LEO MORAN, guitarist, songwriter, and founding member of The Saw Doctors, was born in Tuam, County Galway.
In 1986, he co-founded The Saw Doctors with Davy Carton, blending rock with Irish storytelling and humour.
Known for hits like I Useta Lover and N17, Moran’s jangly guitar style and stage presence helped define the band’s energetic sound.
The Saw Doctors will be playing at the Páirc Summers Series on the big Bank Holiday weekend at the end of this month. The event takes place on August 23 & 24 at the King’s Heath Irish Centre, Birmingham.
Ahead of the festival, Moran took time out to talk to the Irish Post...
The Saw Doctors' Leo Moran is on the line up for this month's Páirc Summers SeriesWhich piece of music always sends a shiver down your spine?
That Summer Feeling by Jonathan Richman. Somehow he’s able to create an atmosphere and images that go beyond the words and music he uses, like many other great songs, that touch something within our subconscious.
My favourite tune is Ar Éireann Ní Neosainn Cé Hí. I love loads of Irish slow airs with their beautifully evocative melodies but this one is my favourite.
Which musician or singer has most influenced you?
Probably Bruce Springsteen. He’s got it all – powerful songwriting and arranging, committed, emotional singing and exceptionally entertaining performance skills. We’ve borrowed a good few bits from him along the way.
What’s on your smartphone playlist at the minute?
Audiobooks. I must’ve been in the humour for some crime because one was The Westies: Inside New York’s Irish Mob and the other was The Cocaine Diaries: A Venezuelan Prison Nightmare.
The last song I just played there was Pray For Me Mama (I’m A Gypsy Now) by Jason And The Scorchers, great favourites of ours when we were getting The Saw Doctors together.
I’ve been listening quite a bit to Carsie Blanton – I think she’s got the best songs of our current era and we were delighted to get to play a few gigs with her and her band last year and this year.
What are your favourite lyrics?
Depends on the day and the mood. Off the top of my head though here’s one I love: “Barefoot girl sitting on the hood of a Dodge / Drinking warm beer in the soft Summer rain” from Jungleland by Bruce Springsteen
What is your favourite place in Ireland?
I love all the West coast of course, Inis Oírr is my favourite island and I would love to explore Donegal a bit more, so beautiful and unspoiled with so many pristine beaches. But I could go on……
What music did you listen to growing up?
The albums are still in the sitting room. The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, Songs For Little Cowboy’, Abba, The Bay City Rollers, Christmas albums.
What has been your favourite venue?
In Britain you can’t beat The Hammersmith Apollo, The Manchester Apollo, The Glasgow Barrowland to name but three. Dublin’s Olympia is another and the venues we just played last week in the US were exceptional.
We’re very lucky. I also love the German rock clubs we played in the last couple of Summers. For atmosphere and energy they’re as good as anywhere. All that said, you can have an exceptional night in a less expected place.
What are you looking forward to about coming to Páirc Summer Series 2025?
I’ve heard great things about the festival and I’m sure we’ll see and meet plenty of familiar and friendly faces of people who have come to see us in Birmingham, Wolverhampton and beyond, over the years.
It’s always great to get out on a stage in front of people who haven’t seen you before as well and I expect there’s be a good few of them and I’d imagine there’ll be a good percentage of younger music fans at the Páirc.
And it’s also another chance to get to see one of our great influences over the years, The Undertones.
The Páirc Summer Series 2025 takes place on August 23 & 24 at the Kings Heath Irish Centre, 205 Wheelers Lane, King's Heath, Birmingham B13 0ST. For tickets click here.
