How did Mumford & Sons‘ banjo-wielding Winston Marshall end up on the new Dropkick Murphy‘s album, Signed and Sealed in Blood?

“We played a festival in Europe and Mumford & Sons were playing,” explains the band’s mandolin player Tim Brennan in an interview with Fuse. “A bunch of us, if not all of us, were fans had been fans since Sigh No More came out and it turned out that they wanted to come see us later in the night, on a smaller stage. We struck up a conversation.” Brennan explains that Dropkick was asked to play a stop on the Gentlemen of the Road Tour. It was during that concert in Portland, Maine that they “kidnapped” Winston and made him play on the record.”

“Obviously, we’re both bands with banjos, says Dropkick’s frontman Ken Casey. “Our single ‘I’m Shipping Up to Boston’ was probably the largest-selling rock song with a banjo until those bastards came along,” jokes Casey. “No, really, we root for any band that’s playing with real instruments and real music. To see that go mainstream is inspiring.” 

“It’s cool they knew who we are and that he played on the record,” explains Casey of the song “Rose Tattoo.”  “It’s subtle, but with that rolling finger-picking style, you know it’s him when you hear it.”

Recently, Casey was invited by Bruce Springsteen to sing a song in his MusiCares tribute concert during the 2013 GRAMMY week.

Hitting stores today, Signed and sealed in Blood was produced by Ted Hutt, known for his work with Gaslight Anthem and Old Crow Medicine Show.

– Jay Tilles, CBS Local