Saw Docs founder member releases double album that defies easy definition!
For well over a year, he’s been teasing his audience, dropping a series of singles from his major new double album – and now John ‘Turps’ Burke, best known as one of the founding members of the Saw Doctors, has delivered the real thing!
Age of Uncertainty was recorded across three continents – from his native Tuam to the UK, Pescara in Italy and the Argentinian capital Buenos Aires – and is best described as a fusion of diverse influences and global collaboration.
There’s perhaps an irony in the title because, after his well-documented real-life trauma of childhood sexual abuse through his years of substance abuse – and a near-fatal heart attack as well as cancer – Turps has never been more certain or positive about his future.
“Everybody goes through the mill, and we all have crosses to bear,” he said in the past, describing his own journey from trauma towards self-awareness and happiness.
John co-founded the Saw Doctors in the late 1980s with Leo Moran and Davy Carton and played a crucial role in the band’s early development and success before leaving in 1993.
He’d struggled with his sexuality and sought refuge in alcohol, something that became a problem – but through his own studies in the area of therapy, as well as embracing meditation and hypnosis, he is very much at peace now.
During his darkest days, John learned to use EFT tapping (Emotional Freedom Technique) to help. He found it so good that he went on to become a master in the technique and still uses it daily.
In 2010, John suffered a heart attack and nearly died on the operating table. Twelve months later, he was diagnosed with aggressive cancer that had to be operated on immediately if he were to survive.
And through it all, his own love of music and the love of his husband Mike saw him through – and four years ago, he started writing and recording new songs.
The result is Age of Uncertainty from Motion Club Records – and album that he admits transcends mere genre categorization, offering what he calls a multifaceted exploration of themes ranging from introspection to societal commentary.
Joining Turps on this musical odyssey are a cadre of exceptionally talented artists, including Jamie Parks on drums and percussion, Manuel Trabucco on saxophones and clarinets, and Juan Ignacio Ferreras on cellos and strings.
Additionally, guest artists such as Hannah Wujiw, Conor O’Donnell, Thomas Niland, Seamus Ruttledge, Mike Stewart, Alex Stewart, Lisa Barber, and Berty Glancy contribute their unique voices and instrumental prowess to the album’s dynamic landscape.
Age of Uncertainty was officially released at the weekend and is available to download from all good streaming sites now!
Pictured: John ‘Turps’ Burke...new double album out now.