Interview gary lightbody biography

INTERVIEW: Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol

24 November 2024

by Katherine Yeske Taylor

It’s been exactly thirty years since the Northern Irish alternative rock band Snow Patrol formed, though most people didn’t find out about them until 2003, when their third album Final Straw, gave them their first hit single, “Run.” Their next album, Eyes Open [2006], was an even bigger success, spawning the massive international hit “Chasing Cars.” In September, they released their eighth studio album, The Forest Is the Path, which has earned them much critical praise (and a rapturous reception from longtime followers).

Calling from his home in Bangor, Northern Ireland, frontman Gary Lightbody tells The Big Takeover about this new album, the unique elements that influenced his songwriting, and why he thinks Snow Patrol’s music resonates so strongly with fans.

What was it like creating this album compared to the previous ones?

GARYLIGHTBODY: With this record, even before we started