Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman and Will Champion. These names probably don't ring a bell.
They are members of Coldplay, one of the United Kingdom's biggest bands. You'll probably only recognise the lead singer - Chris Martin - yes, he who is married to Hollywood A-lister Gwyneth Paltrow and has two tots, Apple and Moses.
Martin has become so synonymous with the band's name, everyone knows him as the face and voice of Coldplay. But the other members don't seem to mind playing
second fiddle.Guitarist Buckland, 27, told The New Paper, tongue firmly in cheek: 'Chris is the face, Will is the leg, Guy is the arm and I'm the chest hair.'
The band was in town to perform on Monday night at the Singapore Indoor Stadium as part of its Twisted Logic tour. The show was to launch the inaugural MTV Centrestage Singapore, which is a celebration of live music.
Buckland had a practical reply about Martin hogging the band's limelight. 'Actually, that happens to all bands, with the exception of the Beatles, 'cos they have two singers... So it's rare that the lead singers aren't the face of the band. Besides, I am happy being the chest hair... We feel kinda dizzy when we are standing in front,' he said.
Naturally, most of the questions directed to Buckland were about Martin, who decided to grant only selected interviews to members of the press, even if some had come as far away as Indonesia. Yet, the guitarist remained unfailingly polite.
When asked if the band became known only after Martin, 29, began dating Oscar-winner Paltrow, 34, Buckland simply said: 'All press is good press.' And although Paltrow has been known to trot along for her hubby's worldwide performances, she wasn't on this tropical tour, he added.
Buckland's girlfriend didn't make it either. But he plans to make it up to her. 'I will be going to Hawaii with my girlfriend to unwind after the tour,' he said.
Coldplay is known as a serious rock band, with its serious lyrics and socially-conscious themes. Apart from fronting the Fair Trade Agreement campaign, Martin also spoke against the Iraq war in 2003. The band has also refused to allow its music to be used for product endorsements, even thought it has received requests from big brands like Gap and Gatorade.
'People buy our music and it means something. I think if you sell them (for endorsements), we would be degrading the music... If we had given a song that we've done to, say, a mobile phone or shampoo, it'd mean a lot less,' explained Buckland.
However, he dismissed suggestions that Martin would enter politics one day or be the next Bono, the frontman for Irish band U2 who is actively involved in anti-war and anti-poverty campaigns. 'We kind of do what we believe in and I think Bono is one of a kind,' he said. As for being a rock star, Buckland says the 'whole lifestyle is kind of strange'.
Which is why he's planned his retirement - to be a 'sheep farmer in Kathmandu'. 'There are sheep in Kathmandu, right?' he asked cheekily.
Source: http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg
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