February 12, 200917 yr ONE of the most intriguing musical bromances to develop in recent years has been that between Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and hip hop royalty. Who would have thought the skinny white boy singing Yellow in 2000 would one day be keeping company with Jay-Z and Kanye West on the charts and at their A-list parties? Martin appreciates the creative opportunities his band's success has afforded him. But he jokes he wouldn't have the wife, the kids or the life he has now if it weren't for pop stardom. "It has struck me that the job I have has got me into these crazy situations," he says. "From my marriage to my kids, to being in Australia in March, doing music with Jay and Naturally 7 . . . I am filled with awe that I get given those chances and I feel grateful." Martin and his actor wife Gwyneth Paltrow have been the target of break-up rumours since they married in 2003. The singer has always staunchly maintained his family's privacy, but has become expert at introducing them into conversation with humour. When asked if working with big-name peers is a better perk of success than scoring the best table at a restaurant, he trumps the options offered. "Apart from my family life," he says. "Don't get me wrong, I do cash in on being a pop star." How? "My personal life . . . I probably wouldn't be in that situation if I had stayed in my job as a room cleaner. "I'm not martyring for creativity. I do take the perks as well." No doubt Paltrow and the Coldplay WAGs were cheering on their men at the Grammys earlier this week, where the band were contesting seven awards. They won three -- including Best Rock Album and Song of the Year for Viva la Vida -- and performed Lost with Jay-Z. "We are pretty thrilled to be nominated for anything, even if it's worst haircut," Martin says. "I feel we have something to prove at the Grammys. Last time we weren't that good so we wanted to come up with something special." The band were among the first to be announced to perform at the Los Angeles ceremony thanks to the phenomenal performance of their fourth album Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends. A few days before the awards, Martin admitted the fact that stadium rock's elder statesmen, U2, would also be performing at the Grammys had upped the ante. "With U2 even on the same planet, we have to raise our game," he says. Coldplay may steadfastly cling to their underdog status, but four records in, they are far ahead of where U2 were at the same point in their career. Viva la Vida has sold more than 4 million copies worldwide. But along with the pop-star perks and creative opportunities comes inevitable controversy; guitarist Joe Satriani has claimed Viva la Vida plagiarised portions of his 2004 song If I Could Fly. With lawyers involved and Satriani dogged in his legal pursuit, Coldplay aren't saying too much beyond denying it. "I don't really know . . . it's crazy that thing," Coldplay's drummer Will Champion says. "It's so far-fetched and ridiculous, but that's about all we can say at the moment. We're waiting to see what's happening, but it's frustrating and annoying . . . and totally unfounded." Yet Coldplay maintain their self-deprecating humour. It's their best defence against the sanity-challenging knowledge that as much as half of the world's music fans love you, the other half hate you with a fervent passion. The video for their latest single, Life in Technicolour II, stars the band members as puppet versions of themselves, taking over a Punch and Judy stage at a local school fete. Martin says that after three videos for this album featured the four band members -- guitarist Jonny Buckland and bassist Guy Berryman complete the group -- it was time for an alternative. "It's a sign of a band who don't think they are handsome enough to do four videos on an album without being boring. We spent a long time on the other videos around this album thinking about 'What's our hair going to be like?' and what clothes to wear," he says, with a laugh. "For this one, we wanted a real old-school video concept. 'What could we do? What about having puppets?' We wanted to see how successful we could make a video without relying on the handsomeness of our bass player. It's a burden he carries well." Martin says the band are "psyched" about their Australian tour next month. "We have the best job in the world. We couldn't be more excited about going on stage each night. No other job would take us to Australia for a month. We love it." Usually after seven months playing stadiums and arenas in Europe and America a band reflects on the good old days of sweaty and smoky clubs when they started out. Not Coldplay. "We don't pine for the old days. They were s---," Martin says. "It's all about the new days. Something has just clicked where we don't get all fatigued with this particular tour. I always think of us as the underdog and I know we still are. "I know in the pantheon of great musicians from Beethoven down, we are still at the bottom of the pile." Viva la Vida (EMI) out now. Coldplay, Rod Laver Arena, March 3-5, $110 to $140, Ticketek. http://www.news.com.au
February 12, 200917 yr "No other job would take us to Australia for a month" - cricket? Somehow, the idea of Chris in his whites and suncreamed nose just doesn't do it! I hate f#*^$ing cricket!
February 12, 200917 yr We wanted to see how successful we could make a video without relying on the handsomeness of our bass player. :lol::lol::lol: I always think of us as the underdog and I know we still are. "I know in the pantheon of great musicians from Beethoven down, we are still at the bottom of the pile." Stop thinking that Chris, Coldplay is the top!
February 12, 200917 yr CHRIS MARTIN the cricketer for the NZ team lol :laugh3::laugh3:Ugh, cricket. Terrrrrible sport.
February 12, 200917 yr hahaha...as always, chris and his brilliant sense of humour... cant wait for them to come!!
February 12, 200917 yr :shocked2::shocked2:no seriously there is a new zealand cricketer who's name is CHRIS MARTIN :stunned:hahaha...as always, chris and his brilliant sense of humour... cant wait for them to come!!
February 12, 200917 yr im really happy for this interview, 'caus some people says that Martin and his company for now are "popstars" (in negative sense of this), and now i see that he's very smart, and he doesnt think he's the best et cetera ;p love him <3 love them <3
February 12, 200917 yr Tried looking for this in the papaers today and I couldn't find it :( Oh well, can't wait! He's quite... open in this, I think.
February 12, 200917 yr Tried looking for this in the papaers today and I couldn't find it :( Oh well, can't wait! He's quite... open in this, I think. http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,,25044696-5001026,00.html :)
February 12, 200917 yr Thanks for posting! Not only is Chris brilliantly funny, but he and the others in the band for that matter always turn out to be incredibly modest, and that is the more commendable, as they have achieved so much. Modesty is definitely a sign of wisdom. I'm glad to see that they are staying true to their music, even now and are STILL not buying into the whole "celebrity hype" thing. Good for them! :)
February 12, 200917 yr "I feel we have something to prove at the Grammys. Last time we weren't that good so we wanted to come up with something special." What is he saying?! Wasn't their last perfomance at the Grammy's the whole orchestral version of Politik?? That was mind blowing!! :stunned: "For this one, we wanted a real old-school video concept. 'What could we do? What about having puppets?' We wanted to see how successful we could make a video without relying on the handsomeness of our bass player. It's a burden he carries well." :laugh3:
February 12, 200917 yr "We are pretty thrilled to be nominated for anything, even if it's worst haircut," Martin says. According to some people round here Guy won that award all on his own !! :angry: :P
February 12, 200917 yr The video for Lost+/Viva La Vida is the number 1 music video on iTunes! They're still in the top 10 songs and albums! Viva La Vida is even in the top 5 downloaded ringtones!
February 12, 200917 yr According to some people round here Guy won that award all on his own !! :angry: :P :lol:
February 12, 200917 yr :lol: Dunno what you are laughing at...! You are one of them...! Traitor. :P :lol:
February 12, 200917 yr I am one of them!!! :P I love him, he just looks........ odd :\ Ohh, look........... Will!! :wacky: :P
February 12, 200917 yr I am one of them!!! :P I love him, he just looks........ odd :\ Ohh, look........... Will!! :wacky: :P :rolleyes: Bad Berry-girl And worst jacket :P Amen to that ! :P
February 12, 200917 yr Phil: Soooo we're going to be recreating the Sgt. Pepper look for the Grammys. We've got the material, just need the sizing now. Okay, the first is the erm..."faded salmon" material who should we have that made to fit? Chris: Bagsy not me Jonny: Not me Will: I'm out Guy....awww CRAP Hehe
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