Contactmusic interviewed Gary Lightbody's side-project Tired Pony recently, and the Snow Patrol frontman revealed we may not have long to wait for a new Snow Patrol offering.

When it came to talking about the next Tired Pony album, Lightbody stated that 'there's a while to wait' as there may not be time for one in the near future. 'If Snow Patrol release an album next year [2015], which we probably will, and then tour for it....' he told us, while weighing up the chances of a Tired Pony release in the next few years.

Snow Patrol in 2012
Fans will surely be thrilled to learn of Snow Patrol album plans

Speaking of the album, Lightbody has big ambitions. Omitting the barage of expletives from his original statement, he jovially explained how he wanted to make '[A] big record. Big, bold, beautiful, unabashedly going for the far reaches of the universe.'

'I want to make a giant rock record and stand there and sing it like I mean it', he continued. 'I want joy, I want pure joy'. He went on to state that he wanted the positive mood for the next Snow Patrol album to be something that continued for the  rest of his life. 'I'm not gonna waste my time on anything else', he said.

Read the full interview with Gary Lightbody's side project Tired Pony

The band got together earlier this year to contribute a new song, 'I Won't Let You Go', for the sci-fi movie 'Divergent' and they unveiled a 'Greatest Hits' collection last year, but we are definitely due another full-length album release with their last offering 'Fallen Empires' having been released back in 2011.

With regards to other possible musical projects, Lightbody shot down the 'crazy rumour' that he would be working with Taylor Swift again, revealing that he 'didn't get the call this time'. The suggestion followed Lightbody's previous  collaboration with the country-pop singer after he appeared on the track 'The Last Time' from her 2012 album 'Red'.

Watch Gary and Taylor perform 'The Last Time'

As for another Tired Pony record, Lightbody calculated that fans would have to wait until 2017 - but he did confirm that there was 'definitely going to be a third'.

Read the Bushmills Live 2014 review featuring Tired Pony's 'exhilarating' set