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Jonny Quinn
Jonny Quinn
	Quinn in 2018
Background information
Birth name	Jonathan Graham Quinn
Also known as	Jonny
Born	26 February 1972 (age 52)
Origin	Bangor, Northern Ireland
Genres	Alternative rock, indie rock
Occupation(s)	Drummer, musician
Instrument(s)	Drums, percussion
Years active	1991–present
Labels	Fiction/Interscope, Good Vibrations
Formerly of	Snow Patrol

Jonathan Graham Quinn^[1] (born 26 February 1972) is a Northern Irish musician,^[2] best known as the former drummer for alternative rock band Snow Patrol, and was previously a member of bands like The Mighty Fall, The New Brontes and Disraeli Gears. As drummer for Snow Patrol, he has played on all releases up until he left the band in 2023. He is married to industrial designer Mariane Quinn (née Røkke).

Biography

He attended Rockport School near Holywood and Campbell College Belfast both of which singer Gary Lightbody attended. He once used to work in the music store for Good Vibrations, the record label that first signed The Undertones.^[3] In the early 1990s, he was a member of Mighty Fall, in which he had a bandmate in Iain Archer.^[4]^[5] He was also a member of The New Brontes.^[6] In the summer of 1992, he became a member of Disraeli Gears, which was formed by Iain's brother Paul.^[7]^[8] In 1995, he completed a BTEC Diploma in Performing Arts.^[9] In October 1996, he started a live music venue with Brendan McCauley, called The Crescent Arts Centre. Disraeli Gears played regular shows at the venue throughout the rest of the year.^[9] In 1997, they recorded their first studio album, Pure Groove.^[9]

He has been with Snow Patrol since their first full-length release, Songs for Polarbears. During Snow Patrol's Eyes Open Tour, on 15 January 2007, Quinn broke a bone in his elbow in a snowboarding accident and was unable to play several shows of the tour.^[10]^[11] He asked Ex-Therapy? drummer and long-time friend of the band Graham Hopkins to fill in for him.^[11] Hopkins toured Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the United States for 3 months until Quinn had fully recovered.^[12] In the meantime, Snow Patrol were to play at the 2007 BRIT Awards. U2's Larry Mullen, Jr. volunteered to take on the duty but the band already had Hopkins. Quinn said he felt "honored" at the offer.^[13] He names Ginger Baker, Louie Bellson and Stewart Copeland among his influences.^[14]

In 2009, Quinn set up and launched the publishing company Polar Patrol Publishing. His first signing was Johnny McDaid who then went onto write with many artists including Ed Sheeran, Birdy and Robbie Williams. Jonny was also responsible for signing Belle & Sebastian to Polar Patrol in 2014.

In September 2023, Lightbody announced on Instagram that Quinn and Paul Wilson decided to leave Snow Patrol.^[15]

Personal life

He is the nephew of actress Patricia Quinn and the brother of Bradley Quinn, Snow Patrol's longtime photographer.^[16] His cousin is Debbie Armstrong, wife of former Northern Ireland national football team, assistant manager Gerry Armstrong.^[17] Quinn had a habit of stage-diving, which resulted in many fractured limbs. After the band signed to Fiction/Interscope, he was asked to curb it, lest he break his arm.^[18]

He proposed to his longtime girlfriend, industrial designer Mariane Røkke at Snow Patrol's homecoming show at Ward Park in 2007. He wrote "Marry me Mariane" on his drum kit, which was shown on the screens beside the stage. They married in Mariane's hometown Oslo on 16 August 2008. Quinn's brother Bradley Quinn was the best man. Guests included the band, past Snow Patrol collaborator and bandmate Iain Archer and singer Declan O'Rourke. The couple went to Zanzibar for their honeymoon.^[19] He lives in Crouch End, London with his wife and son, near former bandmate Nathan Connolly.^[20]^[21]

Equipment

He is known to use DW drums, Zildjian cymbals and Pro-Mark sticks. He used Pearl drums in the past.

Discography

with The Mighty Fall

1991 – "Kick It in the Head";^[22]^[23]

with Disraeli Gears

1995 – Sense EP
1997 – Pure Groove^[24]

with Snow Patrol

1998 – Songs for Polarbears
2001 – When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up
2003 – Final Straw
2006 – Eyes Open
2008 – A Hundred Million Suns
2009 – Up to Now
2011 – Fallen Empires
2013 – Greatest Hits
2018 – Wildness

References

^ "Run - Writers". ASCAP. Archived from the original on 9 January 2010. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
^ Coleman, Maureen (31 August 2007). "Snow Patrol to light up Bangor". The Belfast Telegraph. Archived from the original on 3 May 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
^ "Snow Patrol at Maida Vale birthday". Virgin Media. 30 October 2009. Archived from the original on 1 November 2009. Retrieved 31 October 2009.
^ "The Mighty Fall". MusicBrainz. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
^ Rimmer, Mike (13 April 2008). "Johnny Parks Band: The Irish worship man & his compatriots break the silence". Cross Rhythms. Archived from the original on 31 August 2009. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
^ "About the musicians". Patty Nan Media. Archived from the original on 20 September 2009. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
^ "Disraeli Gears: History". D-N-A. Archived from the original on 6 July 2008. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
^ "Disraeli Gears". MusicBrainz. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
^ ^a ^b ^c "The story so far". D-N-A. Archived from the original on 7 October 2008. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
^ A. Jasmin, Ernest (3 March 2007). "The future looks hot for Snow Patrol". McClatchy Newspapers. PopMatters. Archived from the original on 7 December 2009. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
^ ^a ^b "Snow Patrol in injury drama". Hot Press. 22 January 2007. Retrieved 5 October 2009. Appears as: "...drummer Jonny Quinn has confirmed he broke his arm on Monday January 15 whilst snowboarding in the French Alps." and "Jonny rang me up during the week to see if I could help them out, I was more than happy to. We've been friends for years, since their first album when they'd kip on my couch if they came down to Dublin."
^ New York Staff (22 January 2007). "Snow Patrol drummer breaks arm". NME. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
^ Liz, Showbiz; Lyons, Beverly (26 February 2007). "Showbuzz". The Daily Record. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
^ Demma, Ashley (6 November 2009). "Drum solo: One on one with Snow Patrol's Jonny Quinn". Starpulse. Archived from the original on 12 February 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2009.
^ Wilson, Rebekah (1 September 2023). "Snow Patrol: Jonny Quinn and Paul Wilson leave band". BBC News.
^ "News - August 7, 2006". patriciaquinn.co.uk. 7 August 2006. Archived from the original on 17 June 2009. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
^ Coleman, Maureen; Regan, Claire (22 December 2006). "This is our best ever, Snow Patrol tells Belfast". Belfast Telegraph. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
^ "That's snow business". The Age. 25 July 2004. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 29 October 2009.
^ Coleman, Maureen (31 July 2008). "Snow Patrol drummer reveals details of his Oslo wedding". Belfast Telegraph. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
^ Newton, Charlotte (12 February 2009). "Snow Patrol and their love for Crouch End". Ham&High. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 5 November 2009.
^ "WHO'S WHO: Snow Patrol drummer Jonny Quinn". Ham&High. 4 December 2009. Archived from the original on 19 July 2006. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
^ "Good Vibrations - Singles". Vinyl Net. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
^ "The Mighty Fall - Kick It in the Head". EIL. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
^ "Discography". D-N-A. Archived from the original on 13 October 2008. Retrieved 3 November 2009. though spells them Disreali Gears