The Secret to Snow Patrol’s Success

Somehow, the persona of a platinum-selling rock band member and the grinning face standing before me do not seem to correspond. I offer Paul “Pablo” Wilson, the bass player for alt-rock band Snow Patrol, a seat, but he insists he is comfortable standing. There is a certain something about the Scottish-born, shaggy-haired musician and his easy demeanour that makes me instantly fall in love. I think over the interview questions I have prepared and realize there is no need to ask Wilson about how he stays grounded since being in the international spotlight – so I move onto finding out the secrets of his band’s success.

Snow Patrol formed in 1994, but it wasn’t until 2005 that Wilson joined the group. Although he replaced original member Mark McClelland, who had played with the band for over 10 years, Wilson confesses that he fit like a glove. “Well, we’ve been friends for 14 years. I used to be the guitarist in the band years and years ago, but not officially, ’cause I had my own band. So I toured with [Snow Patrol] on the condition that I could have my band tour.” He smiles. “I’ve kind of always played with them, really. We’re all just friends,” he shrugs, and the sparkle in his eye convinces me that his claim is genuine.

Snow Patrol’s interconnectedness and success seem to go hand-in-hand. As for the “indispensable member of the band,” producer Garret “Jacknife” Lee, Wilson notes, “He was first and foremost, one of our best friends. [Lee] has worked with lots of big names. But I think the reason we’ll always come back for him and he’ll work for us is because other people see him as a huge new producer, maybe the best in the world, but it’s easier for him to work for us because we’re just friends. It’s just a really good connection. It’s harder to bring in someone and build up that.”

Headlining sold-out shows in the UK and opening for acts such as U2 and Coldplay on their North American tours, Snow Patrol’s career seems to be skyrocketing, even a decade and some years after its original lineup formed. “It’s great,” comments Wilson. “I think the most important thing you learn about is what happens behind the scenes. It has to be like a family, like a team, a group, everyone who works together; everyone’s happy, everyone’s good.”

Being a member of Snow Patrol is without doubt a phenomenon in itself, but it doesn’t take a moment’s hesitation for Wilson to decide on the best part of it all. “Travelling with your best friends... that’s very cool,” he says contentedly. “I just want to keep on making music, playing live. And I don’t think that’s too far out there. So I think we’ll stop doing this when we want to stop doing it. Rather than being like ‘nobody likes us anymore!’”
Something tells me that should be the least of Wilson’s worries and that the friends in Snow Patrol will be bringing us more of their sentimental brand of rock for years to come.