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 nominated "Hold Back the River", which he co-wrote with James Bay. Additionally, Archer was a 2013 Ivor Novello Award nominee for Best Song Musically & Lyrically – "Two Fingers" by Jake Bugg.
Archer's music career kicked off in the mid-1990s, releasing two solo albums on Scottish independent label, Sticky Music and touring with artists such as John Martyn & Nils Lofgren. From 2001-2002 he joined Snow Patrol as a guitarist and backing vocalist. Archer co-wrote songs towards the group’s breakthrough album Final Straw, including hit "Run", which saw UK top 5 success in 2005 and became a UK No. 1 in 2008 with Leona Lewis. During that time, he also worked with Gary Lightbody in The Reindeer Section alongside members of Belle & Sebastian, Idlewild, Arab Strap, Mogwai, Alfie, and Teenage Fanclub. In 2004, he returned to his solo career, releasing the album Flood the Tanks with PIAS Recordings, and Magnetic North in 2006, co-produced with David Kosten (Bat for Lashes, Everything Everything). Both albums received critical acclaim. His most recent solo album, To the Pine Roots, was released in 2009.
Archer became a member of Tired Pony in 2009, a band comprising Gary Lightbody (Snow Patrol), Peter Buck (R.E.M.), Scott McCaughey (R.E.M.), Richard Colburn (Belle and Sebastian), Jacknife Lee and Troy Stewart. Tired Pony released their debut record The Place We Ran From in July 2010 which featured contributions from Zooey Deschanel, M Ward, Tom Smith (Editors) and was recorded in Portland, Oregon. They completed their follow-up, titled The Ghost of the Mountain in early 2013, recorded in Topanga Canyon of Southern California.

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