In 2005, Glasgow-based Snow Patrol toured with U2, appeared at Live 8 at both Hyde Park and Scotland and somehow still found time to write and record a new album. Their May 2006 release, Eyes Open, is the follow-up to their phenomenally successful Final Straw, and it has exceeded all expectations. The album went straight to #1 on the album charts in the UK and Ireland and the first singles "You're All I Have" and "Hands Open" are receiving massive airplay on both sides of the Atlantic. In this Ticketmaster exclusive interview, keyboard player Tom Simpson speaks about the band's early years, the new album and their current tour.
TM: Do you remember the moment when you first knew you wanted to be a musician?
TS: Not really because before I started working with the band and stuff I always felt like a DJ, running clubs and stuff like that, so I probably wanted to be a DJ before I wanted to be in a band and the rest sort of followed suit. I kinda started doing stuff in the early years for Snow Patrol and not really playing an instrument and such...a couple of synthesizers and a turn table you know. So becoming a musician has become a gradual thing for me. It wasn't like a thing from when I was a child. It's just been an obvious progression for me so I can't remember at what point I said "oh hang on, I'm a musician." It just sort of developed over the years, so it's bit of weird one to ask for me, you know. But that's the best I can explain it.
TM: When did you start playing the keyboard?
TS: Probably in my late 20s or something like that. I just recently started doing classical piano lessons. When I was about 17 that's when I started DJing. I DJed for years and then somebody said "why don't you start doing this." And then last year or something I sent myself back to school to do proper piano lessons. And that's been quite interesting—especially when you're a little bit later in life learning to do things, it can be a bit of a challenge, but a worthwhile challenge.
TM: Who do you consider your biggest musical influences?
TS: This is really tricky because I've got such a broad taste in music I couldn't distill it down to one person. If you ever go to my house it's just wall to wall of vinyl. I couldn't do it off the top of my head because I would regret saying everyone I said because it's too hard to distill it down to individuals because it's all linked, my influences...If I have to name one person I would have to list another 10 people that were in that same bracket to justify it so we could be here all day listing.
TM: Got it. Totally understood! So how did you come to be a member of Snow Patrol?
TS: