Boiled in Lead

[1][2][3][14] Boiled in Lead has been hailed as a pioneering bridge between American rock and international music,[1] and a precursor to Gogol Bordello and other gypsy-punk bands.

Although the band recorded Scottish writer John Leyden's ballad "Lord Soulis" under the title "The Man Who Was Boiled in Lead" on their first album,[2] the band's name is actually taken from the murder ballad "The Two Sisters" as performed by folk group Clannad on their album Dúlamán, as well as the New Year's tradition in Nordic countries of molybdomancy, or casting molten lead into snow to foretell the future.

Miller, who grew up in Washington, D.C., was inspired by that city's hardcore punk scene to merge the energy and aggression of rock music with traditional folk.

[19] The first lineup, formed in 1983, included Miller, vocalist/guitarist Jane Dauphin, fiddle player Brian Fox, and a drum machine dubbed "Amos Box."

Second fiddler David Stenshoel and drummer Mitch Griffin joined in time for the band's first concert on St. Patrick's Day 1983 at the now-closed Goofy's Upper Deck in Minneapolis.

The band's first release was a 45-minute live cassette-only album, Boiled Alive, in 1984,[19] which Simon Jones of Folk Roots described as "mean, nasty, and hugely enjoyable.

[4] Dauphin and Griffin left in 1988, and percussionist Robin Adnan Anders joined, bringing an even more diverse range of world-music elements into play for the band's third album From the Ladle to the Grave.

Orb found Boiled in Lead exploring a wider range of traditional music styles than ever before, moving beyond Fairport Convention-influenced Celtic rock and adding material from Albania, Romania, Macedonia, Sweden, Appalachia, and Thailand.

In 2012, Boiled in Lead recorded a four-song EP, The Well Below, which included a cover of Appalachian folk singer Roscoe Holcomb's "Wedding Dress" as well as the band's take on Irish songwriter Christy Moore's murder ballad "The Well Below the Valley.

[1] The band has been honored with a star on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue,[34] recognizing performers that have played sold-out shows or have otherwise demonstrated a major contribution to the culture at the iconic venue.