Post by Fuggle on May 22, 2006 17:15:44 GMT -5
Wychwood Music Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse
By Flicky Harrison
JUNE 2 - 4 2006, CHELTENHAM:
Johnny Rotten from The Sex Pistols inspired a bunch of lads from County Galway to pick up guitars and become the popular festival band The Saw Doctors.
Davy Carton is from Tuam, the same small town in Galway as the punk rocker.
"We all felt an affinity to the Sex Pistols. A lot of people started playing because of them," he said.
"I had a band called Blaze X which lasted for 11 months and had one single out, but it sowed the seeds of the Saw Doctors."
It was Leo Moran, Davy and Mary O'Connor who started the band in 1986, but it was Mike Scott from The Waterboys who shot the band to fame.
"Michael Scott saw us playing in a bar and took us on tour in Ireland and the UK. We were playing to 4,000 or 5,000 crowd gigs. It was a great lift," said Davy.
The Waterboys were recording the famous Fisherman's Blues album in Galway which is how the musicians met. Today a couple of The Waterboys Anthony Thistlewaite on bass and Fran Breen on drums now play with the Saw Doctors.
When I spoke to the guitarist songwriter he was on tour in America. He told me that it was in Minneapolis that Fran first hitched up with the boys.
Their own drummer had to leave due to family illness so Fran, who was in Nashville, answered their distress call.
The Saw Doctors had six more gigs to go so he flew in, bought the CD and played the following night.
"He learned 25 songs in one night, a total pro," said Davy. "He is the drummer on The Commitments film recording."
Kev Duffy is on keyboards in the current line up, which has changed quite a lot over the years.
The band will be among those playing at the Wychwood Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse next month.
The Saw Doctors had overnight success, with a two-single deal and an album, including a stay at number one for nine weeks.
"It had more of a cajun feel and was ironic rather than spitting out like the punk we had done," said Davy.
There was a whirlwind romance with fame and awards for their songs.
"Making the album was our saviour. The fame is all a blur," said Davy.
"The album made sure we weren't a one hit wonder."
They appeared on Top of the Pops at Christmas 1996 and found that the producer of the show was a big fan of theirs.
"Enjoying Top of the Pops is definitely about who you are playing with," he said.
Later this year The Saw Doctors return to the UK for the V Festivals in August and then Denmark festival before heading back to the States, grateful to be avoiding the mud at Glastonbury this year.
The current album is a far cry from the normal party band sound, having a more retrospective feel.
"It is called Vulnerable And Addicted and is about coming to a stage in your life where you are no longer young. It is reflective," said Davy.
Wychwood Music Festival
Cheltenham Racecourse
June 2-4
Tickets: £25-£85
Box office: 01242 227979
Also featuring: The Feeling, Billy Bragg and Guillemots
By Flicky Harrison
JUNE 2 - 4 2006, CHELTENHAM:
Johnny Rotten from The Sex Pistols inspired a bunch of lads from County Galway to pick up guitars and become the popular festival band The Saw Doctors.
Davy Carton is from Tuam, the same small town in Galway as the punk rocker.
"We all felt an affinity to the Sex Pistols. A lot of people started playing because of them," he said.
"I had a band called Blaze X which lasted for 11 months and had one single out, but it sowed the seeds of the Saw Doctors."
It was Leo Moran, Davy and Mary O'Connor who started the band in 1986, but it was Mike Scott from The Waterboys who shot the band to fame.
"Michael Scott saw us playing in a bar and took us on tour in Ireland and the UK. We were playing to 4,000 or 5,000 crowd gigs. It was a great lift," said Davy.
The Waterboys were recording the famous Fisherman's Blues album in Galway which is how the musicians met. Today a couple of The Waterboys Anthony Thistlewaite on bass and Fran Breen on drums now play with the Saw Doctors.
When I spoke to the guitarist songwriter he was on tour in America. He told me that it was in Minneapolis that Fran first hitched up with the boys.
Their own drummer had to leave due to family illness so Fran, who was in Nashville, answered their distress call.
The Saw Doctors had six more gigs to go so he flew in, bought the CD and played the following night.
"He learned 25 songs in one night, a total pro," said Davy. "He is the drummer on The Commitments film recording."
Kev Duffy is on keyboards in the current line up, which has changed quite a lot over the years.
The band will be among those playing at the Wychwood Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse next month.
The Saw Doctors had overnight success, with a two-single deal and an album, including a stay at number one for nine weeks.
"It had more of a cajun feel and was ironic rather than spitting out like the punk we had done," said Davy.
There was a whirlwind romance with fame and awards for their songs.
"Making the album was our saviour. The fame is all a blur," said Davy.
"The album made sure we weren't a one hit wonder."
They appeared on Top of the Pops at Christmas 1996 and found that the producer of the show was a big fan of theirs.
"Enjoying Top of the Pops is definitely about who you are playing with," he said.
Later this year The Saw Doctors return to the UK for the V Festivals in August and then Denmark festival before heading back to the States, grateful to be avoiding the mud at Glastonbury this year.
The current album is a far cry from the normal party band sound, having a more retrospective feel.
"It is called Vulnerable And Addicted and is about coming to a stage in your life where you are no longer young. It is reflective," said Davy.
Wychwood Music Festival
Cheltenham Racecourse
June 2-4
Tickets: £25-£85
Box office: 01242 227979
Also featuring: The Feeling, Billy Bragg and Guillemots