Beautiful Day

The Saw Doctors new album

The Saw Doctors new album cd, The Cure, will get a widespread USA release on Tuesday March 14 following a national distribution deal agreed last week between Shamtown Records (Galway) and Ryko Distribtuion in New York. The Cure is The Saw Doctors sixth studio album – the catalogue number is SAWDOC013CD. The Saw Doctors recorded the twelve new songs on The Cure cd in Spiddal, Co. Galway, Ireland, in the first half of 2005 from February to June. Special guests on The Cure cd are Nicola Geddes (cello), Kenneth Rice (voilin), and Paul Barrett (backing vocals).

Saw Doctors perform at photographic exhibition

The Saw Doctors perform at St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church  as part of a photo exhibition.

The photographs were taken during a housing project in Sri Lanka, which Saw Doctors Manager Ollie Jennings took part in, along with Mags Mahon, Mike Weerakoon, Kevin McDonnell, Eamonn Howley and Hilary Morley.

The images reflect the progress made by the team as well as the graciousness of the Sri Lankan people. A housing project in Sri Lanka has been named ‘Shamtown’ to mark the huge generosity given by The Saw Doctors to the tsunami hit region of Galle.

All proceeds raised from The Saw Doctors’ album ‘New Year’s Day’ were given directly to the project, which has also helped purchase boats, sewing machines, rope-making machines and toys. The team also cleared a blocked canal, stocked a food shop and organised sports days in two camps.

From the Galway Independent

Saw Doctors Set to Tour

Now it’s time to fall in love with Tuam’s favorite sons, the Saw Doctors, all over again. The Docs have been maintaining a breakneck schedule of late, with appearances at the Oxegen Festival, an Irish tour, and a stint in the recording studio working up some new songs.

They’ll be coming to America next month for a working holiday, touring our fine shores to the delight of their U.S. fans.

Joining the Saw Doctors for their August USA tour will be Nashville drummer Fran Breen, who formerly played with Lucinda Williams and Nanci Griffiths. Fran will team up with bassist Anthony Thistlethwaite, formerly of the Waterboys, to provide a powerhouse rhythm section for the band’s songwriting duo, Davy Carton on vocals and Leo Moran on guitar. Derek Murray on keyboards completes the five man lineup.

During the August U.S. tour, the Saw Doctors will promote their recent charity CD release New Year’s Day, a greatest hits collection featuring the band’s three Irish number ones, “N17,” “I Useta Lover” and “Hay Wrap.”

The live CD was rush released in Ireland in January to raise funds for the victims of the Asian tsunami disaster last Christmas. To date the Saw Doctors have contributed over $40,000 in sales of New Year’s Day to the Galway Sri Lanka Relief Fund. The money has been used to build houses and buy fishing boats in the Galle region of Sri Lanka.

The Docs will also be road testing tracks from their sixth studio album, which they just finished at Cuan Studios, Spiddal

in the west of Ireland. Shamtown Records will release the new disc, tentatively titled Last Summer in New York, later this year. Count on hearing the new single, “Your Guitar,” when the boys come calling.

I recently talked to guitarist Leo Moran about the new CD, their surge in popularity with the young pub crowds at either side of the Atlantic, and the fine art of writing anthems that go down so well at soccer matches. Here’s how it went.

Saw Doctors New Year’s Eve gig at the Black Box

  The Saw Doctors will end their critically acclaimed UK tour and album release with a return home to play New Year’s Eve at the Black Box.

Special guest at the New Year’s show will be Noelie McDonnell and his band who are currently touring with the band in the UK.

New band member, Salthill musician Kevin Duffy replaces veteran keyboard player Derek Murray, who has stepped down from touring due to recurring asthma problems, worsened by playing in smoky UK and US venues.

The new single from the album, The Cure is out next Monday 12 December.

Further information from www.sawdoctors.com

From The Galway Independent

Saw Doctors Galway Hospice appeal

The Saw Doctors are seeking the help of Galway people to reach the United Kingdom Top 40 this Sunday 9 October.

The Tuam group have just released their new single, Stars Over Cloughanover, and will release their new album, The Cure, on 17 October.

The Docs are asking Galwegians to download the new song from Internet sites such as I-Tunes, www.woolworths.co.uk and www.karmadownload.com.

By doing so, the band has pledged to donate €1 to Galway hospice for each download this week. The cost of the download of Stars Over Cloughanover varies from 59 pence sterling to 89 pence.

The downloads from the music sites and from the HMV and Virgin websites will count towards the compilation of the UK top 40 on Sunday.

As well as the donation for the download, The Saw Doctors will contribute €1 to Galway Hospice this week in respect of all sales in the UK of the new single.

From The Galway Independent

Saw Doctors size up Pines

For The Saw Doctors, the newest recipe for success seems to be "just add Water(boys)."

The Saw Doctors have undergone several line-up changes over the years but have settled on a five-piece combo that includes Anthony Thistlethwaite and Fran Breen - two former members of the critically acclaimed Anglo-Celtic band, The Waterboys.

Thistlethwaite and Breen serve as bassist and drummer for songwriters-guitarists Davy Carton and Leo Moran, with Derek Murray on keyboards. The band will bring its Irish-tinged rock'n' roll to the Pines Theater in Northampton tomorrow at 6 p.m.

Thistlethwaite's membership in the band only seemed a natural progression after original bassist Pearce Doherty left the band. The relationship between his former band and his new one goes back to the late 1980s. Thistlethwaite and Waterboys' leader Mike Scott met The Saw Doctors while The Waterboys were recording the classic "Fisherman's Blues" album in Galway.

"They were just starting out when we met them," Thistlethwaite said in a telephone interview last week. "We got on well and I wound up playing sax on their first single, 'N17.'"

Saw Doctors touring the USA

The Saw Doctors are on tour in the USA. Details available from their official website. Their famous track N17 is covered in Beautiful Day for 1993. Davy Carton and Leo Moran are the two founder members and main songwriters in the Saw Doctors. Joining the Saw Doctors for the USA tour in the USA are two new band members, Anthony Thistlethwaite on Bass and Fran Breen on Drums. Anthony Thistlethwaite is a founder member of The Waterboys and previously guested on various Saw Doctors albums throughout the nineties. Fran Breen has previously worked with Lucinda Williams, Nanci Griffiths and The Waterboys. Completing the lineup is Derek Murray who plays all sorts of keyboards, accordion and guitar.