Don't forget that later today (Sunday February 21st) Brazilian channel TV Globo will be broadcasting an interview with Coldplay on its Fantastico show. It's due to be on at 8.35pm. More on this interview is here at the Coldplay forum. Anyone able to record?
Meanwhile, Chris Martin has been interviewed online by Veja, a Brazilian news magazine in which Chris talks about Coldplay's fifth album, the forthcoming Latin America tour, plagiarism, Eddie Vedder, the end of decade clearout sale, Simpsons, Brian Eno... and porn! The interview is in Brazilian but below is a fairly decent translation of the article, so hopefully you get the idea behind the questions and answers. You can discuss this article at the Coldplay forum now [thanks SueDeNimes]
In the ranking of the best rock bands in the world, Coldplay certainly occupies a prominent position. The English rock group, which lands in Brazil this week for shows in Rio and Sao Paulo, sold 40 million copies of their four albums (only in Brazil were sold 550,000). Much of this success is due to the talent and charisma of lead singer and group leader, Chris Martin. In an interview with SEE, Martin speaks of the fame of good guy and anticipates the sound of the group's fifth album...
You are the anti-rockstar? Do not get into trouble, do charity, is an exemplary father...
What happens is that when you become famous, people get used to associating you with only one feature of his personality. But no one is entirely good or bad, I have done things I regret.
Singer Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, has declared to be "very difficult" to be Eddie Vedder. Is difficult to be Chris Martin?
Eddie Vedder has all this fame to be good people. And, yes, it's nice. But I believe that even he must like porn occasionally. In fact, everyone looks at porn. Even me.
At the end of last year, Coldplay put several items - albums and photos, instruments - the auction. Why?
Since the band originated ten years ago, we had the purpose of helping the needy. Just before Christmas last year, join our instruments and artifacts used in previous tours to help an organization called Kids Company. She is based in London and help children and adolescents orphaned or who can not afford their studies. We did the auction and managed to raise a good amount - I do not remember the exact amount - to help these people. It was enriching.
Do you feel an obligation to help people?
This is not a requirement. Because we feel so lucky, life smiled so much to us, we desire to help others. What does it cost to sell an old guitar to help someone or something you believe?
You also donated for auction one of his jackets used on tour with Viva la Vida. The money will go to the earthquake victims in Haiti?
Yes, we also help Haiti. We have the news when he was in the studio recording our new album. It was a shock because I hoped it would be a better decade for the world. But it's nice to see the rest of the world unite to help people in Haiti. I was in the country in 2002 and was appalled by the poverty of the region.
The Coldplay faced accusations of plagiarism in Viva la Vida. The best known were the guitarist Joe Satriani and singer Cat Stevens. As the band react to this?
There were five objections to the whole. But do not steal music from anyone. In fact, until it was becoming a funny thing. I wake up and received a call from my lawyers, saying he had been accused of plagiarism and if by chance I had stolen the music does not. "Of course not," were my answers. Processes, in a sense, were a blessing. Meant that we were a hit. On the other hand, is a nuisance to have to face these situations and deal with lawyers.
A good option is to place an ad in the new single. "If you think this song is like a composition of hers, send us an e-mail!
Do you think we think about it? Yesterday, at lunchtime, we were discussing the possibility of incurring new charges of plagiarism. But we decided to improve as songwriters. Only then can we escape this kind of accusation.
The Coldplay will release a new album this year?
We are working on a new album. Pre-production began six months ago and we are a month and a half in the studio. The production is again Brian Eno and are committed to doing something great. But I can say that it is more intimate than Viva la Vida. Lately, I have heard a lot Chopin, a vocal group called Golden Gate Singers and the first records of Bruce Springsteen. Bruce, moreover, was a recent discovery, I began to buy his CDs two years ago. I turned a fan of Born to Run and Nebraska.
Brian Eno gave an interview to British newspaper The Guardian in which he said was that the disc is in the end. Do you agree with that?
I heard this interview, but have not had time to read it. But I tend to agree with Eno. The record market undergoes changes and the trend is that the CD will disappear. With you, it must be happening the same thing, the internet has taken the space in newspapers and magazines. But that does not mean the death of music, much less journalism. You can not control the future, all I can do is force myself to write more and better songs.
As part of the show The Simpsons?
It was fantastic, always been a fan of the series. And every time I watched the Simpsons on TV, I thought: "I would love to participate in an episode of the program." I loved being locked in the studio with the actors playing the characters and see them improvise. I hope that my performance was up to them. I love comedies and comedians, but I'm a mediocre comedian. I compose music, however I am unable to tell a funny joke. For me, there is nothing more frustrating than being at a party at a table full of friends and get my time to tell a joke. In these moments, I pretend I'm ill and I faint - and flee.
The last time you gave us an interview, Coldplay had started the tour of Viva La Vida. What changes occurred in the concert?
When we change one show to another. In the case of Viva la Vida, which has more than 170 presentations, it would be different - changed some songs from the register in their order ... But we did it in a way so slow and careful that people will hardly notice these changes.
In Brazil, you should play to an audience estimated at 60,000 people. Will there be any change in the structure of the scenario, for example?
60,000 people? Really? It will be the largest audience of Coldplay in Brazil. I hope people show up and prestige.
You said that Coldplay was the biggest band of the day as U2 and Green Day had released their new albums. These two bands are the new disk and none exceeded Viva la Vida. Want to overhaul your answer?
No, you're going to cause problems. I like the bands and fans of these bands. I would say that Coldplay now occupies an honest third place.
Chris Martin attends the London Evening Standard British Film Awards (9th February 2010):
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