# List of Snow Patrol band members

Snow Patrol are a Northern Irish–Scottish rock band formed in 1994 in Dundee, Scotland by Gary Lightbody (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Mark McClelland (bass, keyboards), and Michael Morrison (drums) under the name Shrug. The band currently consists of Lightbody, guitarist Nathan Connolly (since 2002), pianist/guitarist Johnny McDaid (since 2011) and touring members Ben Epstein (bass) and Ash Soan (drums) (both since 2024).

## History

Snow Patrol were formed in early 1994 by University of Dundee students Gary Lightbody, Mark McClelland, and Michael Morrison under the name Shrug. In 1996, they changed their name to Polarbear to avoid clashing with any American bands that were also named Shrug. Shortly afterwards, drummer Michael Morrison left the group after suffering a breakdown and returned to Northern Ireland.
The drummer position was briefly filled by Richard Colburn, before Jonny Quinn joined as full time drummer. In 2001, the band were joined on tour by songwriter Iain Archer, who performed guitar and backing vocals. In 2002, Archer was replaced by Nathan Connolly who became an official member. The band parted ways with McClelland, he was replaced by Paul Wilson who had previously toured with the band on guitar and keyboards. The band also added long-time touring keyboardist Tom Simpson as an official member.
In 2007, Quinn was briefly replaced by Graham Hopkins (ex-Therapy?) after the drummer broke his arm. Guitar tech Troy Stewart also played additional guitars from 2008 to 2013. In 2008, the band were re-joined by Colburn, who played percussion and keyboards from 2008 to 2009. On the band's reworked tour in 2009, they were joined by Ruth O’Reilly on French horn and Stella Page on violin, they were also briefly re-joined by Archer after Connolly suffered nerve damage.
In 2011, the band were joined by Jonny McDaid on piano and guitar, initially as a guest musician, playing on Fallen Empires (2011) and it's tour, and later as a full-time member. Tom Simpson left the band in August 2013. This band's line-up stayed stable for 10 years.
In 2019, the band did another reworked tour, featuring many additional musicians, Archer and Colburn both returned, alongside Miriam Kaufmann (keys, glockenspiel, vocals) who had toured with the band between 2006 and 2013, O’Reilly and Page, both returned alongside trumpeter, Colm MacAthlaoich, second violinist Jote Osahn, violaist Vince Greene and cellist Ivan Hussey.
In 2023, the band parted ways with both Quinn and Wilson, Quinn departed due to tensions with McDaid, and Wilson to focus on his heavy metal project, Above as Below.

## Members
### Current members

| Name | Years active | Instruments | Studio release contributions |
| Gary Lightbody | 1994–present | lead vocalsguitarkeyboards and piano (1994–2005) | all releases |
| Nathan Connolly | 2002–present | guitarbacking vocals | all releases from Final Straw (2003) onwards |
| Johnny McDaid | 2011–present | pianoguitarkeyboardsprogrammingbacking vocals | all releases from Fallen Empires (2011) onwards |

### Current session/touring musicians

| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Studio release contributions |
| | Ben Epstein | 2024–present | bassbacking vocals | The Forest Is the Path (2024) |
| | Ash Soan | 2024–present | drums | The Forest Is the Path (2024) |

### Former members

| Name | Years active | Instruments | Studio release contributions |
| Mark McClelland | 1994–2005 | basskeyboardspianobacking vocals | all releases until Final Straw (2003) |
| Michael Morrison | 1994–1996 | drumspercussion | The Yogurt vs. Yogurt Debate (1995) |
| Jonny Quinn | 1997–2023 | drumspercussion | all releases from Songs for Polarbears (1998) to Wildness (2018) |
| Tom Simpson | 2005–2013 (touring 1996–2005) | keyboardspianosamples | all releases from Eyes Open (2006) to Fallen Empires (2011) |
| Paul Wilson | 2005–2023 (touring 2000–2005) | bass (2005–2023)guitar (2000–2005)backing vocalsadditional keyboards | all releases from Eyes Open (2006) to Wildness (2018) |

### Former touring musicians

| Name | Years active | Instruments | Studio release contributions |
| Richard Colburn | 1996–19972008–20092019 | percussiondrums (1996–1997, 2019)keyboards (1996–1997, 2008–2009) | Starfighter Pilot (1997) Songs for Polarbears (1998) When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up (2001) |
| Iain Archer | 2001–200220092019 | guitarslap steel guitarbacking vocals | Final Straw (2003) Eyes Open (2006) |
| Colm MacAthlaoich | 2001–20022019 | trumpet | none |
| Miriam Kaufmann | 2006–20072008–20122019 | backing vocalskeyboardsglockenspiel | none |
| Graham Hopkins | 2007 | drums | none |
| Troy Stewart | 2008–2013 | additional guitars | none |
| Ruth O’Reilly | 20092019 | french hornbacking vocals | none |
| Stella Page | 20092019 | violinbacking vocals | none |
| Jote Osahn | 2019 | violinbacking vocals | none |
| Vince Greene | 2019 | viola | none |
| Ivan Hussey | 2019 | cello | none |

## Line-ups

| Period | Members | Studio releases |
| early 1994 – late 1996 | Gary Lightbody – vocals, guitar, keyboards Mark McClelland – bass, keyboards, backing vocals Michael Morrison – drums | The Yogurt vs. Yogurt Debate (1995) |
| late 1996 – mid 1997 | Gary Lightbody – vocals, guitar, keyboards Mark McClelland – bass, keyboards, backing vocals Tom Simpson – keyboards, piano, samples (touring) Richard Colburn – drums, keyboards (session/touring) | Starfighter Pilot (1997) Songs for Polarbears (1998) one track |
| mid 1997 – early 2001 | Gary Lightbody – vocals, guitar, keyboards Mark McClelland – bass, keyboards, backing vocals Tom Simpson – keyboards, piano, samples (touring) Jonny Quinn – drums, percussion | Songs for Polarbears (1998) remaining tracks When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up (2001) |
| March 2001 – spring 2002 | Gary Lightbody – vocals, guitar, keyboards Mark McClelland – bass, keyboards, backing vocals Tom Simpson – keyboards, piano, samples (touring) Jonny Quinn – drums, percussion Iain Archer – guitar, backing vocals (touring) | |
| spring 2002 – March 2005 | Gary Lightbody – vocals, guitar, keyboards Mark McClelland – bass, keyboards, backing vocals Tom Simpson – keyboards, piano, samples (touring) Jonny Quinn – drums, percussion Nathan Connolly – guitar, backing vocals | Final Straw (2003) Sessions@AOL (2004) |
| March 2005 – mid 2011 | Gary Lightbody – vocals, guitar Tom Simpson – keyboards, piano, samples Jonny Quinn – drums, percussion Nathan Connolly – guitar, backing vocals Paul Wilson – bass, backing vocals, keyboards | Live and Acoustic at Park Ave (2005) Eyes Open (2006) A Hundred Million Suns (2008) |
| mid 2011 – August 2013 | Gary Lightbody – vocals, guitar Tom Simpson – keyboards, piano, samples Jonny Quinn – drums, percussion Nathan Connolly – guitar, backing vocals Paul Wilson – bass, backing vocals, keyboards Johnny McDaid – piano, guitar, keyboards, backing vocals | Fallen Empires (2011) |
| August 2013 – September 2023 | Gary Lightbody – vocals, guitar Jonny Quinn – drums, percussion Nathan Connolly – guitar, backing vocals Paul Wilson – bass, backing vocals, keyboards Johnny McDaid – piano, guitar, keyboards, backing vocals | Wildness (2018) |
| late 2023 – present | Gary Lightbody – vocals, guitar Nathan Connolly – guitar, backing vocals Johnny McDaid – piano, guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Ben Epstein – bass, backing vocals (session/touring) Ash Soan – drums (session/touring) | The Forest Is the Path (2024) |