Anthony Thistlethwaite
The unassuming saxophonist whose raw, soulful sound became the secret ingredient in the anthems of two beloved Celtic rock bands.
Born 1955 (age 71)·British multi-instrumentalist·Birthday: August 31·Baby Boomers
Biography
Anthony Thistlethwaite, known universally as Anto, emerged from the post-punk scene in London, a versatile musician equally at home with saxophone, mandolin, or bass. His big break came when he helped Mike Scott form The Waterboys, providing the rolling saxophone lines that defined their 'Big Music' sound on early classics like 'A Pagan Place' and 'The Whole of the Moon.' After contributing to the band's celebrated folk-rock turn on 'Fisherman's Blues,' Anto's path diverged. He became a permanent fixture in the raucous Irish party-rock outfit The Saw Doctors, where his sax added a layer of joyous, pub-ready soul to their guitar-driven hits for decades. More than a sideman, Thistlethwaite is a foundational tone-colourist, his playing imbuing songs with a sense of yearning or celebration, making him a quiet legend within a specific, heartfelt corner of rock.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Anthony was born in 1955, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Anthony Was Born
The biggest hits of 1955
#1 Movie
Lady and the Tramp
Best Picture
Marty
#1 TV Show
The $64,000 Question
Anthony's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1955Born
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1960Started school
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1968Became a teenager
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Could drive
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1973Could vote
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Turned 21
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1985Turned 30
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 40
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 50
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 60
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 70
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 71 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- As a founding member of The Waterboys, his saxophone defined the sound of their early 'Big Music' albums in the 1980s.
- Played a key role in the recording of the Waterboys' critically acclaimed folk-rock album 'Fisherman's Blues,' contributing sax, mandolin, and other instruments.
- Became a long-standing core member of The Saw Doctors, performing on their major hits like 'I Useta Lover' and touring with them for over twenty years.
- Co-founded the band The Bible in the late 1980s after his first departure from The Waterboys.
Did You Know?
He was briefly a member of the experimental post-punk band The Rag Dolls before joining The Waterboys.
Thistlethwaite is also a published author, having written a book about his experiences in music.
He is known for his collection and mastery of a wide array of instruments, particularly wind and string instruments.
His nickname 'Anto' is a common Irish diminutive for Anthony.
“I just pick up the instrument that the song needs.”
