Social Distortion]], [[Tiger Army]], [[Bad Religion]], [[Millencolin]] (in Europe), [[the Bouncing Souls]] (US and Japan) and [[the Briefs]]. The band also toured on the [[Warped Tour|Vans Warped Tour]] in the summer of 2005 and embarked on their first headlining tours in the US and Europe.

2006 saw more shows, both headlining and opening for the likes of [[Rancid (band)|Rancid]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.punknews.org/article/18709 |title=Punk News article 18709 |publisher=Punknews.org |accessdate=October 26, 2011}}</ref> [[the Adolescents]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.punknews.org/article/18256 |title=Punk News article 18256 |publisher=Punknews.org |accessdate=October 26, 2011}}</ref> and the Bouncing Souls.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.punknews.org/article/19044 |title=Punk News article 19044 |publisher=Punknews.org |accessdate=October 26, 2011}}</ref> Also in 2006, released their third album, ''[[Fading American Dream]]''. It was recorded earlier in the year with producer [[Ted Hutt]] (Flogging Molly, Madcap, the Bouncing Souls).

While on tour opening for Flogging Molly on February 27, 2007, show at the [[Sokol Auditorium]] in Omaha, NE, bass player Johnny Rioux collapsed on stage due to an apparent seizure. McColgan stopped the show and called for paramedics. At the start of the Flogging Molly set, lead singer [[Dave King (Irish singer)|Dave King]] dedicated the show to Johnny and announced that he was all right and would be well enough to play the next night in St. Louis. Following that tour, more dates came headlining as well as European shows.

In February 2008, it was announced that the Street Dogs signed on to [[Hellcat Records]]. Their fourth album, ''[[State of Grace (album)|State of Grace]]'', for Hellcat, which they started recording in early February 2008, once again with [[Ted Hutt]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.punknews.org/article/27732 |title=Street Dogs sign to Hellcat |publisher=Punknews.org  |accessdate=October 26, 2011}}</ref> was released on July 8, 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hell-cat.com/artists/artist/224/Street_Dogs |title=Hellcat Records – Artist – Street Dogs |publisher=Hell-cat.com |accessdate=October 26, 2011 |archive-date=September 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120904040447/http://www.hell-cat.com/artists/artist/224/Street_Dogs |url-status=dead }}</ref>

At recent shows, Street Dogs have been promoting [[Oxfam America]], a humanitarian organization fighting poverty and hunger. McColgan spoke to the crowd mid-set at the Bamboozle Festival in New Jersey in May 2008 about the organization while wearing an Oxfam T-shirt.
In support of ''State of Grace'', the band toured at the [[Vans]] Warped Tour 2008 as a main stage act. Following their Warped tour stint, the group set out on their successful fall State Of Grace headlining tour and then went to Europe for the European Eastpak Antidote tour.
[[File:Streetdogslive.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Street Dogs performing in 2009]]
The band released their fifth album, ''[[Street Dogs (album)|Street Dogs]]'', on August 31, 2010<ref>{{cite web|url=https://id34111.securedata.net/street-dogs.com/merchantmanager/index.php |title=Street Dogs Merch |publisher=Id34111.securedata.net |date=November 10, 2006 |accessdate=October 26, 2011}}</ref> on Hellcat Records.

On February 21, 2011, the band performed at an acoustic show with [[Tom Morello]], [[Tim McIlrath]], [[Wayne Kramer]], and [[Ike Reilly]] in [[Madison, Wisconsin]], in support of [[2011 Wisconsin budget protests|the ongoing protests]] against [[Scott Walker (politician)|Gov. Scott Walker's]] proposed Budget Repair Bill.

In March 2011, the Street Dogs announced a five-week stint on the 2011 [[Warped Tour|Vans Warped Tour]], from June 24 until July 30. This would be their third time on the tour, after 2005 and 2008. After the Warped Tour, the band planned a European festival tour in August, and then Australia and Japan in October.

The band embarked on the nine date ''Sham Rock-N-Roll Festival'' in September 2011 where they were the co-headlining act for the Dropkick Murphys. Other than appearances on various Warped Tour lineups, this was the first time McColgan toured with his former band since quitting thirteen years earlier. McColgan would even join the Dropkick Murphys onstage for performances of such songs as "Barroom Hero" and "Far Away Coast" from the ''Do or Die'' album.<ref>http://www.absolutepunk.net/printthread.php?t=2359562 {{dead link|date=March 2020}}</ref>

In an interview with ''[[AMP (magazine)|AMP]]'', Johnny Rioux was asked about a new album from the street dogs. Rioux said, "We want to do a labor standard solo record with Mike, release the large number of B-sides with the records they were recorded for, mix our live in Boston DVD and record, prepare for our first trip to Australia, return to Japan, get back into some Celtic festivals, and just be happy and grateful people are still loyal after almost 10 years."

On November 26, 2012, McColgan wrote on the band's Facebook account that starting January 1, 2013, Street Dogs would be taking a break from recording and touring, but he assured fans that the band was not breaking up.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/streetdogs/posts/10151257059428629  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/8845658628/10151257059428629 |archive-date=February 26, 2022 |url-access=limited|title=Street Dogs – Starting January 1 Street Dogs will be... |website=Facebook.com |accessdate=March 28, 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Later that day, Tobe Bean announced that he would no longer be a touring member of Street Dogs, but he will "always be a Street Dog".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/streetdogs/posts/10151257065198629  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/8845658628/10151257065198629 |archive-date=February 26, 2022 |url-access=limited|title=Street Dogs – Where to even begin?! I usually find myself... |website=Facebook.com |accessdate=March 28, 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In February 2013, it was announced that McColgan and Rioux would form a side project with original Dropkick Murphys member Rick Barton called FM359. In March, it was announced their break from touring would be ending in July when they tour Europe.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.punknews.org/article/50862/tours-street-dogs-europe |title=Tours: Street Dogs (Europe) |date=March 7, 2013 |accessdate=March 15, 2013 }}</ref> In March, McColgan mentioned that the band would exclusively work with the Pirates Press Records label in the future, and they planned to release a 7-inch single, a live album, and a DVD. He also mentioned that the band was hoping to get Lenny Lashley from Darkbuster to replace Bean on guitar, and on April 9 the Street Dogs Facebook page announced that Lashley had officially joined the group. They also announced their next single, "[[Crooked Drunken Sons]]", a song named after their annual tour, which will be released on [[Record Store Day]] 2013. Another single, "Rustbelt Nation", followed a month later.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://street-dogs.com/wp-content/uploads/news-2-V2.jpg |title=Two New Releases This Spring |accessdate=March 18, 2013 }}</ref> Later in the year, Hollar was replaced by Matt Pruitt ([[Have Nots]]).

Members Mike McColgan, Johnny Rioux and Pete Sosa started a side project called FM359 with former Dropkick Murphys guitarist [[Rick Barton (musician)|Rick Barton]], Street Dogs collaborator Hugh Morrison and Halston Luna. The group, which has an [[Americana (music)|Americana]] sound, released their debut album ''Truth, Love and Liberty'' in January 2014. In April, on Record Store Day 2014, they released a split EP with Noi!se.

On June 22, 2018, the band released their sixth album, the first in eight years, ''[[Stand for Something or Die for Nothing]]''. McColgan said of the album, "
"The dumbing down of America is a reason to write songs in 2018. The theme is wake the fuck up and the working class needs to unite across all colors, creeds, nationalities, genders and realize that we are being pitted against each other by snake oil salesmen and autocrats."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.readjunk.com/news/music/street-dogs-announce-new-album-stand-for-something-or-die-for-nothing/ |title=Street Dogs Announce New Album ''Stand for Something or Die for Nothing'' |website=ReadJunk.com |date=April 18, 2018 |accessdate=March 28, 2020}}</ref>

On February 13, 2020, via the band's [[Facebook]] page, McColgan and Rioux announced the group was disbanding after 17 years. The final round of shows was expected to include a small St. Patrick's Day tour with [[Flogging Molly]] and [[Mad Caddies]] as well as two headlining shows, one in Long Beach, California, on March 16, and their final show to be announced in their hometown of Boston. However on March 12, the band announced the cancellation of the Long Beach show alongside Flogging Molly's cancellation of their tour due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10158027074083629&id=8845658628 {{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=March 2022}}</ref><ref>https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10158109262308629&id=8845658628 {{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=March 2022}}</ref>

A shock to many, on July 13, 2024, via the band's Instagram page, Street Dogs hinted towards something being announced the following week. On July 17, 2024, the band would be announced as the replacement for [[Sick of It All]] for the Saturday date of [[NOFX]]'s final Massachusetts appearances. Additionally, Street Dogs played a club show on August 8, 2024 at [[The Middle East (nightclub)|The Middle East]] in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]] as a way to warm up the weekend towards the festival show. This marked the first time the band has played together since 2020. On March 28, 2025, the band announced the ''Street Dogs Forever'' European tour from June to July 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.instagram.com/p/DHwVoKvyiph/ |title=STREET DOGS “Forever“ European Tour 2025 |website=instragram.com |date=March 28, 2025 |accessdate=March 28, 2025}}</ref>