Nathan Connolly

Nathan Connolly
Background information
Birth name	Nathan Connolly
Born	20 January 1981 (1981-01-20) (age 30)
Origin	Belfast, Northern Ireland
Genres	Indie rock Alternative rock
Occupations	Guitarist Musician
Instruments	Guitar, Vocals
Years active	1994–present
Labels	Fiction/Interscope
Associated acts	Snow Patrol
Notable instruments
Gibson Les Paul Fender Telecaster Gretsch Duo Jet

Nathan Connolly (born 20 January 1981) is a Northern Irish musician,^[1] who is best known as the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for alternative rock band Snow Patrol.

Early life

Connolly, who was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, sang for a gospel church choir when he was 16, and the experience, he says, is what inspired him to be a musician.^[2]

“

I suppose I was always around music, and like any other kid, teenage kid, 12 or 13, I wanted to be a rock star and play guitar. I kind of played around with it for a few years and didn’t really learn much and wasn’t very good for the first two years, but then I started a band with my cousin and two mates from school and it kind of just went on from there. I started taking it a bit more seriously. I mean, I’ve always wanted to play in a band and write music, I just didn’t realize exactly how much when I first started.

”

He is a former pupil of Grosvenor Grammar School.

Music career

Prior to joining Snow Patrol, Connolly was a member of a band called File Under Easy Listening (or F.U.E.L), who were managed by BBC Radio 1 DJ Colin Murray. The band consisted of Nathan, vocalist Aaron Ditty, Dave Magee and Peter Comfort. Unfortunately, it did not last long; the single "Closure/Dryform" was F.U.E.L.'s first and only release.

While working at the record store HMV in Belfast, Nathan was introduced to the band Snow Patrol. He reluctantly agreed to join, despite the fact that the band had no record deal at the time. He jokingly recalls his mother thinking he "was being kidnapped by rock stars."

Connolly became a permanent member of the band near the end of 2002. His recruitment played a large role in shaping the band's new sound. With Nathan as a composer of the band's new material, Snow Patrol garnered a new record deal and released Final Straw in 2003. The album proved to be the band's breakthrough and helped introduce them to a wide audience.

In late 2006, he talked about plans to record a solo album, which he said would be "melodic and tuneful".^[3]

Equipment

Guitars

• Gibson Les Paul Custom - Tobacco 1979
• Gibson Les Paul Custom - Ebony (appears in the video for Take Back the City)
• Fender Telecaster Custom - Sunburst 1974
• Fender Telecaster Custom - Blonde 1977
• Gretsch Countryman - Brown 1962
• Gretsch Duo Jet - Black
• Fender Jaguar - Sunburst 1965
• Fender Telecaster Custom - Black '72 reissue
• Fender Telecaster Nashville - Sunburst
• Guild Electro/Acoustic
• Rickenbacker 360 - Jetglo
• Hutchins Memphis - Black

He uses Jim Dunlop Tortex .60mm picks^[4]

Amps

• Diamond Amplification Spitfire I Head with Spitfire 4x12 Cabinet
• Vox AC30 (Used at Mandela Hall SG#3)
• Marshall JCM800 2203 Jubilees
• Marshall 3315 Transistor (Used on Final Straw Tours)
• Fender Twin Reverb (Also Used on Final Straw Tours)

Effects

Connolly uses a setup that is primarily rack based. His rack consists of the following:

TC Electronics D Two (for delay) TC Electronics G Major (for modulation, pitch shifting and compression) TC Electronics M One XL (for reverb and layered delay sounds) Voodoo Labs GCX Audio Switcher

He uses various pedals for his overdrive and boost sounds. They change from time to time, but his consistent setup includes the following:

Ibanez TS9 Tubescreamer MXR/Dunlop Micro Amp (for boost) Boss Super Overdrive Boss Blues Driver

He uses a Voodoo Labs Ground Control Pro controller to bring up presets for each of the band's songs, and has the ability to add/remove different pedals and changes in sound.

He also uses a function in the TC Electronics G Major that allows him to switch the channels on his Marshall Jubilee amp heads for his heaviest sounds.

he also has a small pedalboard containing his ground control for the rack and various Boss pedals including a TU-2, PS-5, DD3, and RC-2.

Personal life

Nathan is the long-term boyfriend of Laura Donnelly, whom he met before joining Snow Patrol.^[5] He lives in Crouch End, London, nearby band mate Jonny Quinn.^[6]

Trivia

• Nathan earned a National Diploma in Popular Music.
• Nathan is a huge Star Wars fan. He says, "The first toy I ever got as a kid was a Boba Fett action figure. And later my granddad bought me an AT-AT. I'm still obsessed with Star Wars! I collect a lot of Star Wars stuff that I keep partly at my house and some at my parents' house."
• He is an avid U2 fan. In recounting an encounter with Bono, he says, "I waited outside the Europa Hotel all day when I was 16 to get my cassette copy of Zooropa signed by Bono, which he very kindly did. To be on a level that’s not the same, but close to your heroes is a very bizarre experience."

References

1. ^ "Ice cool band warms hearts". BBC. 29 March 2004. http://www.webcitation.org/5kx9XO83x. Retrieved 2009-11-01. 
2. ^ JIVEMagazine.com - Snow Patrol Opens Their Eyes
3. ^ "Snow Patrol members to go solo?". NME. 28 November 2006. http://www.webcitation.org/5kurt8q5Z. Retrieved 2009-10-30. 
4. ^ "Snow Patrol - Nathan Connolly Guitar Gear Rig and Equipment". Uber Pro Audio. http://www.webcitation.org/5kusXlXap. Retrieved 2009-07-18. 
5. ^ Coleman, Maureen (29 June 2007). "Laura couldn't be without her No 1 fan". The Belfast Telegraph. http://www.webcitation.org/5mXSvqnjk. Retrieved 4 January 2010. 
6. ^ Newton, Charlotte (12 February 2009). "Snow Patrol and their love for Crouch End". Ham&High. http://www.webcitation.org/5l3YGVPWI. Retrieved 2009-11-05. 

External links

• Snow Patrol's Nathan Connolly: 'Guitar Is Just Another Tool To Create A Song'
• Snow Patrol's Sith Obsession
• PopGurls Interview: Nathan Connolly alternate link

Persondata
Name	Connolly, Nathan
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	6 January 1981
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death