Snow Patrol Artistfacts

1994-
Gary LightbodyVocals, guitar1994-
Nathan ConnollyGuitar2003-
Paul WilsonBass2005-2023
Jonny QuinnDrums1997-2023
Tom SimpsonKeyboards, samples2005-2013
Mark McClellandBass1994-2005
Michael MorrisonDrums1994-1995
Johnny McDaidPiano2011-
Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody began writing songs at 15 in a small room under his parents' kitchen. He also plays guitar but only decided to learn the basics of the instrument because he didn't think he would ever know any instrument, "inside out." Instead, he chose to take the basics that he learned and be more inventive rather that formulaic.
In deciding to name their third album Final Straw, Gary Lightbody said, "It was called Final Straw because in some ways it was the final throw of the dice. But the title was also taking the piss out of people who thought we were really over. A lot of them didn't give us much of a chance. When we wanted to release the third album, we came up against many obstacles. To most record companies we were considered failures."
During Snow Patrol's Eyes Open tour, drummer Jonny Quinn broke a bone in his elbow as a result of a snowboarding accident. U2 drummer, Larry Mullen, offered to fill in, but the band already had a substitute.
Bassist Paul Wilson's favorite instrument is the guitar, which he played for 19 years before switching to bass. His hero is Pink Floyd guitarist, David Gilmour.
When the band released its first album, Songs for Polarbears, singer Gary Lightbody still held a steady job at a bar called Nice 'N Sleazy's Bar.
In 2007, Gary Lightbody and longtime Snow Patrol producer Jacknife Lee formed the experimental duo, Listen . . .Tanks! Lightbody and Lee play all the instruments and Lightbody referes to Listen . . . Tanks! as, "weird." Lightbody debuted the duo's first song while guest hosting for Zane Lowe on BBC Radio 1.
Gary Lightbody made a singing cameo appearance in the Game of Thrones Season 3 episode "Walk of Punishment." He croons the tavern song "The Bear With The Maiden Fair," which tells the story of a bear at a fair who seduces a maiden.
Snow Patrol piano player Johnny McDaid started dating the actress Courteney Cox in 2013. They got engaged nine months later, but broke it off in 2015. The got back together in 2016 and were on and off as a couple over the next several years.

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