Chris Martin: Coldplay's frontman lauds Pop-Tarts, Embraces Ambition

 

 

Twenty years ago Reagan and Thatcher were running our countries. Now it's Bush and Blair. How have things changed?

Do you read Harry Potter? It's just sad that the world is run by Muggles. It always has been and always will be. Being a leader of a country is incredibly difficult. You're never going to please everybody--or, indeed, anybody. I've got great respect for anybody who wants to do it, but the type of person you have to be to be a politician is different from the type of person that you really want a politician to be. History always remembers the bastards and the heroes, but normally just the war heroes. You got to hand it to the guy that invented Pop-Tarts, but no one ever does.

How has music changed in those 20 years?

I actually thing that music goes in 20-year cycles, because what you listen to as you're growing up is what you then draw upon when you're making records. For me, 20 years ago was crucial--1985 was Echo and the Bunnymen and the Cure and Joy Division and a-ha and U2 and Kate Bush. All these people that we steal from--totally, openly--were all around and peaking then.

What are your favorite records of the last 20 years?

Automatic for the People, R.E.M. The second Sigur Rós record, which is unpronounceable, but it sounds like "Igotaspreeriken." Achtung Baby, Violator, OK Computer, of course. Definately Maybe. Maybe Deserter's Songs by Mercury Rev and Homogenic by Björk. Johnny Cash's American Recordings.

The developments in technoloy are probably the biggest change in our lifetime. How has that affected the way we live?

I'm 28, and the idea of a world war just seems rediculous, because we grew up in an era where we realized how small the world is--which no one really knew 200 years ago 'cause it took fucking ages to get anywhere or talk to anyone. But now me and you can have a conversation across the Atlantic like this--it makes you think sooner or later everyone's going to realize that we're all on the same piece of rock.

Your band is often criticized for wanting to leave a legacy. Do you think it's unique in this generation that having ambition is something to be criticized for?

I think ambition has become confused with financial drive. I'm not interested in having as much money as Hugh Hefner; we just feel the four of us have been given an incredible life. We easily could have been born in Syria or Turkey and not had any opportunity, and we just don't want to fuck it up and snort it all up our noses. I think our mistake is that we don't know how to always phrase that properly. It comes across as "We want to be in the Top 10 of all time." Really, it's just we've been thrown the football and we want to score a touchdown. We don't want to just sit there and smoke.

What are you proudest of?

That we're doing all right in America, given that we're foreign and a lot of people don't like us. But that's not pride; it's excitement. I'm not really proud of anything because I didn't decree my fate. It was given to me, so I feel blessed. I'm very proud of my Bob Dylan impression--I won't do it now, but occasionally, it sneaks out. I'll tell you what I'm most proud of. The other day I had a pizza with Mike Mills from R.E.M., and he played "Nightswimming" on the piano for me. I was so proud that I got to the position where I could hear that.

And what are you most ashamed of?

Our concert in New York City for AOL. That was probably the worst Coldplay concert there's ever been and did us no good at all. We just fucked that right up. As you get to be a bigger and bigger band--and we can't get any bigger than we are now--you have to think that bigger is not always better than goodness. We went for quanity rather than quality, and it was wrong. It was so important for us to play a really great buzz gig in New York, and we didn't. So we all have this hole in our heads from it. A lot of people forget we're only on our third record. I hope we're still on the up, you know? --Alan Light

Thanks Kelli

thanks a lot! i enjoyed reading this interview!

specially this part:Do you read Harry Potter ? It's just sad that the world is run by Muggles.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

now...i didnt like this very much:A lot of people forget we're only on our third record. I hope we're still on the up, you know?

 

:/

History always remembers the bastards and the heroes, but normally just the war heroes. You got to hand it to the guy that invented Pop-Tarts, but no one ever does.

 

:lol:

Pop tarts are good. :lol:

yeah, i know. :/

 

i like the part about his bob dylan impression, i have one too ahaha. actually, i think everyone might have a bob dylan impression. :lol:

Shame I've run out space on my random quotes thingy.... :confused:

 

We easily could have been born in Syria or Turkey and not had any opportunity, and we just don’t want to fuck it up and snort it all up our noses

 

Never a truer word said...

i just want to announc emy undying love for the guy/!

seriously though, i respect him so much, success defintley ahs nt gone to his head, he doe sthe right thing, hes a slightly quiter, not so in yer face and less hypocritical bono.

lgood interview to, he has much wit about him.

I dunno. There's something about Bono, that I'm not feeling.

 

He comes across as fake to me. I like his voice and U2 make great music, but he hasn't convinced me that his heart is in the right place...

 

*Nettie ducks away from the crossfire*

yeah thats wat im trying to say, chrris isnt a hypocrit, and i wanan llike bobon

no wait i do lk him, but you know when someone you like does something wrong, u just know it, byut you dont want to admit it!

thats bono, i thin hes a bit of a hypocrit, and up his own arse, but still a good guy neverthless.

Yeah, I get what you mean.... :lol:

the stupidiest thing happened to me today:

i was in spanish class and then i saw the word "bono" on the board! i started freaking out! i was like Bono! u2!!! when i was about to ask the teacher, what was up with bono..i noticed the words: traer latas(bring cans)...and it all made sense...the teacher was offering bonus points for bringing cans!

 

 

 

 

sorry, i just needed to share that for some bizarre reason... :confused:

thanks kelli for the article. which month of Spin was it?

october 2005

so...its out? :stunned:

thanks kelli...i'm going to check it out. any pics accompanying the article?

when was this aol concert?

^dunno, in may or something?

 

and he reads harry potter? haha, great! :D

Thanks very much. :)

 

Btw, love your avatar.

 

A.

when was this aol concert?

 

Yep, like Sarah said...it was in May (Beacon Theater in NYC)...it was the same week they did VH1:Storytellers and MTV:LiveLeak and Saturday Night Live.

Was it THAT bad?? Did anyone watch it?

it definitely wasn't that bad. I just remember thinking the atmosphere wasn't as good as usual.

maybe it wasn't their best concert, but yet there is no reason to be ashamed.

oh, and I just found out that it is still online.

there you go: http://music.aol.com/franchise/aolmusiclive/coldplay060705

Cheers! :cool:

That was a GREAT interview. Awesome questions. *saves*

 

Thanks alot!