| Ireland’s Medicine Men By Graham
Clifford
While their two contagious tracks I Used to Love Her and N17 are still
hugely popular in Irish circles The Saw Doctors have moved on to another
plain with their latest album The Cure. Graham Clifford spoke to songwriter
and guitarist Leo Moran about why this unique band still go from strength
to strength and asks how after all this time they’ve managed not to kill
each other?
There’s something reassuring about meeting a top musician who truly believes
in what he or she does. Someone who’s proud of their work.
Leo Moran of The Saw Doctors fits into that bracket excellently.
The band from Tuam has now been on the go for 17 years and show no signs
of calling it a day having just released their sixth studio album entitled
The Cure.
After nearly two decades Leo and the rest of the band still retain that
same vigour and honest approach to their art. Leo says: “I still enjoy touring
as much now as I did when it all started back in 1989 — you get just as
excited and feel that adrenalin rush before concerts.”
The Saw Doctors began their British tour in Glasgow — just one of a host
of nationwide venues where the hugely popular Irish band will woo audiences
with their lively and proud music which comes straight from the heart.
“Glasgow has always been a special place for us to play,” the Galway
man said.
“We get up there about twice a year. Obviously there’s a huge Irish following
and the Scots love the concerts as well. There’s a fantastic buzz at concerts
in Glasgow.”
Such has been the demand for tickets for the latest tour that the band
will play an extra night at the Islington academy in London. In all there
are now 18 tour dates in Britain highlighting the fact that the Galway men
are as popular as ever and continue to pick up fans from a host of different
sectors.
In his laid back and amiable style Leo explains that each night of the
British tour will bring something different as audiences in one part of
the country will be very different to those in another.
“When we play in places like Shepherd’s Bush in London you recognise
a lot of the faces in the crowd. It’s like an Irish reunion. However in
places like Huddersfield or Cambridge your audience is predominantly British.”
The recently-released latest album has already been well received in
Ireland and Leo believes it’s the best piece of work from The Saw Doctors
to date.
“It’s uncomplicated and honest. Sometimes a band can try to do too much
and veer away from their strengths. But The Cure is an album we all feel
very proud of as it’s simple yet powerful. Personally I think it shows how
we have matured and progressed as a band.”
A sign of this simplicity is Star Over Cloughanover — a single from the
album which was released in Britain at the start of October. Perfectly delivered
by frontman Davy Carton, it encapsulates the best attributes of the band.
Melodic and warming it fulfils every music critics theory that simple is
best.
Though the band have been together for a time longer than most, their
feet have remained firmly on the ground, where others may have imploded.
Leo explains: “We put any money we make back into the band for recording
and touring purposes. We each take a weekly wage but our main focus is maximising
the band’s reach and popularity. You can hear that in the album, where all
the tracks are new and original.”
Describing themselves as a “lean rock band” Leo believes The Saw Doctors
have now matured and truly discovered their strengths.
An American tour is planned for next Spring as the band continue to enthral
audiences worldwide. And rave reviews from previous concerts on the other
side of the Atlantic have paved the way for a growing fan base in a country
bereft of similar style artists.
Part of the furniture of the cosy sitting room that is Ireland, the Saw
Doctors create a fusion of energy and unique Galway style and it would be
a crime for anyone to miss them if they’re playing at a venue near you on
this tour.
The Saw Doctors Factfile...
The Saw Doctors were a little-known local bar band in Tuam in Co. Galway
when they were invited by Mike Scott to be the opening act on the Waterboys’
1988 tour of Ireland and Britain.
The band had their initial success with their second single I Useta Love
Her, a turbo-charged tune about lusting for an old girl during Mass — a
song which became the biggest-selling single in Irish history and spent
nine weeks at the top of the Irish charts.
Following its success, the Saw Doctors’ first single N17 about an emigrant's
homesickness was reissued and it too became a No. 1 hit.
The Saw Doctors’ debut album If This Is Rock and Roll, I Want My Old
Job Back released in 1991 also reached the top slot on the Irish charts.
They released their second album All The Way from Tuam in 1992.
Same Oul’ Town, the Saw Doctors’ third album, was released in 1996 —
it reached number six on the British charts.
In 1997 the Saw Doctors released an album, Sing a Powerful Song, featuring
17 tracks from its earlier three albums.
The new Saw Doctors CD The Cure is the band’s sixth studio record.
Joining The Saw Doctors for the upcoming tour are new band members Fran
Breen (Ex Lucinda Williams) on drums and former Waterboy Anthony Thistlethwaite
on bass guitar. Fran and Anthony will provide a powerhouse rhythm section
for the songwriting team of Davy Carton (vocals) and Leo Moran (electric
guitar). Kevin Duffy completes The Saw Doctors line-up.
Tour Dates...
December 1: Huddersfield Town Hall
December 2: Newcastle City Hall
December 3: Manchester Apollo
December 5: Morecambe Dome
December 6: Swansea Pontardawe Arts Centre
December 7: Bristol Academy
December 9: Liverpool University
December 10: London Shepherd's Bush Empire
December 11: Wolverhampton Civic Hall
December 13: Cambridge Junction
December 14: Leicester De Montfort Hall
December 16: Glasgow Barrowlands
December 18: Coventry Warwick Arts Centre
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