Coldplay news round-up: Noel Gallagher heaps praise, The Drums' Jonny Pierce, Atif Aslam collaboration, financing Ashes film

Noel Gallagher has admitted that he thought Coldplay's set at this year's Glastonbury festival was 'pretty spectacular'. In an interview with 6 Music, Gallagher hailed Coldplay's headline set on the Pyramid Stage earlier this summer. "I got halfway through it and said to the missus, 'They are having the gig of their lives here. It was pretty spectacular and the way they lit up the pyramid on the Pyramid Stage, that means no-one else can ever do it now,'' Gallagher said.

Despite criticising the festivals crowd in 2008, the former Oasis member said that Glastonbury stands out as the best festival in the UK. "Glastonbury is a one-off. The rest of the festivals, with all the best will in the world, are just big gigs in fields," Noel added. "Glastonbury is a festival in the truest sense, the music is secondary to your festival experience; you could go there for three days and not see one single band and have a great time."

Meanwhile, in an interview with Absolute Radio's Christian O'Connell, Noel Gallagher confessed to being a fan of Coldplay's new material when asked of what he's enjoyed from fellow acts this year. He also stated his fondness for Arctic Monkey's new album and Kasabian's up and coming LP Velociraptor. Noel gave further details of his first solo album High Flying Birds which is to be released one week before Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto. "I like the Arctic Monkeys album, I’ve got to say, it seems like they’re back. The new Kasabian record which is coming is pretty good. What else? Contemporary new records? Yeah, I don’t think I’ve heard one for a while to be honest, but the new… oh, some of the new Coldplay stuff is good, I’ve got to say. I’ve always been a fan of Coldplay, I’ve liked them since I heard that track, Yellow. I do like them, the new stuff’s good I think."

The Drums frontman Jonny Pierce, however, was less accommodating, saying he hates bands like U2 and Coldplay because they dabble with politics, according to Gigwise. In an interview with Q, Pierce said he was not very political and that he had no plans to impose his opinions on the band's fans. "It's really boring to me. I hate U2 and Coldplay, bands that can't be bands for the life of them. They can't just write great songs, they have to be doing other stuff, a statement all the time," he said. "I don't mind certain statements, but U2 haven't released a good record in ten years, why don't they just run for office? [laughs] Just write me a great love song, that's all I want!"

He obviously has yet to hear Coldplay tracks such as The Scientist, A Message or Fix You, then. Coldplay back catalogue for Mr Pierce, please!

Atif Aslam wants to collaborate with Coldplay, according to KoolMusicZone today, although he might want to ask them first. "We are planning to collaborate with John Mayer, Coldplay and Jimmy Page (the founder of Led Zeppelin), but nothing is finalised yet," tells Atif Aslam in an interview with Hindustan Times. Aslam also have plans to take U2 on board soon. "I’m keeping my fingers crossed because, after all, they are busy people," says Atif Aslam.

Finally, Coldplay are putting up the cash for a new British film shot on the Isle of Man, BBC Radio 1's Newsbeat have confirmed. We first reported on this news back in March. Ashes is being directed by Mat Whitecross, who was also behind Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll. Jim Sturgess, who appears in One Day, will star alongside Ray Winstone in the movie. Coldplay's Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion will act as executive producers on the new project. Jim Sturgess said Coldplay's lead singer Chris Martin didn't pop down to the set. "They were away being Coldplay," he revealed. "We were filming on the Isle of Man so he had other things to do. It was amazing those guys helped us out with that film. I'm really proud of the film."