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Turkey Time Means Focusing on Football, Film, and Food! [Extra Extra]
J. Tillman at the Mohawk - Giveaway
Show Preview: Brackett & Co., Real Estate
A few years ago, Snow Patrol were broke guys in Scotland with a knack for writing jangly rock songs. These days, their latest album debuted in the Billboard Top 40 and at #1 in the UK, they spent last year opening for U2, and their last CD went triple platinum in Europe.
While Snow Patrol have already played Austin twice this year (at Stubb's in March and May), they'll be back in the States in September for another tour. Until then, the band will catch a breather at home before gigging at summer festivals in Europe, Asia, and Australia. Drummer Jonny Quinn (pictured) recently exchanged emails with Austinist to discuss all things Snow Patrol and (naturally) Austin, and revealed that our city has been very agreeable to him.
The new album sounds huge. Was it a concious decision to use really
clean production and big guitars, or did it just suit what you were
writing?
We have always thought our albums could have sounded bigger. Budget normally dictated that we had three weeks to complete the whole album with borrowed and broken gear. For this album, we had a day of running around with our pants (underwear) on our heads.
Did it surprise you that 'Final Straw' made Snow Patrol an
arena-sized band in the UK?
Yes. We may never recover!
Has anyone given you a hard time for name-checking Sufjan Stevens?
Yes. I will personally hunt down every last one of them!
How did you meet your duet partner Martha Wainwright? Do you have any
other dream collaborations?
We just called her up hoping she didn't hate our music and asked her. She was and is lovely. As for other
collaborations, maybe her brother.
Your Reindeer Section song "You Are My Joy" is the massive, #1 hit
that wasn't. We played it at our wedding. Would Snow Patrol ever play
that song live or record it again? It could take over the world...
We have played it live with Snow Patrol, as for recording it again....That would be
living in the past.
Speaking of Reindeer Section, will there be a 3rd album someday?
That's the plan, if we can get just 24 hours in a studio.
TV music directors love you guys. We've heard your songs on shows
like "Gray's Anatomy" and "The OC". Do you like the exposure TV shows
and commericals are giving to new bands, or does the commerciality of it
bother you?
I am really glad that we can be heard through any medium except commercials. It seems like these shows are acting in the same way radio used to and exposing good music. When I heard interpol were on "The
OC". I thought 'things are changing.'
(Snow Patrol singer) Gary Lightbody was nice enough to call Austin the band's favorite US city in Filter. Tell us a story about a good night out you've had here.
The best story I have is meeting two girls who live in Austin (one of which is now my
lovely girlfriend) that we managed to impress with our brand of line dancing and having the most fun, craziest night on our US tour. Austin should be twinned with Dublin!
At SXSW, you were plugging shows for Editors and We Are Scientists
during your set. Who else do you want to go see these days?
The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Cream.
We know you like a nice pint. Do you have a favorite American beer?
Finally, are you playing Snow Patrol numbers from the first two
(little heard in the US) albums on this tour? If so, how is the audience
responding?
We are indeed. The US audience seems to be loving it and we thank you dearly. xx
Image via Snow Patrol's official site.
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nicely done!