Everyone loves Coldplay, it seems, except the band's famous frontman. Andrew Murfett reports.

CHRIS Martin is good at modesty — or maybe just at feigning it.

 

Standing on a stage at Rod Laver Arena before the first of three Melbourne shows, he directs his band through a soundcheck. About 20 fans — all competition winners — are gathered near the stage, savouring the opportunity to watch at close quarters as Coldplay run through their pre-show paces.

 

After 15 minutes of adjustments, the band launch into a razor-sharp, ear-splittingly loud reading of their track Glass of Water. The sound fills the empty arena.

 

As the song ends, the fans applaud. Martin runs to his microphone, puts his hand over his face in mock horror and tells them, "You don't have to clap if it's shit". After almost a decade in the limelight, Martin's bashful persona is as familiar to fans as is his band's position at the top of the charts.

 

That paradox is on full display in their giant arena show, which ends its Melbourne run tonight.

 

It's designed to unashamedly showcase and trumpet the band's wares while self-effacingly keeping its collective ego in check. There's no fist pumping or big showy solos.

 

Meanwhile, in a room set aside for "family and friends" deep in the bowels of the venue, Martin is offered a couch, but opts instead to sit on the floor, cross-legged. He is considering the question of whether his band has surpassed U2. The Irishmen last year took a break from being the Biggest Band in the World and Coldplay stepped into the void. So what happens now that Bono and co. are back? "That's a good question," Martin says. "We were very happy. But Green Day will be back soon, too. So we're rapidly falling down the ladder. The difficulty of the whole U2 thing is we're on our fourth record so we're competing with people's fifth records. We're coming up to Revolver or Joshua Tree. We're at a very different stage."

 

Incidentally, Bono called Martin a wanker recently, though he later said he was only joking. What did he think of that?

 

"What do you want me to say?" he shrugs. "I always thought he felt that way.

 

"I think the U2 album is fantastic," he says, as if to show there's no hard feelings. "We respect the ones who have kept going and not changed line-up and always stayed good."

 

Martin declines to answer any question related to his wife, Gwyneth Paltrow. (Inquiries made with label staff and other members of the band's production team suggested she is not travelling with them.) But the lanky frontman wears the love of his bandmates on his sleeve. Frustrated at Martin's self-deprecating disposition towards the band, they say they often tell him to pull his head in.

 

Drummer Will Champion, who cheekily attributes his late arrival to the interview to spending time learning John Farnham songs, says he tries to avoid reading Martin's interviews. "If he says we're shit, I tell him off," he says.

 

The rapport between Champion and Martin off stage is one of equal respect and demonstrates that Coldplay is more than a one-man show. When Martin begins to play with a cap from a soft drink bottle, Champion reprimands him, telling him it will mess up my recording. Martin immediately stops.

 

"Of course, Chris is the one who takes things to heart," bassist Guy Berryman says, out of Martin's earshot, "because things are usually directed towards him. It's in his nature to worry about that. What's good about our band is we all support and stick up for each other. If somebody is having a rough time, we help."

 

The band's big-selling fourth album, Viva La Vida, was produced by Brian Eno, who is also on board for the follow-up. The album also saw Coldplay embraced by the Grammys, where they were the big winners at last month's ceremony in Los Angeles.

 

"It's the first time, personally, I have enjoyed an award ceremony like that," Champion says. "It's often about who has the biggest entourage or bodyguards."

 

"This time we did," Martin jokes, "so we were the winners."

 

The band is also looking at giving something back to fans later this year in the form of a free live album.

 

"We're doing something different with the live album," Martin confirms. "Tickets are expensive and we're in a recession. We're playing huge places so we thought it would be cool to do something like that."

 

Curiously, Martin is touring Australia with his father in tow. Martin reveals that they hit the Gin Palace on a night out earlier in the week. "I wouldn't say we were causing mayhem," he says. "What's the opposite of mayhem? I imagine there is more mayhem at an old people's home. My dad's more of a rock star than me. He embraces his lifestyle."

 

Coldplay's final Melbourne show is at Rod Laver Arena tonight.

 

http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/music/running-hot-and-cold/2009/03/04/1235842487024.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

When Martin begins to play with a cap from a soft drink bottle, Champion reprimands him, telling him it will mess up my recording. Martin immediately stops[/size][/b].

 

http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/music/running-hot-and-cold/2009/03/04/1235842487024.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

:lol:

 

And Will wonders why he's famous for being the "no" guy??

I love that :lol:

 

Like a teacher :laugh4:

When Martin begins to play with a cap from a soft drink bottle, Champion reprimands him, telling him it will mess up my recording. Martin immediately stops.

 

 

omg this is hilarious! :lol: Will, so serious all of the time. :rolleyes:

 

Drummer Will Champion, who cheekily attributes his late arrival to the interview to spending time learning John Farnham songs, says he tries to avoid reading Martin's interviews. "If he says we're shit, I tell him off," he says.

 

The rapport between Champion and Martin off stage is one of equal respect and demonstrates that Coldplay is more than a one-man show. When Martin begins to play with a cap from a soft drink bottle, Champion reprimands him, telling him it will mess up my recording. Martin immediately stops.

 

 

 

Oh man, that's hilarious :D Will is supposed to be the youngest.God, his kids are gonna be the best behaved kids on earth

I awwed out loud at that...its like when you were little out in public and your parents told you off for doing something you shouldn't,

:lol:

 

And Will wonders why he's famous for being the "no" guy??

 

he's such a daddy, while te others are still such kids :lol:

"If he says we're shit' date=' I tell him off"[/quote']

 

I :heart: Will

 

He must tell Chris off at least twenty times a day... :rolleyes:

i'm a bit bored, so i'm going to multiquote and be obnoxious :P

 

As the song ends, the fans applaud. Martin runs to his microphone, puts his hand over his face in mock horror and tells them, "You don't have to clap if it's shit". After almost a decade in the limelight, Martin's bashful persona is as familiar to fans as is his band's position at the top of the charts.

 

as much as we all love his modesty and know it's actually him being modest, i think the more famous they get, the more this comes off as assholish to casual fans and everyday people. not that i think he should stop, but maybe he should tone it down a little. then again, haters will be haters, so whatever.

 

Incidentally, Bono called Martin a wanker recently, though he later said he was only joking. What did he think of that?

 

"What do you want me to say?" he shrugs. "I always thought he felt that way.

 

"I think the U2 album is fantastic," he says, as if to show there's no hard feelings. "We respect the ones who have kept going and not changed line-up and always stayed good."

 

i kinda wish he made it abundantly clear that bono was joking, as he did in that other article, so everyone would shut up about it and stop hating on bono :P

 

Drummer Will Champion, who cheekily attributes his late arrival to the interview to spending time learning John Farnham songs, says he tries to avoid reading Martin's interviews. "If he says we're shit, I tell him off," he says.

 

The rapport between Champion and Martin off stage is one of equal respect and demonstrates that Coldplay is more than a one-man show. When Martin begins to play with a cap from a soft drink bottle, Champion reprimands him, telling him it will mess up my recording. Martin immediately stops.

 

this made me laugh so loudly that the people next door laughed at me :lol:. major squee and aww :nice:

 

The band is also looking at giving something back to fans later this year in the form of a free live album.

 

"We're doing something different with the live album," Martin confirms. "Tickets are expensive and we're in a recession. We're playing huge places so we thought it would be cool to do something like that."

 

:freak:

REALLY REALLY REALLY? :cheesy:

 

*fingers crossed for it being wembley on the 19th* :bomb:. and fingers DOUBLE crossed for a live DVD! :dance:

 

Curiously, Martin is touring Australia with his father in tow. Martin reveals that they hit the Gin Palace on a night out earlier in the week. "I wouldn't say we were causing mayhem," he says. "What's the opposite of mayhem? I imagine there is more mayhem at an old people's home. My dad's more of a rock star than me. He embraces his lifestyle."

 

aww, he brought his dad! i'd kill to meet chris's dad: if he's anything like chris and like chris says he is, i bet he's a riot :lol:.

 

and lol @ "i imagine there is more mayhem at an old people's home"

"Of course, Chris is the one who takes things to heart," bassist Guy Berryman says, out of Martin's earshot, "because things are usually directed towards him. It's in his nature to worry about that. What's good about our band is we all support and stick up for each other. If somebody is having a rough time, we help."

 

 

aaawww.Guy :smug:

They are such a tight group.It's amazing.I think it's pretty rare for a band to be that close

:heart:

 

i wanna cuddle with him :hug: :blush:

 

"What's good about our band is we all support and stick up for each other. If somebody is having a rough time, we help."

 

 

Lovely :heart:

I know everyone already quoted this one, but whatever :P

 

When Martin begins to play with a cap from a soft drink bottle, Champion reprimands him, telling him it will mess up my recording. Martin immediately stops.

 

So adorable! Best thing I've read in a Coldplay article for a while :heart:

Will is awesome.

Awwwww. I love that the band's relationship is so strong. :heart: Great article.

At the end of the first encore Chris played a piano solo which was a piece of classical music. I recognised it but couldn't put a name to it. Can anyone tell me what it was?

Its so nice that the guys have such a great friendship...

lol at Will......... awesome

Best thing I've read in a Coldplay article for a while :heart:

 

I totaly agree! I can really picture it, it seems so typical Chris and Will :lol:

At the end of the first encore Chris played a piano solo which was a piece of classical music. I recognised it but couldn't put a name to it. Can anyone tell me what it was?

Only guessing here, but it could be Postcards from Far Away from their last EP.

If it was after The Hardest Part it was 'Postcards from Far Away' from the EP.

 

If it was following Politik is was Eric Satie's 'Gnossienes No.1'

They're such besties lol <3

I love the fact that Chris is so modest, even though they are NEVER shit :)

I think this vid belongs in here :nice:

 

Chris is showing love to all his bandmates :nice: Is lovely:

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2crjvQRMPE]YouTube - Coldplay, upclose, Viva La Vida tour (Live), melbourne, Rod Laver Arena, March 3rd 2009[/ame]

Aw, that made me smile.:) I'm not surprised about the live album. They've been giving us so much free stuff lately. God bless 'em for it!

I think this vid belongs in here :nice:

 

Chris is showing love to all his bandmates :nice: Is lovely:

 

 

what does he say? i can't decipher a word...too much cheering :sad:

When he's introducing Will?

 

He's saying that they drew straws when deciding who would become the frontman and that he drew the short one and so takes all the shit and insults from other bands (:P) then he says sometimes he wonders what would've happened had Will drawn the short straw and decides they probably would have been a much better band :D