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Coldplay Biography
Review The Artist (43)
Just months after Coldplay released their #1 debut album, Parachutes, in England, they were hailed as Band of the Year 2000 in the music press. How did these four college friends become the poster children for a nation's emotions? It may have happened at the speed of light, but it wasn't as easy as it seems.
Coldplay secured a permanent position in Britain's music elite by writing beautiful, simple songs that gently pulled at the heartstrings of a nation. Somewhere in between the confident, vulnerable guitar playing of Jonny Buckland, the melodic bassline of Guy Berryman, thoughtful drumming of Will Champion, and lead Chris Martin's stark, tenor vocals are answers for the soul. Although melancholy stands behind every Coldplay song, each one is also steeped in an unusual and sincere optimism rarely found in English bands. Songs face an inevitable sadness and yearning - a little thing called being real - to get to a better place where the truth held firm in pure emotion is pivotal. Songs like the remorseful "Trouble," with its memorable piano-line, the lonely "Spies" and mega-hit single "Yellow" reveal a hybrid of lyrics that can only be described as joy and remorse, all wrapped into one. "We just want the songs to reflect reality," says Chris.
In doing so, Coldplay may well be the most profound British act to emerge out of the millennium thus far. No one is more surprised by their popularity than the band. Who knew such an austere and tactile musical existence would lead to such greatness? Yet it has.
It all began when the members of Coldplay met in 1996 - their first week of college (University College London). Two and a half years later, they had their first official band session - a rehearsal in Jonny's bedroom in January of 1998. Jonny and Chris had been working on songs since they met, but the other two members hadn't really been around much until Guy joined the band to play bass just before dropping out of engineering school. The other two stuck with their studies, while also pursuing music.
Will, also still in school, loved playing guitar but was persuaded to become Coldplay's drummer so the band could play their first gig (at a Cuban Caf?at a festival for unsigned bands called "In The City" in Manchester) in late 1998. They had just six songs written including "Don't Panic" and "High Speed" - now found on Parachutes. They soon released 500 copies of an EP called Safety (financed by their now manager, Phil) and released the single "Brothers And Sisters" on a small English label called Fierce Panda, after which the UK label Parlophone signed them in 1999 just before final exam time. As they say, the rest is history, or in the stars, or whatever. In any case, another EP on Parlophone, The Blue Room, followed, as did the single "Shiver."
Before the band, lead singer/guitarist/pianist Chris Martin grew up in a close family from Devon, England. In fact, he still lives at home as the eldest of five kids raised by a teacher mum and accountant dad, where he started bashing out tunes on the family piano at an early age. Typical of the first-born, he is an over-achiever and self-proclaimed worrier. Although anything to do with "injustice" will rile him up, no one can accuse him of being the typical tortured and drunken English musician since he rarely drinks, never smokes and admits life can be pretty damn good. He's a shy product of boarding school where he soon graduated to the guitar and has been in bands since the age of 15. He considers the big three in music to be: Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Tom Waits. Oh, and the Flaming Lips aren't bad either.
Lead guitarist Jonny Buckland doesn't think he's a very good guitar player, but the rest of the world begs to differ. He was born 22 odd years ago in London, then his family relocated to Mold, North Wales when he was just four. Jonny first picked up a guitar at the tender age of 11, encouraged by his older brother who was a huge My Bloody Valentine fan. Both boys grew up in a house filled with Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix from their dad's record collection. Yet it wasn't until Jonny discovered The Stone Roses that he started taking the guitar seriously. People describe him as shy and nonchalant, but he argues he's just happy to be quiet.
Bassist Guy Berryman was born in Scotland, although his family later moved to Kent, England where he started to collect rare groove and funk records when all the other kids were into indie rock. He started playing bass at age 13 and is still inspired by a love of those early records.
Words like "calm," "reliable" and "enthusiastic" are used to describe drummer Will Champion. He was born in Southampton, England to teacher parents who encouraged him to spend his formative years learning to play a variety of instruments including guitar, bass, piano and the tin whistle. He had never played drums before joining Coldplay but was so musically inclined that he quickly caught on. "He's very quiet and very wise," says Chris about Will. "As a musician, he's got the most amazing sense of melody. He can play just about anything ... and he can do little impressions. He's good at entertaining people."
When the band went into the studio early last year with co-producer and engineer Ken Nelson to record Parachutes, they agreed that nothing would go on the album that they all four didn't agreed on. This led to a fierce and gut wrenching recording session that the guys thought might be their last. Songs ended up veering from fragile to forceful, from understated to epic, all-the-while carried by Chris' gorgeous vocal range and endearingly bashful lyrics. On a bittersweet morning in May, the album was finished.
No one predicted that just a short time later, Parachutes would debut at #1 and continue to hover in the Top Ten Charts for the remainder of the year. The band was also nominated for an esteemed Mercury Music Prize, received the Q Award for Best Album, signed to an American label (Nettwerk America/Capitol) and were exhausted by year's end from endless promotional duties and touring. Having been tirelessly in the spotlight for months now, the members of Coldplay are reticent to talk about themselves - subscribing to the school of thought that "those who say less tend to be wiser." Yet what they have to say can be heard in the music, which speaks louder than any words spoken ever will.
Chris admits that the last track on the album, "Everything's Not Lost," is the message of Coldplay's entire work up until now. The song says that when things happen to you in life, your first inclination is to think everything's terrible, what's the point? Then you realize the point is simply that - that it's not that bad and you have to keep going. Finally, you come to realize that life is good. Look for Coldplay to embark on their first-ever American tour in the beginning of 2001. |
Would you please submit the latest Coldplay biography to me? Thank You.
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Review about Coldplay
<3 coldplay with all my heart! | Reviewer: TTgirl | 10/9/09
coldplay is one of the most AMAZING bands to walk the planet, i have known about them sense they came out with a rush of blood to the head. I had a few songs on my ipod, after viva la vida came out i loved them even more! then once i went to the concert cuz my dad loved them more then anything, i became COMPLETELY obssesed!!!! coldplay is amazing and always will be, they are right up there with the beatles, elvis, and the rolling stones. i have learned how to play strawberry swing(one of my faves) and also yellow, i can hardly even name a top 5 songs i luv cause they are all amazing but i actually thought of 5, ps these are NOT and a specicic order...
Yellow
Strawberry Swing
Everything's Not Lost
Death and all his friends
Lost
Lovers in Japan
Viva la Vida
Clocks
Talk
Violet Hill
Well that was more then 5, but i could care less..haha and pllllz coldplay read this cuz i wanna play for you!!!!!!!!!!
ROCK ON COLDPLAY AND NEVER STOP!!! I LOOOOOVE YOU CHRIS YOU ARE THE MOST GORGUS MAN IN AMERICA!!
The Best Band Ever | Reviewer: Anonymous | 9/24/09
I am a music lover and I always have been, but no band has ever touched me as deeply as Coldplay. Without realising it I basically grew up with their music, and every song they've released has at one time been my favourite. From Yellow to Clocks and In My Place, The Scientist, Speed of Sound, Violet Hill, Viva la Vida, all of the songs are beautiful. But until recently I had no idea who sang them. It must've been fate when a copy of Viva la Vida came into my posession last December, and I fell in love with the band. Listening to that album for the first time was almost like a religious experience. I was enchanted, and I knew I needed more. So I went out and bought their entire discography and now I am completely hooked. Their songs inspire me like no other. A few months ago I was fortunate enough to win tickets to one of their concerts: I cried twice and I danced and sang and laughed and it was just the best thing I've ever seen. Thank you Coldplay for being my musical soul-mate. :)
... | Reviewer: Queli | 7/18/09
You could wright that the Barcelona trainer, Pep Guardiola, plays "Viva la Vida" for his team before every match, and look at them, "Copa, Lliga & Champions"! If you want to.
It would be great if they'd come to Mallorca, though... I feel stranded, no bands ever come close to were I live!
I discovered them quite recently and I'm really impressed, even my little brother likes them! I play volleyball humming "Viva la Vida" and my team mates look at me in a weird way... xD
I like them more each day!
Coldplaaay!! | Reviewer: EenaA | 6/8/09
Coldplay is great!I really love them,because their music is so different, and relaxing, and beautiful and, and ...it's hard to explain those emotions with the words :) It would be great if they come to the Serbia(Belgrade), but...:(
coldplay rocks! | Reviewer: aaron colbern | 5/28/09
Once I was in the car and I was listening to "Viva la Vida" and I absolutly loved it. It was like I had just became a new person and I had a completely new idea of what a good song was. I asked my dad "who is this?" and he said "it's Coldplay, only the best band ever" and from then on I couldn't get the words out of my head!
Amazing!!! | Reviewer: Gina | 5/29/09
I love you guys!!! Your songs are full of beautiful lyrics that inspire my soul...From the first time I heard you guys I fell in love with your music!!! I can't wait for July 2009...I'm going to your Viva La Vida concert here in Southern Cali....Keep making wonderful songs that put a smile on millions of people's faces!!! God Bless you Coldplay!!!
thank u to my brother | Reviewer: EB | 4/6/09
i simply am OBSESSED with coldplay! my brother and i were in the car and he was listening to white shadows off of x&y. i asked him WHO THE HECK IS THIS???!!!, b/c i just loved that song. he said, It's coldplay. i had never heard of them before, and from then on every time i got in his car i asked to hear that song. at one point my mom, who had listened to the cd and loved it, "barrowed" the cd from my brother. needless to say, she never gave it back!!! lol. Somewhere around 6 months later my brother was listening to the cd Viva La Vida. Again, i loved the music and asked, WHO THE HECK IS THIS????!!!!
my brother laughed and said, It's coldplay. after that, everything was history!
I LOVE YOU, COLDPLAY!!!!!!
(oh and, Chris Martin is the most gorgeous man ever by the way!)
coldplay (best for me) | Reviewer: nice nice extra nice | 4/2/09
i think coldplay are the best... but some small group of people from here (malta) think that they are gay... and when you here the lirics thats what you think first.. when i hear their songs i just relax... and i wish someday coldplay come here in malta and i assure you they willl have fun with the maltese presence...
love all there songs... <3 haha
omg love coldplay | Reviewer: Ebony | 3/27/09
Coldplay is the best band ever. They are all amazing musicians and they are all gorgeous and talented. I cant beleive anyone could NOT like Coldplay they are just so.....there isnt even a word to describe how amazing they are. Breath taking. I love you Coldplay and I will love you forever.
I cant go a single day without listening to them or i dont know what will happen to me. I could suffocate, who knows. I found Coldplay when i first heard Viva La Vida and Violet Hill and i listened to them everyday and then i fond more songs and they were just so great. I was like, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL THIS TIME!?!? stupid girl.........
Copyright | Reviewer: patsy | 2/2/09
I am doing a powerpoint at school and i have written about colplay and i was ondering whether i could use some of your information but you have a copyright law so please may you send me and copyright logo which will allow me to use some of the information for my powerpoint.
thanks please let me know as soon as possible.
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Review the Artist Coldplay
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