Snow Patrol biography
Snow Patrol formed in 1994, but didn't hit the big time until almost ten years later when the Scots-Irish alternative rock band released smash hit album Final Straw, which went platinum five times over. Since then, they've sold over ten million records worldwide, have been nominated for three BRIT awards and won several major music awards.
The beginning
Snow Patrol were slow burners when it came to commercial success, after their first three albums were less than successful. They formed in 1994 at the University of Dundee, but now work out of Glasgow. After some line-up changes, the band consists of lead singer Gary Lightbody, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Nathan Connolly, Paul Wilson plays the bass guitar, Jonny Quinn's on drums, Tom Simpson's on keyboards and samples, while Richard Colbourn plays the drums, guitar and keyboards.
Their fourth album Final Straw propelled them into superstardom when it was released in the summer of 2003, earning them a UK number three and number five single with 'Run' which has become one of their biggest hits. The X Factor winner Leona Lewis topped the UK charts with a cover of the track, which made history when it became the fastest selling digital release ever. Snow Patrol released three more singles from the album, including 'Chocolate' and a re-release of 'Spitting Games' which both made the top 30. The record also did very well in the States, selling more than a quarter of a million copies.
Chasing Cars
In 2005, Snow Patrol toured with the mighty U2 as an opening act on their Vertigo Tour in Europe and also featured at the worldwide Live 8 concerts, performing in London. The following year they unleashed their fourth album Eyes Open, which peaked at number one in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
The first track to be taken from the record was 'You're All I Have,' which became their second big hit after 'Run,' peaking at number 7 in the UK charts. But it was their third single 'Chasing Cars' which has helped the band to world-wide stardom. It gained huge popularity in the States after featuring on a season finale of popular TV medical series Grey's Anatomy and is their biggest selling single to date, shifting a staggering half a million copies in the UK. In 2009, it was named as the most widely played song of the last ten years and made number four on Absolute Radio's Songs of the Decade poll. Snow Patrol performed the track on Top of the Pops and were the last ever act to appear on the BBC's long running music show when it came to an end in July 2006.
During the same year, Snow Patrol were forced to cancel most of their tour dates in America when lead singer Gary Lightbody suffered a problem with his vocal chords, his bread and butter! The threat of terrorist attacks on transatlantic flights from the UK also jeopardised the band's dates as some members were separated by the Atlantic Ocean.
A Hundred Million Suns
The follow-up to Eyes Open came in late 2008 and was entitled A Hundred Million Suns. The first single to be released was 'Take Back the City' and Snow Patrol began touring to promote the album shortly afterwards, with claims they played to a total of around 200,000 fans. Before hitting Europe, the band supported Oasis during a gig in South Africa, Coldplay for their Viva La Vida Tour and played a handful of dates with U2.
Up To Now
The band released a compilation album packed with their biggest hits of the last fifteen years entitled Up to Now, which peaked at number three in the UK. In February 2010, Snow Patrol performed at the annual Meteor Awards where they were crowned Best Irish Band.
They spent the end of 2010 and the first months of 2011 recording their sixth album Fallen Empires, which will feature a 'new direction' for the band, with some unusual melodies, and techno influences. Shows across Latin America are also on the schedule throughout 2011.