Iain Archer
Encyclopedia
Iain Denis Archer is a singer–songwriter
from Bangor
, Northern Ireland
, who was once a secondary lyricist for the indie band Snow Patrol
. Archer comes from a musical background and released several solo albums in the mid 90s on the small Scottish independent label Sticky Music. After a stint with Snow Patrol and a side project with Snow Patrol's frontman Gary Lightbody
in The Reindeer Section
, he returned to his solo career. In 2004 he released the album Flood The Tanks.
In 2005, Archer picked up an Ivor Novello Award
as part of the songwriting team behind Snow Patrol's Final Straw
album. In 2007, "Canal Song" from Archer's album Magnetic North was featured on Grey's Anatomy
(season 3 episode 14, "Wishin' and Hopin'") and Everything I've Got, from the same album was used as iTunes
' Free Single of the Week. He also contributed vocals to the 2006 album Waiting for Clearance by The Freelance Hellraiser
, which also featured Archer's long time collaborator Gary Lightbody. The song "We Don't Belong" received airplay on leading radio stations, including BBC 6 Music
and BBC Radio Ulster
. Archer is married to German singer Miriam Kaufmann.
Singer–songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
from Bangor
Bangor, County Down
Bangor is a large town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is a seaside resort on the southern side of Belfast Lough and within the Belfast Metropolitan Area. Bangor Marina is one of the largest in Ireland, and holds Blue Flag status...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, who was once a secondary lyricist for the indie band Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
. Archer comes from a musical background and released several solo albums in the mid 90s on the small Scottish independent label Sticky Music. After a stint with Snow Patrol and a side project with Snow Patrol's frontman Gary Lightbody
Gary Lightbody
Gary Lightbody is an Northern Irish musician and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band Snow Patrol.- Early life :...
in The Reindeer Section
The Reindeer Section
The Reindeer Section are a Scottish indie rock supergroup formed in 2001 by Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol, which released albums and gigged in 2001 and 2002. The Reindeer Section grouping was somewhat ad hoc, and so it is uncertain if more will be heard from them...
, he returned to his solo career. In 2004 he released the album Flood The Tanks.
In 2005, Archer picked up an Ivor Novello Award
Ivor Novello Awards
The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the Cardiff born entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and composing. They are presented annually in London by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors and were first introduced in 1955.Nicknamed The Ivors, the awards take place...
as part of the songwriting team behind Snow Patrol's Final Straw
Final Straw
UK re-release bonus tracks*The AOL sessions feature frontman Gary Lightbody & lead guitarist Nathan Connolly being interviewed, and performing an acoustic rendition of "Run".*The dualdisc version does not include the UK bonus tracks....
album. In 2007, "Canal Song" from Archer's album Magnetic North was featured on Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
(season 3 episode 14, "Wishin' and Hopin'") and Everything I've Got, from the same album was used as iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
' Free Single of the Week. He also contributed vocals to the 2006 album Waiting for Clearance by The Freelance Hellraiser
The Freelance Hellraiser
Roy Kerr, aka The Freelance Hellraiser, is one of the creators of the UK bootleg scene.He gained fame with a mash-up called "A Stroke of Genius", which combined an instrumental edit of The Strokes' track "Hard To Explain" with Christina Aguilera's pop hit "Genie in a Bottle"...
, which also featured Archer's long time collaborator Gary Lightbody. The song "We Don't Belong" received airplay on leading radio stations, including BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music is one of the BBC's digital radio stations, was launched on 11 March 2002 and originally codenamed Network Y. It was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years....
and BBC Radio Ulster
BBC Radio Ulster
BBC Radio Ulster is one of two Northern Irish BBC radio stations, the other being BBC Radio Foyle located in the city of Derry. BBC Radio Ulster is located at Broadcasting House in the Ormeau Avenue area of Belfast city centre...
. Archer is married to German singer Miriam Kaufmann.
Discography
- Playing Dead (August 1995)
- Crazy Bird (August 1996)
- Revelation Bell (August 1997, EP)
- Flood the TanksFlood The TanksFlood the Tanks is an album by the Northern Irish singer songwriter, Iain Archer. The album was originally released in 2004, but was later re-packaged and re-released on a different label in 2005...
(May 2004, re-released in July 2005) - Magnetic North (4 October 2006)
- To the Pine Roots (September 2008)