Art history #2 (Brothers & Sisters)

July 6, 2010 9:10 pm

The second in our new series of interviews with the designers of Coldplay's artwork

 

We continue our new series of interviews with the designers behind Colpdplay's single and album covers, with a look at the band's second release, Brothers & Sisters. Like their first single, it was designed by a friend of the band, John Hilton.

 

 

Hi John. So, after you'd done the artwork for the Safety EP, Coldplay then got a single deal with Fierce Panda and you were asked you to do the next artwork too.

That's right.

 

What was the thought process behind that one?

That was more like a proper project at college. I treated them like the client. At the time, they were quite into Radiohead, so it was quite Radiohead-y. I did lots of ideas in sketchbooks and on Photoshop. And this was when Photoshop was still quite new.

 

What's on the cover?

Well there's just a little image of some drowning, bobbing people, in that sketchy way. They quite liked that, but it was a bit boring on its own. I had this picture from my back garden in my horrible little student home in Birmingham. I remember there was this white pitbull dog in the garden next door which just used to bark constantly and drive me nuts. So it was a kind of angst-y, teenage-y picture, and it was supposed to be about being somewhere not so great. It was middle class angst, I suppose.

 

That picture was taken out of your bedroom window?

Exactly, from my college digs. So it's a solarised, negative version of that. You can see a fence, a couple of bin bags and that dog that was always barking. And over the top it's the drawing of Coldplay.

 

By this stage the band were beginning to go places. Were you under more pressure for this one?

No, I remember it being brilliant. I was really good friends with Jonny - I still am - so I'd go down there to see them all the time at university. And I'd be going with them to Fierce Panda. It felt like I was part of a team. They were very good at making everyone feel welcome. I was properly involved when they were recording things, as was all of our bunch of friends. We'd all be around. I was in the Fierce Panda studios working on the artwork and deciding where all the text and the logo would go. It just felt like I was helping them out, and vice versa.

 

Do you own a copy of this one?

Yeah, I have got that one. It's a bit battered though. It's had a lot of use.

 

How do you look back on that cover?

At the time I thought it was good, but you look back and it just looks like a pile of college rubbish now!

 

It has a certain charm. It's not too slick.

No, it certainly wasn't! This is the point where they still looked like geeky students. There was nothing polished about it.

 

So once they signed for Parlophone did your role as art man end?

Yeah, that's when it started to become a proper competition. Which was fine. I actually think I had better covers for the Brothers & Sisters one at the time - although in hindsight, they'd have looked rubbish as well - but that was the one that they chose.

 

Can you remember what the other options were?

Oh there's a whole load of them somewhere. I went off on loads of tangents. But I don't think they ever expected it to go massively stellar at that point. I think they just thought, screw it, it's of its time, it doesn't matter. And it doesn't really matter. It sells on the basis that it's this great early single from a now big band, and it's almost better that it's got a crap cover.

 

Crap is harsh. Have you designed other record covers since?

Only for bands I've been in. I've put down Photoshop now, really.

 

Do you still tell people that you've designed covers for Coldplay?

I used to, but I don't any more. I'll mention it occasionally if it comes up.

 

It's a pretty cool string to have on your bow.

Yeah, it's great. Although I'm more proud of the hundreds of photographs I've got of them rehearsing in their flat.

 

Have you got any plans to do anything with those?

They're all in a big Camden recycling box at the moment, in my wardrobe. Maybe one day I'll dig them all out. But it never felt right to try and exploit that sort of thing.

 

And you're still in touch with them?

Yeah. Jonny was my best man at my wedding, along with my friend Gav. We hang out all the time.

 

They've done quite well for themselves.

Brilliantly, I'm very, very proud.

 

Are you in a band still?

I am. I've been in a few bands over the years - Bettina Motive and Grand Transmitter. The one I'm in now is called The Complete Short Stories. It's a seven-piece with a girl singer. We've just done an album on Pointy records, which is a subsidiary of Fierce Panda. It's all going quite well at the moment.

 

Big thanks to John for the chats. Click here to check out The Complete Short Stories on MySpace.

I really like these art cover interviews

Thank you from Oxfam

July 8, 2010 3:59 pm

Oxfam say thanks for your help with their Haiti fund

 

 

Good afternoon. You might remember that, after January's terrible earthquake in Haiti, we gave details of how you could donate to Oxfam's relief work, as well as asking you to bid for a jacket and tour programme in the charity's fundraising auction. Well,

Oxfam have asked us to pass on this video, which thanks you all for your generous support.

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7Szn86lEhg&feature=player_embedded]YouTube- Haiti earthquake response: Thank You[/ame]

 

Anchorman

Happy birthday Parachutes

July 10, 2010 8:38 am

Coldplay's first album was released ten years ago today

 

 

Good morning. Ten years ago today, on 10 July 2000, Coldplay released their debut album, Parachutes. To celebrate the anniversary, we thought you might like to hear this version of High Speed which the band performed that very day, during a special album launch gig at HMV in London's Oxford Street (actually the band's 100th show). Big thanks to Xfm for the audio. We even managed to dig out a pass from the day...

 

 

Time flies...

 

Anchorman

where is audio ^^ ?

I don't know how to attach it. :embarrassed::shame:

Happy Birthday Parachutes! :heart:

 

Natascha and I are celebrating by listening to Yellow on the hostel computer :wacky:

 

Look at the stars

Happy Birthday Parachutes! :heart:

 

Natascha and I are celebrating by listening to Yellow on the hostel computer :wacky:

 

Look at the stars

 

Yeah we do, yeah we do

Wow, 10 years, its crazy!! Love it though :)

I LOVE this version of High Speed, the whole HMV gig is great. :nice:

Congrats, Parachutes!! :dance:

Happy Birthday Parachutes! :awesome:

:wacky: already 10 years ...

and I missed 5 of them :angry: :lol:

10 years Parachutes! :D

Rhythm del Mundo's Clocks track re-worked

July 27, 2010 5:35 pm

Hear a clip of the Latin-flavoured re-make

 

(can't embed the player)

Good afternoon. You might remember that, back in 2006, a Cuban-styled version of Clocks featured on the Rhythms Del Mundo album, released by Artists Project Earth (APE), a UK organisation which focuses on disaster relief and climate change awareness.

 

Now, APE is releasing a new Rhythms Del Mundo album, 'Revival'. which includes an updated version of the Latin-flavoured Clocks, featuring Lele, the singer from top Cuban band Los Van Van. You can hear a clip of the new track above.

 

'Revival' is released worldwide this week and is available from all major music retailers. If you're in the UK, Amazon have the CD [ame=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003VW3CT0?tag=wwwtransmissi-21&camp=1406&creative=6394&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B003VW3CT0&adid=1BH26HPHAFVG2X97HVZS&]here[/ame] and the download [ame=http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003WJBVB8]here[/ame]. You can also get the album (or just the Clocks track) from iTunes by [ame=http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/revival/id382256250]clicking here[/ame].

 

The album, which also features re-workings of tracks by acts including Bob Dylan, Green Day and Gorillaz, will support relief efforts in Haiti, Chile, and Tibet following the recent catastrophes in these regions.

 

Anchorman

I wonder when / if they'll make a news entry about the MTV VMA nomination? :thinking:

 

It's a non-voting category though, so we can't help them.

Thread about it is here.

 

Category

BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO

 

- "Symphonies" - Dan Black

- "Stylo" - Gorillaz featuring Bobby Womack and Mos Def

- "Strawberry Swing" - Coldplay

- "Tighten Up" - The Black Keys

Who decides who will win Anna? if that ho katy perry and her pimp snoop win will puke

There we go!

 

Strawberry Swing up for MTV Video Award

August 4, 2010 1:19 pm

Video nominated for 2010 Awards

 

 

Good afternoon. We're very pleased to report that the Strawberry Swing video has been nominated for an award at this year's MTV Video Music Awards. The video is up for the Breakthrough Video award (we think they mean "breakthrough" as in the the video broke new ground).

 

The winners will be announced at the ceremony in LA on September 12th. As this is one of the awards in the "Professional Categories", voting will not be open to the public.

 

Click here if you'd like to remind yourself what a lovely video it is.

 

Anchorman

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYtk1Z0UUuE]YouTube- Official Strawberry Swing video[/ame]

http://www.coldplay.com/newsdetail.php?id=639

Who decides who will win Anna? if that ho katy perry and her pimp snoop win will puke[/color]

They say "a panel of music industry professionals"...

They say "a panel of music industry professionals"...

 

Which to be fair, a lot of the time means "panel of people who have no idea what the hell they're on about..." :rolleyes: :dozey:

Vote for Coldplay.com in the DMAs

August 17, 2010 6:22 pm

Please help us retain our Best Official Website title

 

Good evening. In 2008, thanks to your votes, Coldplay.com was crowned Best Official Website at the BT Digital Music Awards. It's a title we still hold - because there were no awards in 2009. But the DMAs are back for 2010, and we'd be very grateful if you could vote for Coldplay.com to win the title again.

 

So, if you enjoy the website, Roadie #42's blogs, The Oracle, The Exhibition Room, the Coldplay Messenger and all the other things we keep the site busy with, then it'd be great if you could click here to vote for us. You're allowed to vote once day, if you choose to.

 

Thanks, as ever, for your support.

 

Anchorman

The Domino State album out now

August 23, 2010 7:44 pm

Former Coldplay support act release their debut album

Good evening. You might remember that Coldplay chose The Domino State as their support act at one of the London O2 shows in December 2008. Well, the band have just released their terrific debut album, Uneasy Lies The Crown. Here's the video for the latest single from the album:

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo9pWMind0k&feature=player_embedded]YouTube- The Domino State - We Must Not Shut Ourselves Away (OFFICIAL VIDEO)[/ame]

 

You can also get a free download of another track, This Oubliette, by clicking here.

 

If you like what you hear, you can purchase the album on CD from [ame=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Uneasy-Lies-Crown-Domino-State/dp/B003UW1QXK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1282567963&sr=8-2]Amazon UK[/ame] or get the CD/download from the band's [ame=http://bit.ly/9N07mF]own website[/ame].

 

Anchorman

 

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Don't forget, you can cast your daily vote for Coldplay.com to win Best Official Website at the BT DMAs by clicking here. Thank you.

I thought roadie 42 had come out of hiding when i saw this thread on top. i like the domino state's style of music they remind me of a local band i used to love

This is a great album. I downloaded it a week ago and received my cd in the post on Wednesday.

 

Its had some great reviews so far.

We want your Live Transmissions

September 2, 2010 4:48 pm

Upload your pics and vids to our new Viva tour gallery

 

Good afternoon. We've got a new section to unveil on Coldplay.com today - it's called Live Transmissions, and we think/hope you're going to like it.

 

Essentially, Live Transmissions is a gallery for the pictures and videos which you folks took at the shows on the Viva La Vida tour. Every single show has its own gallery. When you upload your pictures or videos (the latter via YouTube), you can also add tags - so that other Coldplay fans can then search for all of the pictures of "Jonny" or "Butterflies" or pics/vids taken during a particular song.

 

Of course, Live Transmissions will, quite literally, only be as good as you make it. So get over there, click on your part of the world and start adding your pictures now. Before too long, we're hoping we'll have a pretty detailed archive of the entire tour.

 

Anchorman

 

You can cast your daily vote for Coldplay.com to win Best Official Website at the BT DMAs by clicking here. Thank you.

what a nice idea! :)

 

*goes submitting pictures*