Finding His Mark

By Joe Kavanagh

In a world increasingly obsessed with celebrity, most people would answer in the positive when asked if they would like to be famous. After all, who wouldn't like a spot of adulation, the jet setting and the preferential treatment? There are those, however, that claim 'I would hate it' but given the fact that most of them will never have the opportunity to find out, their resolve can't be tested. Not so with Iain Archer whose songwriting brought him to the brink of fame and fortune, not once but twice, yet each time he turned his back on it. With his new album currently gaining momentum on both sides of the Atlantic, he may be called upon to make that decision once again.

Iain Archer was born into a family of musicians in Bangor, county Down, in the north of Ireland during the turbulent period of the 1970s, an environment that he would later claim made him grow up 'with this crazy idea that everything is solid and unshakeable, and that you are right about everything and there are a lot of people who are wrong,' As you would expect, music was part of his life from an early age and he decided upon the guitar as his chosen instrument by the time he was 13-years-old. Jamming with a series of local bands throughout his teens, he continued to play when he moved to Glasgow in the 90s. By now working exclusively on his own music, he built up a solid following in Scotland as a singer/songwriter and even signed a record contract with local indie label, Sticky Records. His first musical incarnation, resulted in two albums in the form of 1995's Playing Dead, and Crazy Bird, the following year.

Both were met with considerable critical acclaim and sold steadily, if unspectacularly but Archer looks back on the period as little more than a growth process, where he often seized upon the easiest melodies to hand, as yet unversed in the true art of songwriting.

Despite being his own harshest critic, Archer's career was a relative success as he found himself on tour with the likes of John Martyn, Nils Lofgren and David Gray, the latter of which he drew most comparisons to. Instead of a sense of satisfaction, however, this small degree of accomplishment instilled a sense of emptiness inside, as he played his self-described 'safe music' to almost exclusively middle-aged audiences who preferred music without chances. As the feeling grew, Archer made the decision to step away from music for a while and moved to London, where be spent the next four years working with homeless people.

It might have stayed that way, were it not for the fact that an old drummer friend of his from Ireland, named Johnny Quinn, called him one day and asked if he would be interested in standing-in on guitar with Quinn's new band for an appearance on an Irish television show.

The experience spurred him to begin working on his own songs again and he immersed himself in the Irish music scene, becoming well acquainted with such leading lights as Simple Kid, Paddy Casey, David Kitt and The Frames. When not touring with Snow Patrol, he could be found working the length and breadth of Ireland's circuit, building up a sizable, motivated and devoted following that remain firmly behind him to this day.

After contributing on three songs for Snow Patrol's breakthrough album, Final Straw, (including the smash hit: Run), and taking part in the following tour, he decided that he was once again ready for a fresh challenge and turned his attention solely to his own work. Incorporating the myriad new influences and processes he had learned upon the way, Archer applied his usual unswerving focus and - batting aside those who kept encouraging him to get the record out as quickly as possible - he spent almost two years building up and stripping down songs until he was finally happy.

Flood the Tanks appeared in May of 2004 and was immediately hailed as one of the best Irish albums of the year. Archer also enjoyed a large degree of acclaim in the UK, where he had recently been unveiled as the Ivor Novello award-winner for his work on Snow Patrol's album. The highly prestigious gong is presented by the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters and previous winners include artists as diverse as John Lennon and William Orbit. The album was met with a steady slew of compliments, drawing comparison with everyone from Neil Young to Velvet Underground and Sonic Youth. Now imminently more pleased with his solo work, he toured throughout Europe and the US as both a solo artist and with full band, allowing audiences a glance at the variety and versatility of his carefully crafted songs. As someone who is hugely passionate about his music, Archer 's devotion to his craft can border on the impulsive, causing him to burnout as a result of his own intensity.

This time around, he found a better balance and frequently found solace by working with other acts such as Amazing Pilots, Duke Special and the now hotly tipped Fionn Regan. All three would credit Archer as having an indelible and invaluable influence on their careers.

Archer returned last October with follow-up, Magnetic North, which moved away from the introspection of Flood The Tanks for a more loose, fluid feel, characterized by punchy indie tunes not unlike his work with Snow Patrol. Since its release he has been touring the length and breadth of Europe, accompanied by the kind words of critics virtually everywhere he goes. Given the amount of interest being shown on the left side of the Atlantic, a US release for the album can only be months away and Archer's Canal Song recently featured in an episode of Grey's Anatomy.

A US tour is in the works for later this year and while his former bandmates are playing to packed stadiums, Archer will be plowing his furrow in clubs that hold hundreds. You get the feeling that he would not have it any other way.