Former The Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft is being given a boost as he attempts to break America again - Coldplay have asked him to tour with them.

In a bid to promote his hit new album Keys To The World [pictured], Ashcroft will play his first US shows in six years as support on the upcoming Coldplay stadium tour.

Ashcroft is a longtime friend of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, who recently named him "the best singer in the world", and joined the group for a rendition of The Verve's Bittersweet Symphony anthem at last summer's Live 8 concert.

Ashcroft also opened for Coldplay during a recent UK tour. The North American dates begin on 17 March 2006 in Ontario, Canada.

Source: http://www.contactmusic.com

Coldplay wants to salve your pain; Fiona Apple wants you to feel hers. They were a contrast in styles Sunday night at American Airlines Center, a big arena band that filled AAC with balladic rock and a feisty singer who channeled her anger into song without taking it out on her audience.

Playing Dallas for the second time on its X&Y tour, Coldplay balanced showmanship and earnestness with an efficiency that travels well from its UK base to the States, where the band's albums fly off the shelf like iPods the week of Christmas. Lead singer Chris Martin, whose recent comments have led to speculation on the band's breakup, has the rock star's gift of making every member of a massive arena crowd feel spoken to.

He also has a band that's sold enough albums to pay for some dynamite stagecraft, although some of the nicer touches actually fell on the low-tech side. For the megahit "Yellow," for instance, sparkling confetti fell from the ceiling in front of the stage ("look how they shine for you"), accompanied by a few yellow hankies (self-explanatory) and, finally, some massive yellow balloons that yielded still more sparklies when popped.

Read the full review here

It took nearly half a year after having to cancel in the wake of Hurricane Katrina's devastation, but Coldplay made it back to Houston and it was well worth the wait.

After the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and Coldplay's mentors U2's tours through town since then, the bar has been set high.

As far as hitching wagons go, Coldplay's decision to go with the Irish supergroup — arguably the best rock 'n' roll group on the planet — is not a bad one. Go with the best if you gotta go with someone. That their show at Toyota Center was able to meet the otherworldly sensory overload and arena bombast of U2 after only three albums is what makes vocalist Chris Martin the prince-in-waiting to King Bono's throne.

Read all the full reviews here

Coldplay (Music)

Starting: 07:45 on Sunday 26th February. Duration: 15 minutes

Showing on Q.

Coldplay (Music)

Starting: 10:45 on Sunday 26th February. Duration: 15 minutes

Showing on Q.

Coldplay: MTV Live (Music)

Starting: 15:30 on Sunday 26th February. Duration: 30 minutes

Showing on MTV Hits.

Coldplay (Music)

Starting: 14:00 on Monday 27th February. Duration: 15 minutes

Showing on Q.

Gwyneth Paltrow (Documentary)

Starting: 18:30 on Tuesday 28th February. Duration: 30 minutes

Showing on Biography Channel.

Gwyneth Paltrow (Documentary)

Starting: 00:30 on Wednesday 1st March. Duration: 30 minutes

Showing on Biography Channel.

Gwyneth Paltrow (Documentary)

Starting: 09:30 on Wednesday 1st March. Duration: 30 minutes

Showing on Biography Channel.

Gwyneth Paltrow (Documentary)

Starting: 13:30 on Wednesday 1st March. Duration: 30 minutes

Showing on Biography Channel.

Coldplay (Music)

Starting: 18:00 on Wednesday 1st March. Duration: 30 minutes

Showing on Biography Channel.

Coldplay (Music)

Starting: 00:00 on Thursday 2nd March. Duration: 30 minutes

Showing on Biography Channel.

The Changing Faces of Coldplay

Starting: on Saturday 4th March at 12.00

Showing on The Box

Thanks Nettie@mycoldplay.com

The guys have had a football squad together since pretty much the start of this tour. Today, they’re in the same city as us for the days off, and they have a match against a local side. I head down to the sports centre, which is pretty large, dome roffed affair, and arrive just as Tour Manager Franksy is whistling in the start of the first half.

Chris and Will are paying upfront, Jonny is in defence, whilst the team is rounded out by tour DJ Gree, accountant Yasmine, security guru Kelly, Dan Portainer personal trainer and limousine supreme Bob in goal.

The first half is challenging for the fellas, and things aren’t looking too good. The second half starts off much more promisingly, with the Champion - Martin one two yielding a few much needed equalizers. It’s a furious finish, but the guys just miss pulling it back, leaving the locals to celebrate a decisive win. Maybe there’ll be a re-match next time we’re in town...

Source: The Coldplayer, Coldplay.com

Michigan boy showered with prizes, including a $10,000 iTunes gift card

WEST BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. - Alex Ostrovsky got more than he bargained for when downloading Coldplay’s “Speed of Sound” from the iTunes Music Store.

The 16-year-old’s purchase was the one billionth song bought from the online music service that Apple Computer Inc. kicked off three years ago, charging 99 cents for most tracks. Ostrovsky’s selection was from Coldplay’s “X&Y” album.

The youth, who lives in the Detroit suburb of West Bloomfield Township, was showered with prizes: a 20-inch iMac, 10 fifth-generation iPods and a $10,000 iTunes gift card.Apple also said it would establish a scholarship to the Juilliard School of Music in his name.

“Over one billion songs have now been legally purchased and downloaded around the globe, representing a major force against music piracy and the future of music distribution as we move from CDs to the Internet,” Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO, said in a statement.

Besides more than 2 million songs from the major music companies and independent record labels, the iTunes Music Store also features music videos, Pixar and Disney short films, TV shows, podcasts and audiobooks.

The growing popularity of purchasing songs by the track shows in declining CD sales. A total of 618.9 million CD albums were sold during 2005, down from the 762.8 million in 2001, according to Nielsen Soundscan.

More pictures are online from the recent Louisville Coldplay concert. To see what is available, click here

[Thanks Gump]

Coldplay is a small-scale band at heart, a classic four-piece pop combo most interested in love lost and found or quiet moments of introspection.

The English band's success, however, is massively large scale, with multiplatinum records, sold-out stadium shows and even a celebrity marriage (singer Chris Martin and actress Gwyneth Paltrow).

Thursday night at Freedom Hall, Coldplay walked the tightrope with consummate skill for much of the show, rarely stumbling. It was an arena- ready show, with spectacular video effects to bolster Martin's tireless showmanship, but the human element was always near the surface. That was especially apparent during a short, more-or-less acoustic set that featured a cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" dedicated to Muhammad Ali.

Read the full review here

We predict a riot the next time Kaiser Chiefs run into Coldplay - well, a small tiff, at least...

The Kaisers' Simon Rix [pictured], whose band picked up the Best Album trophy, took a swipe at Coldplay's Chris Martin, saying the frontman hogs the limelight.

Simon said: "I don't wanna cause a rift but I hate what Chris did at the Brits. He said he was going to let the drummer speak and then he took over the mic completely. He's out of order. Sounds like Mr Martin's fair trade ethics doesn't extend to his own band."

Source: http://www.mirror.co.uk

The band say it's on the way

Coldplay have an album's worth of new material and are planning to set up their own HQ in London to record it - despite tabloid reports they're going to split.

After sampling Kraftwerk on last single 'Talk' the band are set to take their approach to recording. Inspired by the German group's Kling Klang studio where no outsiders are allowed, Coldplay are planning to build their own London studio to record the follow-up to 'X&Y' [pictured].

Their third album was recorded in various studios across the world, an experience the group aren't in a hurry to repeat. However, one thing is for sure, despite Chris Martin's claims at the BRIT Awards the group would move out of the limelight, any suggestion of a split is untrue.Coldplay have been working on new songs during soundchecks on their 'Twisted Logic' world tour - meaning they have an album title and songs ready to record.

"We'll have a month here and a month there - we'll think about writing and where we want to go to next," Will Champion told NME.COM. "We're trying to find somewhere where we can set up and work. In all these years we haven't got a HQ, our own studio or anything like that. We want somewhere where we can sort of hole up and see what happens."

Bassist Guy Berryman said that the group feel inspired to experiment more with their new songs. "I don't want to generalise it and say 'We're going to become electronic' because I don't think we are going to become truly electronic," he said. "I think there's going to be elements of lots of things. It's hard to say, all the ideas are just spinning around inside my head and I've got a lot of new toys to play with. I always like our next record to be a bit harder sounding. Not rock harder just edgier. We'll always have melody."

On 'X&Y' many of the songs didn't feel right to the band until they locked themselves away, just four members, and hammered them out live. This is a lesson Coldplay have learned for album four.

"In the same way that we had loads of songs ready when we went in to do the last record and the record before, we're at that stage now where we've got songs," Champion explained. "I think they will need a lot of work, we need to learn how to play them. We've learnt from mistakes on the last record in terms of the idea that it's most important for us to play the songs together and to have them as live as possible."

Coldplay's next single is likely to be 'The Hardest Part', released in April.

Source: nme.com

Winners at last week’s Brit Awards have seen their album sales rocket since the event.

Those pesky Kaiser Chiefs have seen sales of ‘Employment’ go up 64% while Kanye West has enjoyed the biggest boom with an incredible 85% more sales. Other stars whose sales have soared include Paul Weller with 59% more sales and Coldplay and KT Tunstall who have both benefited strongly.

As the beeb reports, HMV predicts that this weekend’s chart will be dominated by Brit winners.

AUBURN HILLS - The winter version of Coldplay's "Twisted Logic" tour, which played The Palace on Wednesday, was a lot like the outdoor version that came to DTE Energy Music Theatre last summer, with one notable exception: They've grown a lot more comfortable being one of rock's biggest bands.

It was a new role, one to which they had long aspired, when Coldplay mapped out the followup to its 2002 blockbuster - and best - album, "A Rush of Blood to the Head." Coldplay has never made a secret of its aspirations, but it took the success of that album to make it possible. Last year's "X&Y" was designed to make an ever bigger statement - and play on bigger stages.

"X&Y" didn't quite measure up to its predecessor. It's still an ambitiously soulful, if uneven, record that's on target more often than not.

Read the full review here

The billionth song Speed of Sound was purchased as part of Coldplay’s X&Y album by Alex Ostrovsky from West Bloomfield, Michigan and as the grand prize winner he will receive a 20-inch iMac, 10 fifth generation iPods and a $10,000 gift card good for any item on the iTunes Music Store. In addition, Apple will establish a scholarship to the world-renowned Juilliard School of Music in his name to commemorate this milestone.

“I hope that every customer, artist and music company executive takes a moment today to reflect on what we’ve achieved together during the past three years,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Over one billion songs have now been legally purchased and downloaded around the globe, representing a major force against music piracy and the future of music distribution as we move from CDs to the Internet.”

More on this here

The band end those split rumours in conclusive manner

Coldplay have an album’s worth of new material and are planning to set up their own HQ in London to record it - despite tabloid reports they’re to split.

Having recorded their third album, ‘X&Y’ [pictured], in studios across the world, Chris Martin and co aren’t in a hurry to repeat the experience. So, after borrowing a Kraftwerk riff on last single ‘Talk’, the band are now set to follow their approach to recording. Inspired by the German group’s Kling Klang studio, where no outsiders are allowed, they’re now planning to build their own London space to record the follow-up.

Read the full article here [thanks coldplay_steph]

Coldplay is championing the Make Trade Fair campaign during the second leg of their "Twisted Logic" tour, January through April 2006. The concerts feature a call to sign Oxfam's Big Noise petition calling on world leaders to change trade rules that deny millions of farmers around the world the benefits of trade.

"Economically, unfair trade will benefit nobody in the long run, as poorer countries will be bled totally dry and will become unable to produce anything." said Coldplay's front man, Chris Martin.

Worldwide, the Big Noise petition has gathered over 17 million signatures, many from those living in developing countries such as Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Zambia. Oxfam delivered the Big Noise to world trade ministers in December at the WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong.Coldplay's Chris Martin has witnessed firsthand the crippling effects of unfair trade rules on small farmers after traveling to both Ghana and Haiti with Oxfam. He began working with Oxfam in 2002 and has since participated in a number of high profile moments in the campaign, including an international ad campaign and delivering the Big Noise petition to world leaders.

"How on earth could anybody stand in a field with these people and say that it's the right thing to do to dump their excess produce cheaply on a third world country? It's beyond me," said Martin. "But the truth is, the people responsible haven't talked to the farmers in the areas affected."

Trade has the power to lift millions of people out of poverty but instead millions are struggling because of the current unfair trading system.

Make Trade Fair volunteers will be at each show signing up supporters and handing out more information on the Make Trade Fair campaign.

To learn more about Make Trade Fair and Oxfam, visit http://www.maketradefair.com.

Twelve British music acts are to be flown to the US by the Government to help them make it big there - and boost our global music market share.

Ministers are spending £500,000 so KT Tun-stall, Goldfrapp and the others can perform at a music festival aimed at talent scouts.

Trade and Industry Secretary Alan Johnson said: "From the Beatles, through David Bowie to Coldplay, the UK music scene has always led the world but we have not always capitalised on our talent to break America. I want to ensure that the Government works with the industry and our best artists to showcase talent in the US." The Kooks, The Rakes, Jim Noir, The Feeling and Boy Kill Boy are among the acts funded to play at next month's South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. Ministers say the cost is worth it because Britain's export market for CDs and records is £1.3billion a year - and growing.

America controls 37 per cent of global music sales. Britain's market share crashed from 32 per cent in 1986 to 0.2 per cent in 1996. It now stands at eight per cent.

James Blunt and the Kaiser Chiefs, who swept the boards at the Brits last week, also had backing to play at South by Southwest. It also helped catapult glam rockers The Darkness to international stardom.

Mr Johnson plans a similar talent-spotting festival in Brighton in May. The Great Escape will be open to the public.

Source: mirror.co.uk

Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson has hit out at the media's "obsession" with his weight, claiming he is tired of constant criticism.

The Brit Award-winner has even suffered at the hands of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin - who recently commented on how slight he looked.

Wilson says, "When I saw Chris Martin recently he stopped me and told me he'd heard I'd been having a bit of a rough time. Then he looked at me and said: 'And I think you're actually really thin.' I didn't know what to say. Is my weight really all that interesting?"

The English rocker is also becoming increasingly angry with stories about him overeating and being greedy. He claims, "I've got a chubby face, so everyone thinks I'm really fat. There are always stories about me "stuffing my face" or "porking out".

Source: contactmusic.com

This week's album chart has a definite Brit Award flavour, with the entire top 10 made up of winners and nominees, reports Virgin.com.

British Breakthrough Act winners Arctic Monkeys stay at number one for the fourth week running with 'Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not', while triple winners Kaiser Chiefs jump five places from seven to two with 'Employment'.

James Blunt, KT Tunstall, Jack Johnson and Coldplay all enjoyed strong sales after picking up awards while there was a new entry for The Jam, fronted by Brit Outstanding Contribution winner Paul Weller. Brit nominees Gorillaz, Will Young and Kelly Clarkson also remain in the top 10, despite failing to win anything on Wednesday night.

The top 10 UK albums for w/c February 20 is as follows:

01. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not

02. Kaiser Chiefs - Employment

03. James Blunt - Back To Bedlam

04. KT Tunstall - Eye To The Telescope

05. Will Young - Keep On

06. Jack Johnson - In Between Dreams

07. Gorillaz - Demon Days

08. Coldplay - X&Y

09. Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway

10. The Jam - Snap.

For those who missed it, Coldplay is one of the bands featured in their "backstage scrapbook" in a recent issue of Blender magazine.

For the article and exclusive pictures from the magazine, click here

[Thanks CaptainOats]

Fans snapped up tickets this past weekend for the upcoming Juno Awards gala, with the Halifax show selling out in just 15 minutes.

On Saturday, 3,000 tickets for the April 2 show went on sale at 10 a.m. and were gone just 15 minutes later, a Juno organizer told CBC Arts Online.

The 35th annual Juno Awards gala will feature performances by British band Coldplay, Alberta rockers Nickelback, crooner Michael Bublé and indie acts Bedouin Soundclash and Broken Social Scene.However, with the awards gala approaching and the stage area being constructed at the Halifax Metro Centre, organizers say they should have some additional tickets to release a few days prior to the telecast.

Early bird tickets, which were offered for sale on Feb. 11, also went quickly, with all 500 snapped up that day. Bryan Adams, the newest inductee into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, will also take the stage.

The 3,500 seats sold over the past two weekends are located on the floor and in the Metro Centre’s upper bowl sections. Organizers are currently reserving more than 2,000 seats for members of the music industry, including artists, their families and other representatives.

Three days of Juno Awards celebrations will begin in Halifax on March 31, culminating in the awards telecast on April 2.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca

Coldplay have announced four new tour dates in Japan this year.

The band will play at the following venues:

Sat 15th July - Intex Osaka: OSAKA

Mon 17th July - Rainbow Hall: NAGOYA

Tues 18th/Weds 19th July - Budokan: TOKYO

Jonny and Chris were interviewed for TV Total in Germany on Thursday [16th Feb] and Coldplay also performed.

Pictures and videos from the show can be downloaded here

The Brit Awards 2006 (Entertainment)

Starting: 15:40 on Saturday 18th February. Duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes

Showing on ITV2.

Storytellers (Music)

Coldplay.

Weeks before the much-anticipated release of their album X&Y, Coldplay took to the stage at Brooklyn Academy of Music for an intimate night of storytelling and live music. Storytellers: Coldplay gives viewers a unique opportunity to hear the inspiration and stories behind such hits as Clocks, Yellow, Politik, The Scientist, In My Place and new tracks Speed of Sound and Fix You. As well as debuting new tunes and revisiting old favourites, Chris Martin, Will Champion, Guy Berryman, and Jon Buckland also share a song they wrote for Johnny Cash (Till Kingdom Come). And as part of the “storytelling” part of the sold-out gig, Martin reveals that Yellow was inspired by the Yellow Pages and that Speed of Sound was an attempt to rip-off Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill.(Repeat)

Starting: 18:05 on Saturday 18th February. Duration: 51 minutes

Showing on TG4.

Storytellers (Music)

Starting: 01:15 on Sunday 19th February. Duration: 1 hour

Showing on Channel 4.

Coldplay (Music)

Killer Album.

The essential tracks from an all time classic album.

Starting: 14:00 on Monday 20th February. Duration: 15 minutes

Showing on Q.

Coldplay (Music)

Starting: 14:00 on Wednesday 22nd February. Duration: 15 minutes

Showing on Q.

Storytellers (Music)

Starting: 03:30 on Saturday 25th February. Duration: 50 minutes

Showing on S4C.

Gwyneth Paltrow (Documentary)

Starting: 18:30 on Tuesday 28th February. Duration: 30 minutes

Showing on Biography Channel.

Gwyneth Paltrow (Documentary)

Starting: 00:30 on Wednesday 1st March. Duration: 30 minutes

Showing on Biography Channel.

Gwyneth Paltrow (Documentary)

Starting: 09:30 on Wednesday 1st March. Duration: 30 minutes

Showing on Biography Channel.

Gwyneth Paltrow (Documentary)

Starting: 13:30 on Wednesday 1st March. Duration: 30 minutes

Showing on Biography Channel.

More on TV Schedules here and here

Mogwai have laid into Brit Award winners Coldplay and James Blunt - but praised Arctic Monkeys.

Guitarist Barry Burns said in a posting on the band's official website that Blunt was a "twat" and referred to Coldplay's frontman Chris Martin as "fuckface".

But Arctic Monkeys were deemed OK because they didn't turn up to the ceremony on Wednesday (February 15), even though they won British Breakthrough Act. Instead they honoured their commitment to play a ShockWaves NME Awards Tour show in Portsmouth.

Burns said: "The Brits. First off let us say a big well done to the Arctic Monkeys for not turning up to the Brit awards and instead playing a gig in Portsmouth. Why would you go? I think you have to pay to go anyway, which is a joke."

He added: "And the Kaiser Chiefs won best 'rock act' which is just mental. They're not a rock band. (I met one of them in Japan and he was lovely, if a little scared by my over-affable-drunkenness but they're no rock band).

Regarding Chris Martin's comments at the bash, he opined: "Coldplay's Chris Martin hinted he may avoid the limelight. 'People are fed up with us and so are we,' he said. No shit fuckface".He then said of Blunt, who along with Coldplay claimed two awards, "I have spewed blood down dirty toilets with more talent than him. Twat."

Mogwai release their new album 'Mr Beast' on March 6. As previously announced on NME.COM, they play several UK dates as part of a world tour this year, including a show at London's Royal Albert Hall.

The full list of dates is as follows:

Bristol Academy (March 29)

Southampton University (30)

Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall (31)

Oxford Brookes University (April 1)

Cardiff Coal Exchange (2)

Cambridge Junction (4)

Liverpool Carling Academy (5)

Newcastle Northumbria University (6)

Sheffield The Plug (7)

Edinburgh Usher Hall (27)

London Royal Albert Hall (September 22)

The band's show on April 27 as part of the Triptych festival has been upgraded from Edinburgh's Queen's Hall to Usher Hall due to demand.

Mogwai's world tour dates include a slot at the South By South West festival in Austin, Texas on March 15, and an appearance at the Coachella festival in California on April 30.

Chris Martin has recorded a new song with Nelly Furtado – after getting over his fear of super-producer Timbaland.

The Coldplay frontman, who is rumoured to be taking a break from the multi-million selling band, hooked up with the I’m Like A Bird warbler after she revealed she was working on her new album with the Missy Elliott knob-twiddler.

But Furtado [pictured] reveals Martin was initially too intimidated at the start of their recording session to play a note.

She tells Rolling Stone magazine, “I was telling Chris what I was up to, and he's like 'I love Timbaland. Can I come by?' But Timbaland's like a big dude and Chris was scared to sit down at the keyboard. I'm like, 'Chris, sit down. Let's make some music.' I'm always the instigator."

Source: gigwise.com