firstly, i have no connection. they are a band who grabbed my attention at a festival, and i've never forgotten.....

I first saw Goats Don't Shave at the Fleadh in Finsbury Park, London in 1993. This "Irish" festival, headlined by Bob Dylan was a regular gig for many irish and celtic bands. Goats Don't Shave stood out. As i remember, the first band on the mainstage, there was probably no better sounding band that day. It made an impact on me, and my friends. I had to find out more.

I got the fantastic debut album, "The Rusty Razor" and soon afterwards was off on my little motorbike to Manchester to a gig in Levenshulme. Here was one one of the greatest live musical experiences i have ever had. Something i had not encountered before was a lot of young people irish dancing at a rock gig. It had to be one of the most enjoyable gigs, with the best atmosphere i had ever known.

I got their brilliant second album, "Out in the Open" and saw them one more time, at the "Mean Fiddler" in London, another great gig but lacking the atmosphere (and the dancing) of the Manchester gig. Then they just disappeared, until briefly Pat Gallagher reappeared with a fine album, "Tor," and a backing band named Goats Don't Shave, but only one other member from the previous album in this line up.

Since then, nothing.....

Many bands have come and gone without the success they deserved. Goats Don't Shave were certainly more original, and i believe, better than most. Trying to find information on them, even in this digital age has proved frustrating. For a time, a search for "Goats Don't Shave" led to the site of another band from England with the same name. There seems to be nothing at all on Pat Gallagher or the band since 1998.

So this is why i started this page, to try to find out what has happened, and perhaps hopefully to share information with others who were there when Goats Don't Shave were among the best live bands around, and those who would love to see, again or for the first time, the band playing songs of the calibre of "Arranmore" and "Las Vegas in the hills of Donegal."