Clean-cut actress Gwyneth Paltrow, who has eschewed extravagant Hollywood lifestyles to become a rather sensible North London mother-of-two, has at last revealed a naughty streak. She has acquired a rather cheekily-placed tattoo.

The Hollywood star had a tiny "C" etched at the top of her right thigh in London department store Selfridges last week. It may not be a match for Amy Winehouse's brash topless lady on her arm, but for thoughtful Gwyneth even this discreet gesture is a huge step, and a meaningful one.

The C is said to be an expression of love for her musician husband, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, and has eased concerns that their relationship was in trouble. The pair have barely been seen together in recent months, with their friends blaming work commitments and Martin's latest album.

Gwyneth paid £60 for the discreet artwork, after tattooist Steve Flannery spent 20 minutes creating the design for the "nervous" actress. He said: "At first she was thinking about having a tattoo on her arm, but then decided that this might affect her acting work. In the end she decided on the top of her right thigh, and joked that Chris would have fun finding it. I asked her if the C stood for Coldplay, but she said it was definitely a C for Chris. "Compared to some designs I do, this was discreet and subtle, to say the least."

Meanwhile, contrary to rumours, Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin's marriage is rock-solid. The pair were spotted at London's Soho Hotel and a mole tells us: "They were inseparable - holding hands all night."

More on this here [thanks mimixxx & Alex22]

Expression of love: Gwyneth's C tattoo marks her romance with husband Chris Martin

Thanks to Coldplaying.com messageboarders around the world we are beginning to piece together Coldplay's tour dates for 2008 - starting in Europe - Barcelona (Spain) and Arnhem (Netherlands) of all places.

Several sites have begun selling Coldplay tickets for European tour dates later on this year. There are almost certainly more dates to leak before they become officially confirmed, inevitably including those by ticket outlets for US gigs. At the moment European tickets are going for €110,- (around £85 or $170 USD).

So far, we can announce two unofficial tour dates so far, as follows (click for links and more information):

Open air concert - La Merce Fiesta, Barcelona - 21st September 2008 [thanks Bart]

Gelredome, Arnhem, Netherlands - 9th November 2008 [thanks RoosMartin3]

Kanye West shows no signs of slowing down with releasing singles from his 3rd solo record, Graduation. Now he’s on the verge of releasing yet another video (his 5th to be exact) for the nostalgia track “Homecoming” featuring Coldplay’s Chris Martin. From the looks of the still photos, this looks to be very interesting and artistic. Are you guys ready for another Kanye visual or should he let Graduation go out on top?

More on this here [thanks Motoi]

Check out the 2002 section of Coldplay.com for a new star.

Make Trade Fair Gig, Astoria, 29/10/02

Chris forgot the lyrics to Live Forever, I forgot the guitar solo. Noel forgot the chords to 'Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before'. Ms Dynamite was good and Simon Pegg's harmonica playing was faultless.

JMB

More on this star (and watch the video) here onwards [thanks Fixed]

Read the full chronology, including all Prospekt updates, at WikiColdplay

One Republic have apparently let the cat out of the bag live on Radio One to confirm that Coldplay will be playing at this year's V Festival.

It is unconfirmed by official sources, but this news will come as a surprise to many, and of course V Festival organisers who have already lined up The Verve and Muse as headliners.

A slip of the tongue or not? More on this here [thanks coldplay1986]

Web Player Enables Users to Easily Browse Media

Cornerworld Corp. announced that they have launched a new web player that allows its members to easily interact with user generated audio and video. The available content also now includes the Napster music catalog of major label artists such as Coldplay located at cornerworld.com/coldplay.

The new Juke Box is embedded within its own browser window enabling users to listen and watch Cornerworld creations while concurrently enjoying other features within the site or throughout the web. The juke box enables the users to rate the content, share with friends through email and permanently download the media.

“Social Widgets are Viral,” said Scott Beck, Cornerworld CEO and co-founder. “CornerWorld’s new Audio Video Player enables our content to be published across many other sites. Our members now have the ability to share Cornerworld content from within the existing social communities to which they belong.”

Source: http://biz.yahoo.com/

Check out the 2006 section of Coldplay.com for a new star.

October 5th 2006 - Chris on 'Extras'

This is what Chris is actually like. Every day.

WC x

More on this star here onwards [thanks Zemy101]

Read the full chronology, including all Prospekt updates, at WikiColdplay

Tickets for Coldplay's Summer Sonic appearance (and of course the rest of the festival) will be on sale on 24th May 2008 at summersonic.com.

More on this here [thanks Zemy101]

Facebook yesterday launched its new music section for bands in a tie-up with iTunes.

The new section lets bands create their own profiles, making songs, photos and music videos available to fans. The service - which takes the social networking war to MySpace - also lets acts sell tickets and merchandise through a deal with the Music Today service.

100 artists have already set-up Facebook profiles to help launch the service, the first draft includes Coldplay, the Dave Matthews Band, Cee-Lo, Gnarls Barkley, and The Decemberists.

Tracks can be streamed and Facebook is providing a link to iTunes in order that acts can offer songs for sale to fans visiting their pages.

Facebook denizens can become fans of their chosen atists, can rate and review the music and can choose to receive messages from acts.

Facebook has also introduced a wave of applications bands can deploy on page, including tools for the creation of unique Facebook pages; a Flash Player; a Music Player; a Discography tool, a Music Shop and bulletin sending software, iCast.

Source: macworld.co.uk

Coldplay will be performing at Summer Sonic, their official MySpace has confirmed. The dates are as follows:

August 9th, Tokyo, Marine Stadium

August 10th, Osaka, Maishima

On sale information coming soon.

More on this here [thanks fix_the_scientist & mimixxx]

Check out the 1999 section of Coldplay.com for a new star.

First Incarnation Of Coldplay.com Oct '99

Phil was in personal contact with every user. Are you still 'aboard', Ravenwood?

JMB

More on this star here onwards [thanks fixed]

Read the full chronology, including all Prospekt updates, at WikiColdplay

The 28th February 2008 has been one of the most fruitful days for new details of the songs on Coldplay's fourth album. The song synopsis for nine tracks was revealed via a Rolling Stone online article posted earlier today. Our question for you is... Which song synopsis sounds the most intriguing? Vote here

"Violet Hill": One of the strongest of the new songs, the band is considering giving it away as a special promotion in coming weeks and then leaving it off the album. Opening with a jagged distorted guitar riff, the song announces a new template: The stalking, bluesy beat fits nicely with Martin's earthy vocals and plaintive lyrics: "If you love me, won't you let me know?"

"42": The fact that the band is considering this song as the album's first real single underlines how far they're willing to a stray from their formula: It's an elaborate three-part piece, with swirling pianos, strings and beat loops that build to an uptempo climax, with some seriously stoner lyrics: "Those who are dead are not dead/They're just living in my head."

"Yes": Here, Martin's vocals take center stage like never before: Sounding more aggressive and strong than ever, they sit on top of an irresistible North African string-and-tablas arrangement and ache more convincingly than all the lilting falsetto in the world: "If you'd only, if you'd only say 'Yes'/I'm just so tired of this loneliness." It's the band's freshest song since "Parachutes."

"Death and All His Friends": A straight-up rock tune with a riff that sounds ripped from the Doobie Brothers, piano, and, in the last section, flute.

"Cemeteries of London": Notice the thematic pattern emerging from the title and lyrics? This one, with an electro loop and hand claps, doesn't sound as glum as its title portends.

"Life in Technicolor": Acoustic-guitar driven and jangly, this is one of the few tracks that seems built from the Coldplay template of songs like "Don't Panic," only a bit more, well, panicked: "Baby it's a violent world," Martin sings.

"Chinese Sleep Chant": Opening with a jagged guitar riff, the song quickly settles into a propulsive dance-track loop with low-mixed, angelic vocals.

"Strawberry Swing": This is one of several potential album cuts with Afro-pop and high-life influences: Here, distortion-free finger-picked guitars which sound straight out of Mali mix with a heavy bassline and psychedelic synths. "My Mum comes from Zimbabwe, so I spent a lot of time there," says Martin. "I used to work in a studio where people played that."

"Reign of Love": A lovely layered composition of piano, bass and organ that backs fairytale lyrics.

Coldplay speak of their direction shift...

Chris Martin says that Coldplay’s impending new album, due out this May, is so different to their first three that he’s fully aware “everyone might not like it.”

The band are currently busy putting the finishing touches to the record in North London with the legendary Brian Eno, and, speaking from the studio, they made it explicit that this album should be treated as a separate entity to their other works.

Guitarists Jonny Buckland explains: "We felt like the first three albums were a trilogy, and we finished that. So we wanted to do something different."

The Rolling Stone, who carried out the interview, describe the album as ‘darker’ and it deals with ‘themes of loneliness and death.’

Frontman Chris Martin admitted that there is more depth to this album than previous ventures: "Whether or not it's good, we certainly started to use more colours. It's impossible to please everybody, and it took us a while to learn that. It's just the freedom to say, 'Everyone might not like this. We're into it at the moment, so let's just get it done.'"

Reflecting upon Brian Eno’s involvement, Buckland continued that he brought in some quite basic but highly influential changes, such as taking more breaks. "It wasn't so much that he brings like a sound or something to it. He brings lots of ideas about everything, even down to like how we structured our day," he said.

Tracks that appear on the as-yet-untitled new album include ‘Cemeteries of London’, ‘Reign Of Love’, ‘Life In Technicolor’ and ‘Death and All His Friends.’

More on this here

New track titles announced: Death and All His Friends | Life In Technicolor | Chinese Sleep Chant | Reign Of Love

Rolling Stone have been behind the scenes with Coldplay as they record their fourth album. They have released more details on new track titles, including a synopsis of various tracks.

Coldplay are currently holed up in a studio in northern London, trying to hammer out the details for their still-untitled fourth album, due out in May. On a white board, three band members have posted radically different proposed track listings for the album. Chris Martin has withheld his, hoping to lobby his colleagues a little while longer. "I heard a Bono quote once that said 'Bands shouldn't break up over money, they should break up over track listing,' " he says. "Nothing could be more pertinent at this point."

Several tracks are considerably rougher around the edges, with distorted guitars and more prominent percussion. The lyrics are darker, dealing with recurring themes of death and loneliness. And on several songs, Martin extends his vocal palette considerably beyond the falsetto that has largely defined him, exhibiting a lower, sexier mode that feels more personal and real. "Whether or not it's good, we certainly started to use more colors," says Martin. "It's impossible to please everybody, and it took us a while to learn that. It's just the freedom to say, 'Everyone might not like this. We're into it at the moment, so let's just get it done.' "

Read the full article here [thanks kaisin & mykierulz]

Check out the 2000 section of Coldplay.com for a new star.

V2000 - Aug 19, 2000

This was one of the first big gigs we'd done in England after the release of Parachutes. The first time we'd heard people singing along to songs other than Yellow.

W x

More on this star here onwards [thanks doritji]

Read the full chronology, including all Prospekt updates, at WikiColdplay

Coldplay are having a garage sale at their studio. So, anyone who wants to pick up a gadget with Korg, Roland, Linn, Pearl, Hafler or Yamaha written on it, then head off to eBay, because that’s where you’ll find it.

The Coldplay studio clearance has a few nice bits and pieces, including a Korg Mono Poly, an Oberheim DX and a Jupiter 8. If you’re just a crazed Coldplay fan, there’s some crappy cheap monitors for £38…

Have a look at all the sale items here

2001 - Coldplay take two of the biggest prizes: Best British Group and Best British Album for Parachutes. Lead singer Chris Martin thanks the teacher who encouraged him to take up music instead of cricket.

With British acts at an all-time low in the U.S. charts, Craig David and Coldplay, along with David Gray and Dido, will be the major British exports across the pond over the next two years.

The Observer (UK newspaper) have this morning given us more information on Coldplay's new album, and in particular, details of a new track and the new CD artwork. Here's what they had to say:

Coldplay were persuaded to write the closing credit track for new British film The Escapist, a Sundance hit. Now the band have seen and loved the film, they have decided to include 'Song For The Escapist' on their forthcoming album. I hear, too, that the record company was a little miffed at having to redesign the CD artwork to include the song on the track listing, but the band insisted and their patronage will, I'm sure, give this tough British film a boost.

More on this here and here [thanks Marcoldplayer & cephaus]

Coldplay will release their as-yet-untitled forth album with EMI records, their manager Dave Holmes has said.

The confirmation comes a month after Holmes said that the group were “in no hurry” to release the record following controversial takeover plans at the label. "When all that was going on we were over here in [in London] in the studio, so we kind of steered clear of all that," he told Billboard. "We've got a great plan in place."

Coldplay were among a number of acts, including Robbie Williams and The Verve, reported to be unhappy with restructuring plans at the label which will see the loss of nearly one-third of all jobs. EMI was taken over last August by private equity company Terra Firma in a £3.2billion deal.

Meanwhile, Holmes has confirmed that Coldplay are about to start mastering their new album with an eye on a summer release. "The guys are really eager to get back on the road. They're really looking forward to touring and getting back out there,” he said.

Source: Gigwise.com

Coldplay is putting the finishing touches on its fourth studio album, an as-yet-untitled project set for an early summer release via Capitol. A summer tour of North America and Europe will follow.

"We're just about finished," band manager Dave Holmes tells Billboard.com. "They're in the final mixing. They'll start mastering, and away we go." Typically light on hyperbole, Holmes is enthusiastic about the new project. "I think it's their best album," he says. "They've really delivered. It's a fantastic record. They've really put the work in."

Holmes says the album "definitely takes them in some different directions. I'm not a music critic, but it's certainly a progression, with some really great songwriting."

Touring plans are still in the works, but Holmes says the band is working on something "special," with several ideas in development. The band is working for the first time with respected lighting director/set designer Paul Normandale on ideas, "and if we can pull this off it's going to be quite different. We're going to try something a little different in the arena space."

Holmes adds, "The guys are really eager to get back on the road. They're really looking forward to touring and getting back out there."

Read the full article(s) here

Check out the 2007 section of Coldplay.com for a new star.

Busking on the Balcony

Buenos Aires, Feb 2007

We started huddling around one microphone on the balcony in the middle of the set. We sang 'Til Kingdom Come' and 'Love Me Tender'. It's hard to imagine that records used to be recorded this way!!

GB

More on this star and links to the video here onwards [thanks CP678]

Read the full chronology, including all Prospekt updates, at WikiColdplay

MySpace has approached the four top music labels with plans for the service according to stories in the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times and technology Web site CNET.com.

The News Corp owned company has allegedly been in discussion with Universal Music, Sony BMG, Warner Music and EMI whose artists include Kylie and Coldplay, however all are yet to comment on the matter .

MySpace is a social networking website offering an interactive, user-submitted network of friends, personal profiles, blogs, groups, photos, music and videos internationally. Its headquarters are in Beverly Hills , California , USA , where it shares an office building with its immediate owner, Fox Interactive Media; which is owned by News Corporation, which has its headquarters in New York City.

Read the full article here

Check out the 2003 section of Coldplay.com for a new star.

Clocks remix by Röyksopp <- very talented

In Australia this climbed the pop charts which the other version didn't really. Our songs don't really climb the charts so much as land on the ladder and slide slowly down.

CM

More on this star and links to the video here onwards [thanks pyost & Lore]

Read the full chronology, including all Prospekt updates, at WikiColdplay

Coldplay are featured three times in an British music poll.

Oxford rock band Radiohead have seen their 1997 masterpiece OK Computer voted the third best British album. Britpop veterans Oasis have demonstrated their place in music lovers’ hearts by securing first and second places in the new chart.

The Gallagher brothers’ 1994 debut, Definitely Maybe, came top in the poll by music magazine Q and retailer HMV to find the 50 “Best Ever British Albums”.

Read the full list here

Organisers of the V Festival have confirmed that 'Muse' will be one of the headliners for the 2008 event which takes place in Chelmsford and Staffordshire over the weekend of August 16 and 17.

Bosses have yet to confirm the second headliner but 'Coldplay' are being touted as a strong possibility along with 'Kaiser Chiefs', 'Kasabian' and 'The Prodigy'.

Tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday March 7.

You can discuss this in our forums here