Mark McClelland

Mark Peter McClelland (born 30 March 1976 in Belfast, Northern Ireland) is an Irish musician. In 1994, during their first year at Dundee University, he founded the band "Shrug" with Michael Morrison and Gary Lightbody. Morrison left the band a couple of years later and, with new drummer Johnny Quinn, they became "Polar Bear" and then "Snow Patrol". Two albums then followed on the Jeepster label, Songs for Polarbears (a reference to an earlier band name) and When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up.

McClelland was expelled from the band in 2005 after the success of their 2003 album Final Straw, 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 also wrote and played in The Reindeer Section, as well as featuring on Iain Archer's album Flood The Tanks and Cut La Roc's eponymous debut album. He received an Ivor Novello Award for his part in writing Final Straw.

He continues to write and produce music and is currently the founding member of Little Doses, along with singer Kirsten Ross and drummer Michael Branagh of Degrassi.

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.

External links

• Little Doses official web page
• Daily Record interview with McClelland 6/3/07
• Michael Morrison's Shrug tribute page