gvargas Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 On my way back from work today I tuned in for a moment on 93.1 WXRT and all of the sudden I hear Frank E. Lee interviewing Chris & Jonny. I was like, "are they here in Chicago?" But, I think they were calling probably from England. I don't know if anyone posted this yet, but they have it on the website. I checked since I missed the first part. http://www.93xrt.com/wxrt-chicago-live-from-studio-x/1534266 Scroll down and look for the Coldplay interviews. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KissesBirds Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 This was posted before by another Chicagoan. But it was a great interview! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldpatrix Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 Someone can write up it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimixxx Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 Sure. Why not. Gimme a few mins :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimixxx Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 Part One Frank E. Lee: This is 93 WXRT and joining us now two of our favourite players, from a band that has sold 30 million albums, a perennial favourite on the year end WXRT listener poll. They just completed a new CD, from Coldplay singer Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland. Welcome! Chris Martin: Man how can we live up to that introduction? Frank: I know it's going to be hard but I'm sure you guys are up to the task. (laughing) Chris: Oh God Frank: But thanks so much for checking in with all of your fans in Chicago. Chris: What does the E stand for in your name, Frank? Frank: Eccentric Chris: I like it. How's Chicago today? Frank: It's a little chilly but not bad. Sunny and a little bit rainy, but that's what spring is like here. We've actually had a long very hard, cold winter so it's the time of year in Chicago where people just go outside at any urging at all. Chris: Okay. Lets urge. We urge you to go outside...after this interview, of course Frank: Yeah please listen first and then go. But congratulations on the new CD, I'm sure you guys spent a lot of time making a new album but I'm sure it's a labour of love for you. Chris: It's very much a labour of love Frank: How do you guys go about putting together an album? Do you start with a bunch of songs and then winnow them down or do you build it up one song at a time? Chris: Well we tend to not go into the studio until we have one song we know, or we think is worth recording, so we wait. We had a song called Lost! on this record which was kind of the piece in which everything else gets written, you know? So we do whittle down but we also build up, if that makes any sense. We keep looking for the right accompaniments to the songs we already have. I'm not making any sense at all, I don't even understand what I'm talking about, I'm sorry. Frank: It's hard to describe the creative process isn't it? Chris: (laughs) Yeah, without sounding like a pretentious idiot, yeah. Frank: Well when you guys were doing the last album X&Y I know there was pressure by executives on the band, almost like you single handedly saved the troubled music industry. Did you feel that kind of pressure at all on this one, or was it a little easier. Chris: Well I think we did, didn't we, I thought we did save it. I thought we saved the oil industry and the music industry with our last album. (laughing) Chris: Please don't shatter my illusions. Jonny Buckland: (laughs) But this time we built our own studio and we were kind of able to lock ourselves away and just be the four, well four or five of us. Chris: Yeah we really don't think about those kinds of things, man because they just drive you crazy. I'm sure it would be the same if someone said to you, 'listen your radio show is very important for our stock holders' you'd be like, 'aaaahhh' it would send your head into a spin so we try and ignore that kind of thing as much as possible and just think about the people who actually want to listen to some music at the end of it, you know? Frank: Yeah, I think I'd call in sick that day. Chris: You would, right okay there we go. Frank: Well on the new album you...well actually Coldplay is kinda unique cos all of the band share song writing credits for the most part, so how does that work? Does... Chris: For the whole part. Frank:...so how does that work? Does one member of the band have one part of the song that he works on or is it like a collaborative thing? Maybe describe the creative effort in that sense. Chris: It tends to be like a car manufacturing plant in that each of us has a specific role. i tend to come in with the, like the basic name and the shape on the song maybe and a bit of the melody and then Jonny sort of puts his colours on it and we take it to Will and he puts his colours on it and then on to Guy, so you know it goes through a bit of an assembly line. But until it's been through all four members and then through our fifth member Phil, who is a secret advisor, until its been through all those people we don't present it to anyone, you know? Frank: Henry Ford would be proud of you guys. Chris: I think, I think he really would! Frank: Now for...we're talking, by the way with Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland of Coldplay here on 93 WXRT. On this album Brian Eno, one of the great sonic pioneers, one the great innovators, you worked with him on the album, how did you go about contacting Mr Eno to work with you? Is there like a waiting list or something? Chris: There is very much a waiting list and we, we waited. (laughing) From when we first met him we waited four years before he said, 'You know I'd really like to produce your new album, boys' Jonny: Yeah, we were so excited. Frank: You know I asked David Bowie once what it was like to work with Brian Eno and kinda laughed and he said, 'Brian would go into the studio by himself and work on the album and he would leave taped instructions for the rest of the band to follow when they came in to work on it.' Was it that way with Coldplay when he worked with you? Chris: I mean he very much steered us for most of the time and he's a very passionate person and a very energetic person so if you're ever short of an idea or a direction he's always got about seventeen for you to try. But the problem is, I think he round we were a little annoying because we never really liked to leave the studio, so he never had time to do things on his own (laughing) because we were always there waiting for the next instructions, you know? I'll do Part Two in a minute. Jonny only had two lines of dialogue there, Chris talks for Britain! :stunned: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldpatrix Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 Thanks for you efforts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimixxx Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 No problem :D Part Two Frank: We're talking by the way with Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland of Coldplay here on 93 WXRT. We talked a little bit earlier about the music industry and to me the music industry is like fifty percent traditional and fifty percent, you know, chaos or anarchy for lack of a better term. I know you made the first song Violet Hill available as a free download and it was very successful, I think, over two million people downloaded the song when it was first available for free. What were the thoughts of the band of how to distribute the new album? Were you gonna go traditional or were you maybe going to do something like what Radiohead did on the honors system? Jonny: Well we're very much part of a record label still and so how we sell our album is really... Chris:...nothing to do with us Jonny: (laughing) Yeah Chris: So we begged and begged to be able to do that with Violet Hill, the first song, to just put it up for a while without any financial incentive and we managed to get that. I think we have a while yet before we're, sort of, free agents, you see what I mean? Frank: Yeah, no I understand what you mean... Chris: But we don't really see the...you know, I think it's only people that are in the industry that see the problem. Music has never been so exciting, it's never been so available, there's never been so many great, you know, so much great variety in music and so many different people to see. I think it's the most exciting time for music ever, you know. Frank: No I agree with you, I mean usually when an industry is in the doldrums or suffering it means that the product, whatever the product the industry makes is not something that people are buying, like you said, that's exactly the opposite with music... Chris: It's exactly the opposite, yeah. So we tend to focus on that part of it, which s really exciting. Frank: Now is there any kind of music industry award for downloads? You get like a platinum two million downloads award or is that something that's still in the future? Chris: I think you've just suggested a wonderful idea! (laughing) Could you maybe make something tonight with a milk carton and some felt tip pens? Frank: Maybe I'll silver spray paint a mouse and you could put it... Chris: A real live mouse? (laughing) Jonny: Poor little mouse Chris: That poor little mouse (laughing) Frank: PETA would be calling Chris: Right Frank: Lets talk a little about the first song from Viva La Vida, the new album. By the way we're talking with Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland of Coldplay on 93 WXRT. Violet Hill maybe a little bit of an atypical Coldplay sound on this one because it's really got an upfront electric guitar on it. Chris: Yeah well that's kind of...I think Jonny was sick of hearing the sound of a piano everywhere so he decided to raise his musical middle finger to his own singer. Am I right in saying that Jon? Jonny: uh...I don't think you're completely right Chris: But I'm quite right though Jonny: No, I don't think so Chris: You're saying I'm pretty right Jonny: No...no (laughs) Chris: You're saying I'm 100 per cent right Jonny: I was understating the fact you're wrong Chris: Okay Frank: Is there a kind of a feud in the band between guitar player and the keyboard player? Chris: I think that's it's always a struggle for the person who plays keyboards to accept that keyboards will never ever be as cool as guitars, no matter how hard you try. Jonny: Even if you wear it like a guitar... Chris: (laughing) Even if you wear it like a guitar, exactly Jonny: (laughing) The keytar Chris: The keytar. Frank:Well we're getting a really good response to the song Violet Hill and it's got a winter setting thing, which you know I was talking about the cold winter we've had here in Chicago so I think people might be a little nostalgic for the winter which has just recently passed. Chris:Well man winter in Chicago is something else, you know, it's incredible. Chicago is such an amazing place to make music in the winter because, you know, it's so beautiful with all the snow and all the cold and then it just makes the environment of a bunker studio even more inviting Frank: Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland of Coldplay thanks so much for touching base with us and good luck with the new album Viva La Vida, coming out next month and good luck with your world tour and we'll see you here in Chicago. Chris: Thank you, Frank. I hope so, man and we'd love to see you then. Jonny: Thanks, Frank Frank: Thanks again Chris: Alright, take care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPB Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 No problem :D Part Two Frank: We're talking by the way with Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland of Coldplay here on 93 WXRT. We talked a little bit earlier about the music industry and to me the music industry is like fifty percent traditional and fifty percent, you know, chaos or anarchy for lack of a better term. I know you made the first song Violet Hill available as a free download and it was very successful, I think, over two million people downloaded the song when it was first available for free. What were the thoughts of the band of how to distribute the new album? Were you gonna go traditional or were you maybe going to do something like what Radiohead did on the honors system? Jonny: Well we're very much part of a record label still and so how we sell our album is really... Chris:...nothing to do with us Jonny: (laughing) Yeah Chris: So we begged and begged to be able to do that with Violet Hill, the first song, to just put it up for a while without any financial incentive and we managed to get that. I think we have a while yet before we're, sort of, free agents, you see what I mean? Frank: Yeah, no I understand what you mean... Chris: But we don't really see the...you know, I think it's only people that are in the industry that see the problem. Music has never been so exciting, it's never been so available, there's never been so many great, you know, so much great variety in music and so many different people to see. I think it's the most exciting time for music ever, you know. Frank: No I agree with you, I mean usually when an industry is in the doldrums or suffering it means that the product, whatever the product the industry makes is not something that people are buying, like you said, that's exactly the opposite with music... Chris: It's exactly the opposite, yeah. So we tend to focus on that part of it, which s really exciting. Frank: Now is there any kind of music industry award for downloads? You get like a platinum two million downloads award or is that something that's still in the future? Chris: I think you've just suggested a wonderful idea! (laughing) Could you maybe make something tonight with a milk carton and some felt tip pens? Frank: Maybe I'll silver spray paint a mouse and you could put it... Chris: A real live mouse? (laughing) Jonny: Poor little mouse Chris: That poor little mouse (laughing) Frank: PETA would be calling Chris: Right Frank: Lets talk a little about the first song from Viva La Vida, the new album. By the way we're talking with Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland of Coldplay on 93 WXRT. Violet Hill maybe a little bit of an atypical Coldplay sound on this one because it's really got an upfront electric guitar on it. Chris: Yeah well that's kind of...I think Jonny was sick of hearing the sound of a piano everywhere so he decided to raise his musical middle finger to his own singer. Am I right in saying that Jon? Jonny: uh...I don't think you're completely right Chris: But I'm quite right though Jonny: No, I don't think so Chris: You're saying I'm pretty right Jonny: No...no (laughs) Chris: You're saying I'm 100 per cent right Jonny: I was understating the fact you're wrong Chris: Okay Frank: Is there a kind of a feud in the band between guitar player and the keyboard player? Chris: I think that's it's always a struggle for the person who plays keyboards to accept that keyboards will never ever be as cool as guitars, no matter how hard you try. Jonny: Even if you wear it like a guitar... Chris: (laughing) Even if you wear it like a guitar, exactly Jonny: (laughing) The keytar Chris: The keytar. Frank:Well we're getting a really good response to the song Violet Hill and it's got a winter setting thing, which you know I was talking about the cold winter we've had here in Chicago so I think people might be a little nostalgic for the winter which has just recently passed. Chris:Well man winter in Chicago is something else, you know, it's incredible. Chicago is such an amazing place to make music in the winter because, you know, it's so beautiful with all the snow and all the cold and then it just makes the environment of a bunker studio even more inviting Frank: Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland of Coldplay thanks so much for touching base with us and good luck with the new album Viva La Vida, coming out next month and good luck with your world tour and we'll see you here in Chicago. Chris: Thank you, Frank. I hope so, man and we'd love to see you then. Jonny: Thanks, Frank Frank: Thanks again Chris: Alright, take care. Thank God Jonny got to do a little talking at the end! He is totally under-rated which is a pity - hopefully one day he'll be as well-known as the Edge.:) Thanks for posting this!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzanafg Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 I love that poor-small-mouse part and that little argument that Chris and Jonny had. Thanks a lot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gvargas Posted May 27, 2008 Author Share Posted May 27, 2008 Wow that was a write up! :) Yah, I think its funny when Jonny gets back on track on the interviews when Chris goes astray (joking around)... He's like, okay lets be real now. I loved Jonny's comment when he says to Chris, "No...no (laughs) I was understating the fact you're wrong." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dotty biscotti Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 "Chris: I think that's it's always a struggle for the person who plays keyboards to accept that keyboards will never ever be as cool as guitars, no matter how hard you try. Jonny: Even if you wear it like a guitar... Chris: (laughing) Even if you wear it like a guitar, exactly Jonny: (laughing) The keytar" Very funny!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimixxx Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Wow that was a write up! :) Yah, I think its funny when Jonny gets back on track on the interviews when Chris goes astray (joking around)... He's like, okay lets be real now. I loved Jonny's comment when he says to Chris, "No...no (laughs) I was understating the fact you're wrong." :D Do you miss the winter Gisela? :idea2: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gvargas Posted May 27, 2008 Author Share Posted May 27, 2008 Oh, I do not miss the winter! Nor do I think most people miss it either. Although today, it is feeling like winter again! :) When Chris said, the winter is something else. I think he meant "something else!" :) Actually I didn't mind the winter too much this year, but it was one of our longest and most snowiest in a while. But, I do want summer to come now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now