The British band could be living it large, driving fancy cars and playing with expensive toys.

 

They've sold millions of albums, played stadium gigs around the world and are arguably one of the biggest bands in the world, often referred to as this generation's U2. But a playboy lifestyle couldn't be further from their minds.

 

"At a time when we could just buy speed boats we are really fired up about trying to do something," said frontman Chris Martin. "We have had three albums now, sold lots of records and we've taken a lot of shit ... played to lots of intelligent people. Now it is time to do something great."

 

Coldplay have been on the road for 15 months, touring for their third album, X&Y. Australia is the second last leg of the tour, with the band wrapping up in Japan in July.

 

As one of the biggest rock outfits in the world, Coldplay have sold some 20 million albums worldwide, won four Grammys, and four Brit Awards.

 

But being one of the world's biggest has its pressures and has taken its toll on the band made up of Martin, guitarist Jon Buckland, bass player Guy Berryman and drummer Will Champion.

 

When rumours spread that they might be about to split in February this year, share prices in their label EMI plummeted, and the band began to feel it was no longer about the music.

 

"We had some things that I am not sure a small band should go through," contemplated Martin, who is married to Hollywood star Gwyneth Paltrow, with whom he has two young children.

 

"I don't think it is healthy to be caught up with share prices and quarterly (earnings) and all that stuff. We had so many opinions thrown our way by people that we worked with that we sort of lost sight at the very end."

 

Regardless of whether or not Coldplay release another album, the group won't put anything out for the point of it.

 

"We would only ever release a record which we are extremely happy with," said bass player Berryman. We might go into the studio and just not be able to do anything."

 

Martin agrees, saying that it is easy to lose sight of what's important in the music business.

 

"If we ever make another record we will live with it for a bit and then make some changes and just trust the four of us, he said. "Now we can hopefully just go back to being a band again and cutting out all the middle men. There are a lot of opinions around when you are a big band so I think we have learned over the last year that we really want to close ranks a bit."

 

Coldplay were signed to EMI in 1999 and emerged on the international music scene with their debut offering Parachutes in 2000, having met four years earlier at the London's University College. It has been a quick ride to the top for the band since then.

 

They followed up the success of Parachutes with A Rush of Blood to the Head in 2002. Then came last year's X&Y.

 

"In our opinion, we have just been given the job of being a big band," said Martin. "We sort of got there conventionally and it is now what we do with it that decides whether we should have got that job or not."

 

Like most other bands, Coldplay are influenced by a range of musicians and musical styles, and in turn they have influenced a lot of bands themselves.

 

Mitch Benn and The Distractions recently recorded and released a single titled, Everything Sounds Like Coldplay Now. Martin laughed when asked about the song.

 

"They have got a point," he said. "But the thing is, we nicked our sound off someone else anyway."

 

Their earlier material was influenced by the likes of Jeff Buckley and Radiohead, while a lot of their work has been compared to U2. Martin is philosophical about music appreciation.

 

"There is nothing to be learned from listening to your own music," he said. "(But) you can learn from other people."

 

Coldplay's sound has polarised critics for years, some hating their music while others love it. Not surprisingly, critics were split on Coldplays X&Y.

 

"We have definitely had a backlash in certain places, but we have survived it," said Martin. "We have gone through all of the business pressure of it and the commercial pressure of it and everyone having an opinion."

 

Being married to a Hollywood superstar means he has a brighter spotlight on him than his bandmates. But that does not scare him off meditating on matters of the heart in his lyrics.

 

He wrote smash hit Fix You for his wife after her father died. The song includes the lyrics: "Tears stream, down your face ... lights will guide you home ... I will try to fix you".

 

And he doesn't sing Green Eyes live anymore because the song was written about an ex-girlfriend.

 

It is the fiercely personal nature of Coldplay's music that is its appeal. And just as their lives keeps changing, so too will their music.

 

"We are very proud of those songs," said Martin. "(And) it will be different again in a year - you have got to keep changing."

 

 

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/news/music/coldplay-its-not-about-money/2006/06/30/1151174370166.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

you beat me to it! :P

this sounds sad. :(