Dicky Barrett
Encyclopedia
Richard Michael Barrett (born June 22, 1964), better known as Dicky Barrett, is the frontman of Ska punk
band The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
, and the announcer for Jimmy Kimmel Live
. Barrett is known for his distinctive loud, gravelly voice.
, Barrett attended Norwood Junior High School and Xaverian Brothers High School
in Massachusetts
. He left Xaverian Brothers High School
and went on to Norwood Senior High Norwood, MA and later Bunker Hill Community College
where he met Bosstones drummer Joe Sirois
. He now lives in Los Angeles. He has mentioned that he is the illegitimate brother of ESPN's Bill Simmons and that he is an Irish Catholic
.
bands Cheapskates, Toxic Toast (as mentioned in Michael Patrick MacDonald
's book "Easter Rising: An Irish American Coming Up from Under"), and Impact Unit.
Barrett has spent the majority of his musical career playing with the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. He appeared on eight full-length albums, three EPs and a live album with the Bosstones, as well as touring continuously throughout the world, until the band's announcement of a hiatus in December 2003. The band's 1997 release, Let's Face It
, would prove to be the band's biggest break, mostly due to the first single "The Impression That I Get
," which charted at number one on the Billboard charts. The band's latest full length album entitled Pin Points and Gin Joints
was released in 2009.
In 2003, Barrett began working on an untitled solo album. The album was said to be a radical departure from the ska-core sound made popular by the Bosstones. Barrett was quoted as saying that the album will be "more somber, darker". Fellow Bosstone, Lawerence Katz, was said to be assisting Barrett with the recording of the album. However there has been no further mention of the album, and its uncertain whether the album will be released.
Barrett has also made guest appearances on tracks from The Unseen, No Use For A Name
, Rancid
, H2O
, Clowns for Progress, the Stubborn All-Stars
, The Gaslight Anthem
, The Briggs
and local Boston band Darkbuster
.
Barrett appeared on two Brain Failure
tracks, which are featured on their split entitled "Beijing to Boston" with Big D and the Kids Table
.
Barrett had guest vocals on the Street Dogs
song "Justifiable Fisticuffs" from their first album Savin Hill
, on The Gaslight Anthem
song "The Patient Ferris Wheel" from their album The '59 Sound
, and on "Charge Into The Sun" from The Briggs
' album Come All You Madmen
. Also H2O
songs "Force Field" and "Faster Than The World" from their 1999 album F.T.T.W.
, as well as Rancid
's song "Cash, Culture and Violence" on their album Life Won't Wait
.
Barrett announced that the 10th official Hometown Throwdown, will occur between the 26th-30 December 2007 at Cambridge's famed Middle East
. Barrett also confirmed that the Bosstones would be joining him. He seemed unwilling to confirm any long-term plans for the band. Aside from the 10th Throwdown, he performed with the rest of the Bosstones on New Year's Eve
2007 in Providence, RI.
The Bosstones returned to the recording studio to record three new songs, which were included with unreleased material and vinyl b-sides on a collection titled Medium Rare released on December 18, 2007.
radio's Indie 103.1 FM
from 2005 until his firing on March 22, 2006, under mysterious circumstances.
He has been a regular on three of Boston
's rock
stations: WAAF, WBCN, and WFNX
.
In 2005, it was rumoured in that Barrett would be Howard Stern
's replacement at heritage rock station WBCN.
On the April 13th, 2009 episode of The Adam Carolla Podcast, Dicky Barrett was Adam's guest. Over the years, he has also been a regular guest on Adam's former show, Loveline
.
He was a guest on Bill Simmons' The B.S. Report Podcast on December 8, 2009 with Cousin Sal and Super Dave Osborne.
show Bus No 9. He also has a cameo role in the film Home of Phobia which was screened at the Sundance Film Festival
While Barrett was with the Bosstones he performed on several television shows, including Saturday Night Live
, The Jon Stewart Show
, as well as Sesame Street
's Elmopalooza
. Also, he and the rest of the Bosstones appeared in the film Clueless.
Barrett portrays a prison inmate in the unreleased 1999 film Big Helium Dog
.
After the Bosstones went on hiatus Barrett became the announcer for ABC
's Jimmy Kimmel Live
in 2004.
Barrett has also done voice-over
work for Minoriteam
and appears in the documentary film American Hardcore
. He has appeared on an episode of Criss Angel
's Mind Freak. As well he portrayed rock
pioneer Bill Haley
in the miniseries Shake, Rattle, and Roll: An American Love Story.
, who writes the Monroe feature.
Ska punk
Ska punk is a fusion music genre that combines ska and punk rock. It achieved its highest level of commercial success in the United States in the late 1990s. Ska-core is a subgenre of ska punk, blending ska with hardcore punk.The characteristics of ska punk vary, due to the fusion of contrasting...
band The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are an American ska punk band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1983. Since the band's inception, lead vocalist Dicky Barrett, bassist Joe Gittleman, tenor saxophonist Tim "Johnny Vegas" Burton and dancer Ben Carr have remained constant members...
, and the announcer for Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios...
. Barrett is known for his distinctive loud, gravelly voice.
Personal life
Born in Providence, Rhode IslandProvidence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, Barrett attended Norwood Junior High School and Xaverian Brothers High School
Xaverian Brothers High School
Xaverian Brothers High School , founded in 1963 by the Xaverian Brothers, is a private, Catholic secondary school for boys on a campus in Westwood, Massachusetts. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston....
in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. He left Xaverian Brothers High School
Xaverian Brothers High School
Xaverian Brothers High School , founded in 1963 by the Xaverian Brothers, is a private, Catholic secondary school for boys on a campus in Westwood, Massachusetts. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston....
and went on to Norwood Senior High Norwood, MA and later Bunker Hill Community College
Bunker Hill Community College
Bunker Hill Community College is a two-year community college located in Charlestown, Boston, Massachusetts. It is an urban campus with over 10,000 students. Six in ten students are people of color and more than half of all students are women. There are 650 international students attending BHCC;...
where he met Bosstones drummer Joe Sirois
Joe Sirois
Joe Sirois is an American drummer who played with The Mighty Mighty Bosstones from 1991 until their hiatus in 2003. He also played drums for the Boston based band Street Dogs from 2004 to 2007 when he reunited with the Bosstones....
. He now lives in Los Angeles. He has mentioned that he is the illegitimate brother of ESPN's Bill Simmons and that he is an Irish Catholic
Irish Catholic
Irish Catholic is a term used to describe people who are both Roman Catholic and Irish .Note: the term is not used to describe a variant of Catholicism. More particularly, it is not a separate creed or sect in the sense that "Anglo-Catholic", "Old Catholic", "Eastern Orthodox Catholic" might be...
.
Music
Prior to his association with the Bosstones, Barrett played in the local Boston areaGreater Boston
Greater Boston is the area of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts surrounding the city of Boston. Due to ambiguity in usage, the size of the area referred to can be anywhere between that of the metropolitan statistical area of Boston and that of the city's combined statistical area which includes...
bands Cheapskates, Toxic Toast (as mentioned in Michael Patrick MacDonald
Michael Patrick MacDonald
Michael Patrick MacDonald is an Irish-American activist against crime and violence and author of his memoir, All Souls: A Family Story From Southie. Since being involved in activism, he helped to start Boston's gun-buyback program, founded the South Boston Vigil Group, which works with survivor...
's book "Easter Rising: An Irish American Coming Up from Under"), and Impact Unit.
Barrett has spent the majority of his musical career playing with the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. He appeared on eight full-length albums, three EPs and a live album with the Bosstones, as well as touring continuously throughout the world, until the band's announcement of a hiatus in December 2003. The band's 1997 release, Let's Face It
Let's Face It
Let's Face It is an album by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. It was released on March 11, 1997 by Mercury Records. This album sold very well due to the success of its single "The Impression That I Get", which reached #1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. Also faring well were the album's...
, would prove to be the band's biggest break, mostly due to the first single "The Impression That I Get
The Impression That I Get
"The Impression That I Get" is a song by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and the lead single from their 1997 studio album Let's Face It. It is the band's most successful and popular song. The track reached #1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and #23 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart. In...
," which charted at number one on the Billboard charts. The band's latest full length album entitled Pin Points and Gin Joints
Pin Points and Gin Joints
Pin Points and Gin Joints is the eighth studio album by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, which was released on December 8, 2009. It is their first album of all new material in seven years, since the release of A Jackknife to a Swan in 2002, the longest gap between albums in The Mighty Mighty Bosstones'...
was released in 2009.
In 2003, Barrett began working on an untitled solo album. The album was said to be a radical departure from the ska-core sound made popular by the Bosstones. Barrett was quoted as saying that the album will be "more somber, darker". Fellow Bosstone, Lawerence Katz, was said to be assisting Barrett with the recording of the album. However there has been no further mention of the album, and its uncertain whether the album will be released.
Barrett has also made guest appearances on tracks from The Unseen, No Use For A Name
No Use for a Name
No Use for a Name is a punk rock band from San Jose, California, United States formed in 1987 by Chris Dodge , Steve Papoutsis , Rory Koff and John Meyers...
, Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
, H2O
H2O (American band)
-Prologue:Prior to the formation of H2O, in the early-mid-1980s, Todd Morse and Rusty Pistachio were part of the speed punk band "Roadside Petz". This band featured Wayne Williams on drums...
, Clowns for Progress, the Stubborn All-Stars
Stubborn All-Stars
Stubborn All-Stars are a New York City ska band led by King Django, front man of Skinnerbox and owner of Stubborn Records.By early 1994, Django's original ska roots began to tug at him, and he assembled Stubborn All-Stars for a studio session which resulted in the 4-song Old's Cool 7" EP...
, The Gaslight Anthem
The Gaslight Anthem
The Gaslight Anthem is an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, consisting of Brian Fallon , Alex Rosamilia , Alex Levine and Benny Horowitz...
, The Briggs
The Briggs
The Briggs are a punk rock band based out of Los Angeles, California. The Band Formed in 1999 under the name "I Decline" by brothers Joey and Jason LaRocca and bassist Matthew Stolarz . In 2001, with the addition of drummer Chris Arredondo the band adopted the name The Briggs...
and local Boston band Darkbuster
Darkbuster
Darkbuster is a punk rock band hailing from Boston, Massachusetts, known largely for their songs about the joys of heavy drinking, which have earned them a strong following in the American Northeast....
.
Barrett appeared on two Brain Failure
Brain Failure
Brain Failure is a punk rock band that is based in Beijing, China. The band's music is influenced by bands such as The Clash and Rancid. Their lyrical subject matter covers politics and personal politics. They have toured with Dropkick Murphys, The Business, and The Unseen from Boston,...
tracks, which are featured on their split entitled "Beijing to Boston" with Big D and the Kids Table
Big D and the Kids Table
Big D and the Kids Table is a ska punk band formed in October 1995 in Allston, Massachusetts when its members converged in college. Their first release was on their own Fork In Hand Records label, but have since teamed with Springman Records and SideOneDummy...
.
Barrett had guest vocals on the Street Dogs
Street Dogs
Street Dogs are a punk rock band originally from Boston, Massachusetts. The band's current line-up includes Mike McColgan, former lead singer of Dropkick Murphys, Johnny Rioux, Marcus Hollar, Tobe Bean III and Paul Rucker.-History:...
song "Justifiable Fisticuffs" from their first album Savin Hill
Savin Hill
Savin Hill is the first album by punk band Street Dogs. This is the first new material featuring lead singer Mike McColgan since he quit Dropkick Murphys in 1998...
, on The Gaslight Anthem
The Gaslight Anthem
The Gaslight Anthem is an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, consisting of Brian Fallon , Alex Rosamilia , Alex Levine and Benny Horowitz...
song "The Patient Ferris Wheel" from their album The '59 Sound
The '59 Sound
The '59 Sound is the second studio album by The Gaslight Anthem, released on August 19, 2008 on SideOneDummy Records.In December 2008, eMusic named The '59 Sound the best album of 2008. NME rated it as the 47th best album of the year...
, and on "Charge Into The Sun" from The Briggs
The Briggs
The Briggs are a punk rock band based out of Los Angeles, California. The Band Formed in 1999 under the name "I Decline" by brothers Joey and Jason LaRocca and bassist Matthew Stolarz . In 2001, with the addition of drummer Chris Arredondo the band adopted the name The Briggs...
' album Come All You Madmen
Come All You Madmen
Come All You Madmen is the fourth album from Los Angeles-based punk rock band The Briggs. The album was released June 17, 2008 through SideOneDummy Records and was produced by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones' Joe Gittleman , as with their previous album Back to Higher Ground.-Track Listing :#"Madmen"...
. Also H2O
H2O
H2O is the chemical formula for water and is also used as an abbreviation for the word "water". H2O or H2O It may also refer to:* H2O , a punk band**H2O , their self-titled debut album...
songs "Force Field" and "Faster Than The World" from their 1999 album F.T.T.W.
F.T.T.W.
F.T.T.W. is the title of the third album released by H2O. It was released on May 18, 1999. It is their second of two albums to be released on Epitaph Records before they moved to MCA Records....
, as well as Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
's song "Cash, Culture and Violence" on their album Life Won't Wait
Life Won't Wait
Life Won't Wait is the fourth studio album by the American punk rock band Rancid. It was released on June 30, 1998 through Epitaph Records. It was released as the follow-up to ...And Out Come the Wolves .-Musical style and lyrics:...
.
Barrett announced that the 10th official Hometown Throwdown, will occur between the 26th-30 December 2007 at Cambridge's famed Middle East
The Middle East (nightclub)
The Middle East is a live music venue, bar and restaurant in the Central Square area of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Having featured a huge variety of musicians since 1987, the establishment, with its upstairs and downstairs rooms, "is the nexus of metro Boston's rock-club scene for local and touring...
. Barrett also confirmed that the Bosstones would be joining him. He seemed unwilling to confirm any long-term plans for the band. Aside from the 10th Throwdown, he performed with the rest of the Bosstones on New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
2007 in Providence, RI.
The Bosstones returned to the recording studio to record three new songs, which were included with unreleased material and vinyl b-sides on a collection titled Medium Rare released on December 18, 2007.
Radio
Barrett became the host of his own radio show, the "Mighty Morning Show" on Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
radio's Indie 103.1 FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
from 2005 until his firing on March 22, 2006, under mysterious circumstances.
He has been a regular on three of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
's rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
stations: WAAF, WBCN, and WFNX
WFNX
WFNX is a New England commercial alternative rock radio station. The station began broadcasting on Monday, April 11, 1983. It was one of the first American commercial stations to play alternative rock and has become a leading radio station for breaking new alternative music.WFNX broadcasts on 101.7...
.
In 2005, it was rumoured in that Barrett would be Howard Stern
Howard Stern
Howard Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
's replacement at heritage rock station WBCN.
On the April 13th, 2009 episode of The Adam Carolla Podcast, Dicky Barrett was Adam's guest. Over the years, he has also been a regular guest on Adam's former show, Loveline
Loveline
Loveline is a syndicated radio call-in program in North America, offering medical and relationship advice to listeners, often with the assistance of guests, typically actors and musicians. Its flagship station is KROQ-FM in Los Angeles....
.
He was a guest on Bill Simmons' The B.S. Report Podcast on December 8, 2009 with Cousin Sal and Super Dave Osborne.
On screen
In the mid-1990s, Barrett appeared as a bus driver on the NickelodeonNickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
show Bus No 9. He also has a cameo role in the film Home of Phobia which was screened at the Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
While Barrett was with the Bosstones he performed on several television shows, including Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
, The Jon Stewart Show
The Jon Stewart Show
The Jon Stewart Show was a short-lived talk show hosted by comedian Jon Stewart on MTV. It premiered in 1993 and became the second highest-rated program on the network behind Beavis and Butt-Head....
, as well as Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
's Elmopalooza
Elmopalooza
Elmopalooza is a Sesame Street special that aired on ABC on February 20, 1998.-About the show:The show is a musical, featuring performances from guests Jon Stewart, David Alan Grier, Rosie O' Donnell, Gloria Estefan, En Vogue, The Fugees, Kenny Loggins, Shawn Colvin, Jimmy Buffett, and The Mighty...
. Also, he and the rest of the Bosstones appeared in the film Clueless.
Barrett portrays a prison inmate in the unreleased 1999 film Big Helium Dog
Big Helium Dog
Big Helium Dog is a 1999 comedy film. It is produced by Kevin Smith's View Askew production company and also features the Broken Lizard comedy troupe in starring and supporting roles....
.
After the Bosstones went on hiatus Barrett became the announcer for ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios...
in 2004.
Barrett has also done voice-over
Voice-over
Voice-over is a production technique where a voice which is not part of the narrative is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations...
work for Minoriteam
Minoriteam
Minoriteam is an animated television series on Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim. The pilot episode premiered on November 6, 2005...
and appears in the documentary film American Hardcore
American Hardcore (film)
American Hardcore is a documentary directed by Paul Rachman and written by Steven Blush. It is based on the book American Hardcore: A Tribal History also written by Blush. It was released on September 22, 2006 on a limited basis...
. He has appeared on an episode of Criss Angel
Criss Angel
Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos , better known by the stage name Criss Angel, is an American illusionist, writer, director, musician, and actor...
's Mind Freak. As well he portrayed rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
pioneer Bill Haley
Bill Haley
Bill Haley was one of the first American rock and roll musicians. He is credited by many with first popularizing this form of music in the early 1950s with his group Bill Haley & His Comets and their hit song "Rock Around the Clock".-Early life and career:...
in the miniseries Shake, Rattle, and Roll: An American Love Story.
Barrett in popular culture
In the April 2007 edition of Mad magazine, in the comic strip Monroe, the main character meets a school kid named Dicky Barrett. He looks strikingly similar to the real Dicky Barrett. This is owing to Barrett's association with fellow Kimmel staffer Anthony BarbieriAnthony Barbieri
Anthony J. Barbieri is an American comedy writer and performer. He has appeared on television programs such as Crank Yankers and Jimmy Kimmel Live...
, who writes the Monroe feature.