The Saw Doctors are a folk-rock band from Tuam, County Galway in Ireland. Members of the group include Leo Moran (guitar), Davy Carton (vocals), Derek Murray (keyboards), former Waterboy Anthony Thistlethwaite (saxophone and bass), and Fran Breen (drums). The band's first big break came when they were asked to play the opening act for The Waterboys UK tour in 1988. Soon after, their second single entitled "I Useta Lover" became the biggest selling single in Irish history, spending nine weeks at the top of that country's charts and prompting a scolding from the Catholic Church because of a lyric in the song that describes a boy as being more interested in his beloved's backside than the mass he is attending.
Perhaps the band's most notable effort and contribution to the pop music lexicon is their ode to a local highway "N17", which actually runs through the town of Tuam. They also recorded the theme song to the BBC Northern Ireland comedy series Give My Head Peace.
The band is also often compared to revered American Rock N' Roll great Bruce Springsteen, echoing his frequent use of local atmosphere, haunts and characters (Springsteen- Asbury Park, Freehold Borough, New Jersey) (The Saw Doctors- Tuam, Galway, Clare Island) and also his energetic live efforts often showcasing audience participation.
The Saw Doctors tour non-stop throughout Europe and the United States and released a DVD showcasing their live efforts in 2004 named "Live in Galway". It was recorded in their home city of Galway to a sold out crowd at the Black Box Theatre.
Leo Moran and former Saw Doctor Padraic Stevens also released an album named "The Folk Footballers" in 1998 with a re-release in 2001. It contained songs that supported the Galway Gaelic Football Team and includes a host of Tuam talent on many of it's songs. Further collaboraions between the pair brought another album, by another side-project band. "The Shambles" was born, releasing a self-titled album. This project also included Saw Doctor's mainman Davy Carton.
The SawDocs have a rabid international fan base that has been compared to that of the Grateful Dead. Fueled by those in Ireland as well as those of Irish descent in the US, UK, and elsewhere, this unofficial fan club prides itself on seeing the SawDocs live as many times as possible. They meet online in a forum on the band's website and enjoy an interesting global ongoing conversation about the band. One can almost feel the heat of the fire, smell the peat burning, and taste the Guinness....
The Saw Doctors appeared in a movie entitled The Tavern in 1999. They are the subway band that eventually gets to play in the tavern. Although they have a small part in the movie, the use of their song Same Oul Town at the end is quite fitting...
