Mark Peter McClelland (born 30 March 1976) is a Northern Irish musician known best as the former

bass guitar The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...

ist of the band

Snow Patrol Snow Patrol are a Northern Irish–Scottish Rock music, rock band formed in 1994 in Dundee, Scotland. They consist of Gary Lightbody (vocals, guitar), Nathan Connolly (guitar, backing vocals), Paul Wilson (musician), Paul Wilson (bass guitar, ...

. McClelland is a recipient of the

Ivor Novello Ivor Novello (born David Ivor Davies; 15 January 1893 – 6 March 1951) was a Welsh actor, dramatist, singer and composer who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century. He was born into a musical ...

Award for his work on the album ''

Final Straw ''Final Straw'' is the third studio album and major-label debut by Scottish-Northern Irish rock band Snow Patrol, released on 4 August 2003 in the United Kingdom and Ireland and in 2004 in the United States. The album is notable for bringing t ...

''. He is now the bassist for alternative act Little Doses.

Career

Mark McClelland was born on 30 March 1976, and attended

Sullivan Upper School Sullivan Upper School is a mixed non- denominational voluntary grammar school in Holywood, Northern Ireland, and has approximately 1,100 enrolled pupils. The school motto is ', Irish for "with the gentle hand foremost". History Sullivan Low ...

as a youngster. In 1994, he started attending the

University of Dundee , mottoeng = "My soul doth magnify the Lord" , established = 1967 – gained independent university status by Royal Charter1897 – Constituent college of the University of St Andrews1881 – University College , ...

to study

Financial economics Financial economics, also known as finance, is the branch of economics characterized by a "concentration on monetary activities", in which "money of one type or another is likely to appear on ''both sides'' of a trade". William F. Sharpe"Financia ...

. During his first year, he founded the band

Shrug A shrug is a gesture performed by raising both shoulders, and is a representation of an individual either being indifferent about something or not knowing an answer to a question. The shoulder-raising action may be accompanied by rotating the pal ...

with Michael Morrison and

Gary Lightbody Gareth John Lightbody (born 15 June 1976) is a Northern Irish singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band Snow Patrol. He has also founded the musical supergroups The ...

. Morrison left the band in 1995 and with new drummer Jonny Quinn, they became Polar Bear and eventually

. On 9 July 1998, McClelland graduated with first class honours and was one of the only three students to graduate in the course that year. Additionally, he was the only student to graduate in first class for that course that year. A few weeks later, Snow Patrol released their first studio album ''

Songs for Polarbears ''Songs for Polarbears'' is the debut album by the Scottish-Northern Irish indie rock group Snow Patrol, released on 31 August 1998 in the UK and 12 October in the US. The album charted at #143 in the UK and did not sell well upon its initial re ...

'' (a reference to previous band name Polarbear) under Jeepster. In 2001, the band released their second studio album ''

When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up ''When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up'' is the second album by the Scottish-Northern Irish indie rock band Snow Patrol, released on 24 April 2001 in the UK and 5 March in the US. The album charted at number 129 in the UK and failed to se ...

''. During this time, McClelland was also a member of

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. Lightbody describes the band's sound as "pretty much all very slow, quiet, folky-typ ...

, a Scottish ensemble started by bandmate Lightbody. He also featured on

Iain Archer Iain Archer is a writer, producer and solo artist from Bangor, Northern Ireland. He is a two-time Ivor Novello Award winner, winning the 2004 Album Award – ''Final Straw'' by Snow Patrol and Most Performed Work in 2016 for Grammy nominate ...

's album ''

Flood The Tanks ''Flood the Tanks'' is an album by the Northern Irish singer songwriter, Iain Archer Iain Archer is a writer, producer and solo artist from Bangor, Northern Ireland. He is a two-time Ivor Novello Award winner, winning the 2004 Album Award ...

'' and Cut La Roc's eponymous debut album, playing the song "Post Punk Progression" with Snow Patrol. McClelland departed from the band in 2005 after the success of their 2003 album ''

'', allegedly over creative differences. Speaking to Scotland's '' The Daily Record'' at the time, McClelland claimed he was sacked as Lightbody "wanted more control and less interference", adding that Snow Patrol would effectively be a solo project now. The '' NME'' later reported that the dispute centred on songwriting credits for ''Final Straw'', with McClelland feeling his contribution had not been given sufficient acknowledgement. McClelland has gone on to create Little Doses, along with girlfriend (now wife), singer Kirsten Ross and drummer Michael Branagh of

Degrassi ''Degrassi'' is a Canadian television franchise created by Kit Hood and Linda Schuyler in 1979. It is centred on a multigenerational teen drama about an ensemble cast of teenagers attending the namesake Toronto school as they navigate their ...

. The band is unsigned.

Litigation

On 10 September 2007, the BBC news site reported that McClelland has issued a writ at the High Court in London seeking 25% of the band's earnings since he left the band in March 2005.

Discography

*''

Starfighter Pilot ''Starfighter Pilot'' is the debut EP from Snow Patrol, on the Electric Honey label, released on 15 June 1997. The EP was released under the name Polarbear, the band's second name after Shrug. The name Polarbear was later changed to Snow Patrol ...

'' (1997) *''

'' (1998) *''

'' (2001) *''

'' (2003) *''

Flood the Tanks ''Flood the Tanks'' is an album by the Northern Irish singer songwriter, Iain Archer Iain Archer is a writer, producer and solo artist from Bangor, Northern Ireland. He is a two-time Ivor Novello Award winner, winning the 2004 Album Award ...

'' *''Sessions@AOL'' (2004) *'' La Roc Rocs'' (2000)

References

External links

Daily Record interview with McClelland 6/3/07
{{DEFAULTSORT:McClelland, Mark 1976 births Alumni of the University of Dundee Living people Musicians from Belfast Bass guitarists from Northern Ireland Keyboardists from Northern Ireland Snow Patrol members Ivor Novello Award winners People educated at Sullivan Upper School 21st-century bass guitarists