BACK PAGE
FIRST&LAST GARY LIGHTBODY The Snow Patrol leader takes some time out to tell us about Belfast, bags, Bill Burr, burgers and Bad
First film you saw that really moved you Star Wars: A New Hope. I’ve watched it over and over. And over. Still do. I know you were probably asking about a ‘weepy’ but Star Wars has everything. I cry at the opening crawl, for crying out loud.
Last lie you told It wasn’t me that ate your sandwich.
First record you ever bought Michael Jackson’s Bad. I was ten. I mean, I had albums for Christmases and birthdays before that but I think the first record I went into the store and bought was that one.
Last extravagant purchase you made A Gretsch Country Gent guitar. Last book you read Stephen Fry’s Mythos. A work of genius.
First great piece of advice you were given Always carry your own bag. My dad told me that and I never forgot it. A good tool to keep you grounded. If you ever get to the stage where someone else is carrying all your shit while you’re Instagramming your small dog, then all is pretty much lost.
First thing you’d do if you ran the country Have a ‘shouting at each other’ embargo so we can try and sort some things out with some goddamn kindness!
First time you realised you were famous I’m only famous in certain places. In most places in the world, no one knows who I am. Suppose 136 THE LIST 1 Nov 2018–31 Jan 2019
tt t h
ll k I’m pretty well-known at home in I’ i Ireland so sometimes when I go home I get asked for pictures quite a lot. Other than that, I live a fairly normal life off stage.
Last time someone criticised your work Ha! I don’t read reviews anymore and haven’t for a long time. My advice to any artist anywhere would be not to. I promise it’ll be one of the best things you do for your health. Harder to avoid on social media though. Someone said we were terrible on there yesterday so it’s not like you can ever completely avoid it. Ha!
First three words your friends would use to describe you ‘Dumb as fuck’. Last time you made an impulse buy and regretted it I bought the first leather jacket I’ve ever owned about five years ago when I was in LA. I went out later that night wearing it to meet some friends and when I arrived they were chatting to Stephen Merchant (the fantastic comedian, writer and actor). I’d never met him. As I approached the group and before he even said hello to me, he looked me up and down and said ‘well, Mad Max is here then’. Everyone laughed and I made an immediate
t note never to wear that jacket again. And I never did.
First concert you ever attended Red Hot Chili Peppers in the Ulster Hall, Belfast. My second gig was Nirvana, Teenage Fanclub and The Breeders (what a bill!!!!!) also in Belfast.
First object you’d save from your burning home Depends if my niece was in there or not. If she was, her. If not, I dunno: a guitar in each hand probably.
Last funny thing you saw online Bill Burr on Conan. Last thing you think of before you go to sleep I’m a giant ball of anxiety so it’ll likely be something I should have done that day but never got around to.
First thing you think of when you wake up in the morning The thing I was supposed to do yesterday but never got around to.
Snow Patrol play SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Thu 31 Jan. The band’s new album Wildness is out now. See more of this Q&A at list. co.uk
NEXT ISSUE FRI 1 FEB Once the Yuletide celebrations have wound down, it’s time to prepare for some more world-class festival action coming straight out of Glasgow. Film buffs will flock to the city for 12 days and nights of new movies, retrospective seasons and guest appearances galore while comedy fans will be spoiled with almost three weeks of stand-up, sketch, films, quizzes and kids shows. Among those already scheduled to appear are Limmy, Julian Clary, Janey Godley and Jerry Sadowitz.