So I don't know why it took them this long to publish this interview done with Chris when the band came to Rome in November. Anyway, this was published on Sunday's newspaper, but it's also available online here

 

Here's the translation : )

 

Seven o'clock in the evening. Empty restaurant, too early for dinner. The green pepper tenderloin bleeds when Chris Martin plunges the knife to cut the first bite. An unusual dish for an artist who's joined Meet Free Monday, the campaign promoted by Paul McCartney to confirm the properties of the vegetarian diet by abolishing animal proteins at least once a week. "I am terrified of getting fat," the leader of Coldplay confesses, "and now, in the middle of the tour, a moderately proteic menu is what I need." The British blockbuster band of 2011, thanks to their fifth album Mylo Xyloto, will be in Italy on May 24th; it's the only concert, already sold out, at the Olympic Stadium in Turin. After 50 million albums sold in ten years and seven Grammy Awards, the single Paradise is now at the top of the charts; 2012 will be a record year with a tour that with just one concert - New Year's Eve in Abu Dhabi - has grossed 1.2 million euros. "I grew up thinking that an artist writes his best songs between 28 and 33 years old. Now I'm changing my mind," says Martin, who turns 35 on March 2nd, before recommending his assistant to get him fresh fruit in the dressing room of Cinecittà, where Coldplay are guests in a TV show. "It's for balancing the diet with vitamins and minerals. I never drank a beer or a coffee before starting this career. When I tried I felt really bad. Now I do an hour of yoga and run every day, then I look in the mirror and see the same old Chris, what a disappointment," he says gazing at the outskirts of the capital from the limousine smoked glass windows. The dressing room is a circus caravan. Narrow and full of fruit. Martin protects himself from cold and humidity with layers of orange, purple and dark green sweatshirt, with a cap that turns him into a charismatic Franciscan. The voice is clear, deep, persuasive; it's the same voice that sways the crowd in stadiums when he sings In My Place. It is rare to meet him alone. He prefers to shield from prying questions with the other Coldplay members (Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland and Will Champion). But he's a mature boy now, he swears, thanks to the success that hasn't gone to his head. "Since we began it all went so fast that I didn't have time to look back. I'm always asked: isn't all this pressure stressful? Not at all, why? It was my dream. What we have to do is get on a plane, land in a city, play, take another plane and land in another city: two hours of glory in exchange for a bit boring routine, not bad."

 

He rearranges the inside of the caravan as if it were his home.

 

"I'd like to have your job for a while," he attacks. Then, a blast of questions: "For a journalist who loves music, is it frustrating not being able to play? Do you think fans believe that our band is in collusion with Hollywood just because I married an actress?". You are the star, I am the journalist, I remind him. He continues, "It was what I wanted to do after graduating in ancient literature. To write a review of OK Computer by Radiohead (1997), a record that changed my life. I grew up with this obsession: to play, become famous, sing watching the audience swaying in front of the stage, feel the same emotions Bono feels when he is up there with U2. I didn't have very clear ideas as I child. I was ravished by the circus world. When I was eleven I solemnly announced to my parents: I wanted to be a clown - and I think what I do now is not much different. I tried to practice on a unicycle for a while, imagining myself with the right makeup, a hat, a red nose. But I had already changed my mind at twelve. It was very hard to ride the unicycle, and I was literally crazy for Michael Jackson and A-ha."

 

He usually doesn't have enough time to visit cities, but Rome tempts him. There's a bit of time for a stroll downtown before it's time to go on stage. From the top of the Janiculum you can see St.Peter's dome.

 

"You are Italian, therefore Catholic, right? Does having the Vatican here mean confronting with your faith every day?".

 

I reverse these questions to him. He snorts, but he's enjoying it. "I understand, it's me who needs to confess. I had my faith crisis, you know. In the middle of my youth. Everything in my life froze for a period. Even my passion for music. I became a bigot, I listened only to old religious songs. But in spite of this I was seduced by movies like Mary Poppins and The Wizard of Oz. Luckily this is the past, now my faith is kind of pantheistic. The quiet life of the Tibetan monk, the Muslim who kneels five times a day, the patient who prays the Virgin Mary for grace, all have the same strength and the same tenderness and spirituality."

 

Stars have short memory, but Martin clearly remembers an interview ended badly at the Crillon in Paris. The album X&Y had just been published, and Chris would have wanted to talk only about that, but in the meantime he had married actress Gwyneth Paltrow: it was clear that the press' interest was not just for the songs. He told a lot of jokes trying to dodge these questions. The result was painful. "What did you write? That I was an idiot? You should have done it!" he exclaims, sweating after the live appearance on TV. He urges with questions. "Who are the most reluctant artists that you have interviewed? And the most talkative? And the most asshole?", he asks as he takes the stage dresses off and wears the three-coloured comfortable sweatshirts again. Eventually he gives up and prononunces his wife name for the first time.

He and Gwyneth met in 2002, married in 2003, have two children, Apple and Moses, seven and five years old respectively.

 

"I often read about us: the pop star and the diva are special people. But what's this special thing we have? We do not betray each other, we are not attached to the bottle, we do not offer material to tabloids and paparazzi. Flattery hasn't spoiled us, success has not changed our prospects, wealth hasn't made us arrogant. My wife is more normal than the girl next door and kids don't care if you're a star.

 

If you choose to have a partner and children you must remain a real person, you don't have time or want to keep polishing your Grammys." He was shocked by the death of Michael Jackson, his first idol. He was touched by the fragility that tore Amy Winehouse away from a bright career. "Their stories have nothing to do with the deaths of other young people in rock history. Loneliness killed them," he whispers. It is past midnight, the studios are empty, only a few guests and attendants are still at Cinecittà. "Success is pop stars' worst enemy. It can give you the illusion that you're about to become immortal, that you can afford all the excesses because you're gonna get away with them one way or another. Once you can buy food and you don't have to worry about the rent two things can happen: either you live of excesses, or you stop for a minute and realise how lucky you have been. As a band, we spontaneously underwent self-analysis, without the need of a headshrinker: we were really lucky, where would we be now without the success of the first album? We would be workmen? Work in a pub? Pissed off in the office? Live on the dole? Still at home with mom and dad? If Coldplay had never become famous I wouldn't have met Gwyneth. So why mismanaging this godsend from heaven?".

 

Other questions while in the limo, on our way to the airport: "Do you have children? No? Are you scared of living your life alone?". He reflects: "I will be 44 in ten years. Dangerous age for a singer. How do you imagine yourself in ten years? Please answer this at least." An old journalist who writes books about the loneliness of rock stars. "I will not be in that book," he replys at once, "I want to be like Bruce Springsteen when I'm 60!". The limo stops. The private plane is already in motion. Destination Oslo. They will arrive at dawn. Before he gets off Chris frees his blond curls from the Franciscan hood; he's as fresh and relaxed as after a long sleep.

"I didn't even eat one tangerine," he says, "that's a pity for my free radicals ..."

 

 

Sorry for any mistake

Come mai si sono decisi a pubblicare l'intervista un mese e mezzo dopo? :thinking:

<3

Come mai si sono decisi a pubblicare l'intervista un mese e mezzo dopo? :thinking:

eh..boh :shrug:

Hehe, I kinda want to see Chris decked out like a clown riding a unicycle now :D (and I like that he studied ancient literature for some reason. I just think that's kinda cool).

 

Fully agreed with his thoughts on what it is that messes up celebrities so badly. It's great to see he seems to have his head on straight and that his band isn't falling prey to so much of that craziness that has destroyed other musicians.

 

And I can't wait to see what he's like when he's 44 :). Thanks for the interview, very interesting read.

what a lovely interview , its a draught over here with coldplay news and its awsumn to get to read a new interview!

Thanks for posting a translation of this lovely interview. :thumbsup:

"I often read about us: the pop star and the diva are special people. But what's this special thing we have? We do not betray each other, we are not attached to the bottle, we do not offer material to tabloids and paparazzi. Flattery hasn't spoiled us, success has not changed our prospects, wealth hasn't made us arrogant. My wife is more normal than the girl next door and kids don't care if you're a star.

 

:)

Chris is such a intellectual, reasonable and intelligent man. It makes me happy when I come across such interviews and see his view of the world :)

Very interesting.

Chris is such a intellectual, reasonable and intelligent man. It makes me happy when I come across such interviews and see his view of the world :)

 

^ this. :D thanks for the translation and for posting!

Just found this old interview through a link.Thanks for uploading this, I always like in-depth analyses of Chris !

Just found this old interview through a link.Thanks for uploading this, I always like in-depth analyses of Chris !

have you gone through this? there are some gems there.

https://coldplaying.com/forum/index.php?threads/the-reading-room.64524/

have you gone through this? there are some gems there.

https://coldplaying.com/forum/index.php?threads/the-reading-room.64524/

Oh wow, cool thread ! Thanks a lot !

have you gone through this? there are some gems there.

https://coldplaying.com/forum/index.php?threads/the-reading-room.64524/

Thank you! I should go through all the dust in the coldplaying forums to find all those hidden treasures lol