The first time I heard “Open Your Eyes,” by Snow Patrol, I was in the second semester of my senior year of high school, a time flooded with emotions and anticipation of the future. For me, hearing this song echoed all the thoughts running through my head. I know the song can have many interpretations, but I think that’s part of Snow Patrol’s creative genius shining through. Being able to create music that can speak to people no matter what they’re going through is a rare and beautiful gift.
In 2004, Snow Patrol got their big break, and their album Final Straw became the 26th most popular album in the UK. However, their biggest success was the song “Chasing Cars,” on their 2006 Eyes Open album, which became the second most successful song of the 2000s. Their music gained national popularity and has been featured on many US television shows. “Open Your Eyes” was featured in one of the last episodes of The Office, and “Chasing Cars” became a recurring theme on Grey’s Anatomy.
Snow Patrol released their latest album Wildness this year, exactly seven years after their previous album. Recently, Gary Lightbody has been interviewed by many news sources and magazines regarding the long gap in the albums. Since the release of their 2011 album, Lightbody has been struggling with and conquering alcoholism and depression. Lightbody became dependent on alcohol, and it severely affected his ability to write music. Two years ago, he hit rock bottom and his doctor told him that he would die, soon, if he did not stop drinking, and he has been sober ever since. Throughout his journey of sobriety, Lightbody was forced to deal with his mental health problems.
Eventually, Lightbody found inspiration once again. His family motto is Clarior e tenebris which translates to “brighter after the darkness.” Clearly, Lightbody’s journey is an embodiment of this motto. Songs like “Don’t Give In” on Snow Patrol’s new album echo his message of hope and healing.
Gary Lightbody is a strong example of the unconscious mind playing a huge role in creativity. In an interview speaking to why it took Snow Patrol seven years to come out with their most recent album, Lightbody said: “I allowed the time, which is why it took seven years, to actually experience the whole thing, every facet of these things, rather than just writing a record about being in the hole.” Similarly, Nancy Andreason in her 2011 article delves into the role of the unconscious mind in creativity. Although little is actually known about the origin of these unconscious flashes of creativity, Lightbody can attest to the importance of time and unconscious thought in his creative process. Although their most recent album was seven years in the making, he wrote one of the songs, “A Youth Written in Fire,” in just 30 minutes, an example of how creativity comes in flashes. In addition, the intrinsic motivation described by Teresa Amabile plays a large role in Lightbody’s creative process. Instead of trying to please others and write what other people what, he writes about his own, raw emotions and the people he cares about. This results in music where you feel like you are being told his story experiencing every emotion Lightbody is. His fellow band members inspire Lightbody, and he is quoted to have said that they are “the great love of my life.”
Through struggle and triumph, Gary Lightbody has truly become a light after darkness. I hope that his messages inspires all of you to find strength in the face of uncertainty and show the world your creativity.
Sources...
Andreasen, N. (2014, July/August). Secrets of the creative brain. The Atlantic. http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/06/secrets-of-the-creative-brain/372299/
Amabile, T. (2001, April). Beyond talent. American Psychologist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8790Aw0_Bw
https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8458959/snow-patrol-gary-lightbody-wildness-album-interview
https://globalnews.ca/news/4440955/snow-patrol-interview-102-edge/
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-44725186
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/news/snow-patrols-gary-lightbody-the-night-i-nearly-died-after-going-on-threeday-bender-36944241.html
I only know the song “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol, so I found it really interesting to read about their struggles and creative process. Everyone deals with personal struggles. I think it takes a lot of strength for someone to be so open with their struggles; it’s very intimate and personal. Especially in today’s society, the topic of mental health is very controversial. I think the fact they took their time with the album to show the progression of his mental health, rather than only expressing what it’s like to be down in the slumps is really captivating. As a celebrity, expressing your own struggles helps listeners know they are not along, and showing the journey really helps provide an example that things can and do get better.
ReplyDeleteReading about the creativity process of Snow Patrol reminded me of Mumford and Sons. They recently released the song “If I Say” from their upcoming album. In an interview, bandmate Ben Lovett explained that the song came to him in a dream when he was at an apartment in New York. He recorded it in the bathroom at 3am and sent it to the other bandmates. The chorus was complete while the verses were jumbled, but by the end of the next day the whole song was finished. I think this just further proves how scarily beautiful the unconscious mind is.