Snow Patrol: New noise

Has Snow Patrol mellowed with age? That’s a question longtime fans have pondered as the Glasgow-based band continues its evolution toward slick, radio-ready pop. Its first few albums made little mark commercially, but established the band as an adventurous indie act on par with fellow Scottish groups Belle & Sebastian and Mogwai.

What a difference a decade makes. After the massive success of singles like Run and Chasing Cars, Snow Patrol has only grown more cohesive, polished and comfortable in its ostensibly soft-rock skin.

Lead singer Gary Lightbody even likes to joke about the band’s status as a worldwide touring act. “We now arrive on stage on jet packs to the sound of gunfire, all the while doing a very clumsy strip tease,” he said. “It is quite something, let me tell you.”

Here’s Lightbody on the band’s new album and the hidden benefits of growing up...

Do you prefer shorter tours?

The short tour is perfect for us right now... a superlong tour (during Christmas) is sometimes more grueling than any other time of year.

What about next year?

Next year is when we do the long US tour and we’ll have a ball. We always do. Long tours are fun when the band (members) get along as well as we do these days. They are not fun when there is any chink in the armour, as that chink becomes a gaping wound pretty fast.

You’re a band that found a lot of success through its singles. How do you choose those?

I never really think about what would make a good single until we’re done. As far as we’re concerned, we’re an albums band and we don’t really want our other songs to think we’re cheating on them. They’re very sensitive, you know.

You worked with producer Jacknife Lee (U2, R.E.M., Weezer) again for your new album. What do you feel he brings to your music?

Absolutely nothing. He was out of work as usual, so we hired him out of pity, really. I jest, of course. He is our god. He’s the best producer working right now and a dear friend to boot. Working with him is a joy.

What has changed about your touring habits over the years?

I stopped drinking on the road a few years back to protect my rather fragile voice. It has the added by-product of removing hangovers from my daily routine.

And what’s that routine like?

Touring the States is the toughest of any country, as not only is it the longest tour but it’s the longest day each day. Up early for interviews and acoustic sessions till sound check then more interviews before the gig, generally. I’m not complaining at all, but I sure as hell would be if I was hungover.

Do you have favourite cities to play in the US?

Chicago, because it’s a fun town; Seattle, because of the rock history (we’ve got to play a lot of the places where Nirvana cut their teeth); Boston, because it’s full of Irish and if it comes halfway ’round the tour it staves off the homesickness; New York for too many reasons; Austin, Texas, because it’s our favourite place in the States.