Mr BOLD Chris Martin

[frozenmuze04]

I don't there's really a benchmark for comparison simply because the development rate of bands in the music industry now is forcibly faster. U2's was a building ascension that just became a bigger and bigger monster over many years. To deliberately say, "Okay, my goal is to topple this band over here," rather than just go with your gut and make your music and let it pull you up into that position on its own, is kinda going about it the wrong way, I think. Following that line of thinking, I would imagine Chris Martin going insane within two more records. There's a difference between raising the bar for yourself creatively and trying to aspire to something specific like that where you're constantly measuring yourself against something gigantic - it creates a lot of unnecessary pressure.

Just my op - I think it's fine to want that kind of hugeness - but to focus on it and say, "I want to be bigger than U2" is a misguided way to go about it. Just do what you do, man - if you're good enough, you'll rise to the top.

 

[namkcuR]

Well, I just listened to 'Speed Of Sound' for the first time and the keyboards in it just sound too much like 'Clocks'. It's a catchy song, but it's very easy to listen to. It's typical Coldplay. They're good, very good, at what they do, but do achieve the kind of superstardom and greatness Martin claims to be on the way to, you have to be willing to ditch what got you any fame at all and try something new. That trying something new part is where many bands fall by the wayside.

Let's say that U2 didn't achieve the kind of success Coldplay had with Parachutes until War. But after war, U2 put aside the punk-ish, angry sound that got them whatever fame they had, and tried something new. They took a risk. For them, it paid off. It resulted in two records, TUF and JT, that spawned songs like Pride, Bad, Streets, Still Haven't Found, WOWY - these songs are some of the biggest reasons why U2 are legends. But what if, after War, they had kept trying to reproduce what they had in War? What if when someone listened to the record after War for the first time, heard a song, and said, 'wait, this sounds too much like Sunday Bloody Sunday?' In that scenario, U2 wouldn't have taken the risk that resulted in the aforementioned hits, and may well have faded away soon after. It was the risk, the willingness to leave War behind and try something else. Like Clayton once said, 'It was either the end of something or the beginning of something else, and that new beginning was The Unforgettable Fire'. As we all know, U2 would take the same risk again at the outset of the 90s, resulting in all-time hits 'One', 'Mysterious Ways', 'Until The End Of The World', 'Stay', etc etc.

Now, I'll reserve full judgement until I hear the whole album, but judging just from this single, it sounds very much in the same vein as AROBTTH. I hope I'm wrong, but I just don't feel like Coldplay is the type of band that would be willing to risk what they have in order to find something new in the music. And realistically, when you look at the handful of bands in the last 50 years who have ever held the title of 'biggest band in the world', they at one point or another took that risk. Whether or not Coldplay is willing to take that risk is yet to be seen.

I should add, though, that in this day and age, it would be an even bigger risk for Coldplay than it was for U2 in 83-84. Bono was exactly right at the HOF when he alluded to the fact that U2 wouldn't have survived in today's music industry. In today's industry, if you have one flop record, it can be your end. If Coldplay doesn't take that risk(and again, we don't know if they have with this record yet, or if they will after it), that could very well be a reason why.

I guess we'll be able to see if they took the risk in a couple months when the record comes out.

 

[grbounds]

Coldplay is awesome, but these arguements are kind of pointless, since they're only on the eve of releasing a third album. I guess it's fun to speculate though. Personally I'd love to see Coldplay become the next U2, because then I'd have 2 bands to worship

 

[JOFO]

2. Ever watch rattle and hum when U2 had pictures of Johnny Cash and others on the walls while recording? Was that immature? No, it's just a way to try and get a little inspiration.

that was filmed at the legendary sun studios in memphis, where johnny cash and others recorded some of their most famous sessions. those pictures on the walls are the property of the studio and were hung on the walls by the studio long before u2 recorded there.
big difference.

 

[thrillme]

Bono for one, would be pleased.

Afterall, he explained that his "U2 applying for the best band in the world" job, was not just a motivation for the band, but also as a sort of throwing down the gauntlet to other bands, to step up and prove him wrong.

Bono did name Coldplay among bands that give him a "twitch" bands that might try and rival them.

Mr. Martin is bold by saying that, but Bono said things like that too in his younger days.

 

[ImOuttaControl]

that was filmed at the legendary sun studios in memphis, where johnny cash and others recorded some of their most famous sessions. those pictures on the walls are the property of the studio and were hung on the walls by the studio long before u2 recorded there.
big difference.

Not really. They filmed themselves recording songs in front of pictures of legends, which is no different from coldplay recording their songs in front of legends for inspiration. IMO, it's a really dumb thing to nitpick about and call a band 'immature' for doing.

Where my band practices, the walls are littered with posters-- U2, The Beatles, Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones among others...I suppose I'm immature too. My point is that there are some valid criticisms that you could make about coldplay, but nitpicking on meaningless stuff doesn't really help your arguement--it just makes you look like a U2 fan who's defensive about a band that has the potential of taking U2's place in the next few years, which could easily happen if Coldplay puts out a mind-blowing album and U2 are just content tp stick to the "back to basics, don't try anything new" formula.

 

[t8thgr8]

what if chris martin put together 'coldplay', a band modeled after analyzing u2's every move and decision, to put a fire under his favorite bands' ass to start making steallar groundbreaking albums again. what if chris knows that if u2 have serious competition on their hands, theyll have to break down that 'safe' mode and fight back. what if he's the superfan he claims to be and is just doing all us u2 fans a huge favor by putting together a band based on the ideas of planet zooropa and releasing a mock catalogue of the greatest band the world has ever seen. thanks chris! we appreciate it!

 

[U2One]

I love Coldplay. My 3rd favorite band after U2 and Oasis. But until I see them do what U2 did (going from Joshua Tree to Achtung Baby and completely changing their image yet still remaining relevant and putting out 2 MASSIVE masterpieces back to back), Coldplay will never be even close to U2.....but who knows, they are still a relatively young band, so let's see the future holds for them....

 

[diamond]

chris martin has the stage charisma of a common speed bump.

great voice and studio work though.

... the stage is where it stops for chris but begins for bono.

db9

 

[GibsonGirl]

Hasn't anyone else noticed that Coldplays 'Speed of Sound' is probably their most predictable, and IMO worst single they've released yet?

seems to me they've been getting WORSE since Parachutes. (we'll see when the new "Huge" album comes out I spose..)

*never posts here, but read all the time

Just noting your location...how's ya gettin' on, b'y? Hardly anyone living here in Newfoundland posts at Interference, and I think it's a damn shame.

Getting back on topic, I like Coldplay, but I really think Chris' head is getting a bit too big to fit through the door. I think it's all fine and dandy to want to be good. But to make a record with the purpose of becoming bigger than U2... Eh, it seems a bit silly to me. If you're going to make music, don't make it just in order to surpass another band. Make it for the pure joy of doing it. You don't need to be bigger than the world's biggest band to be considered good.

And I've heard some of those leaked live clips that are supposed to be on X&Y, along with Speed of Sound. They're nothing phenomenal. Nothing you wouldn't expect from Coldplay. U2's third album is simply bristling with anger and passion. From what I've heard so far, X&Y has neither of those things, in my opinion.

 

[coemgen]

Despite what I said earlier, I do believe Coldplay has the best shot at becoming "the next U2." I am a fan of what they do, but it'll be hard to still be relevant 25 years later with the same lineup. I guess we'll see. To some degree though, there will never be another U2.

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

Sorry, Chris but it never gonna happen. Never. No matter how much you want it.

 

[Bono's shades]

Chris Martin seems like a nice enough guy, and I have no problem with younger bands looking to U2 for inspiration and even aspiring to top them some day.

However, unless Martin gets a voice transplant and a charisma transplant and the band finds some real rock and roll passion somewhere (as well as their own sound, not just pale imitations of U2 and every Brit rock band out there), all they are going to be remembered for is being popular for a while and making some nice, pretty, mellow tunes back in the early '00s.

 

[Mark Freedman]

I see nothing wrong with Chris Martin using this as motivation. They are the only band I feel that U2 could even pass a torch to.

I would not be surprised if SOS was the most similar track to AROBTTH on the album -- it catches the attention of the mostly banal audience. Marketing ploy. It's a great song, IMO. And if it didn't sound like it was lifted from AROBTTH, people would be loving it more.

We shall see...we shall hear...hard to imagine, but I don't see any other band who comes closer.

 

[theu2fly]

I think it's quite cool, Chris likes to talk about big ideas -- he's a cool guy with a great personality -- I think Coldplay will be this generation's U2. U2 will be around for a few more years, and I think we need the excitment that many of us -- who are in our 20s haven't felt when War / the Joshua Tree / Unforgettable Fire came out -- and Coldplay will be that band to recreate the excitment that we hear so much about.

 

[pookybear]

First of all, I'm just wondering why so many of you are trying to match up U2's album chronology with a potential Coldplay one. Chris Martin is just talking about surpassing U2 as the greatest band in the world, not that they want to be the next U2, though I know they've been called that. As much as I love both bands, I definitely do not want to see Coldplay be U2, I want to see them be Coldplay. I think they have potential to reach greatness, and you cannot judge that from one song-- Coldplay picked Speed of Sound because it would serve as a bridge track between their old material and their new, not because they think it's their best new song (just like how they picked In My Place to be the single off the last album). Why don't we just all wait for X&Y to come out before jumping to conclusions? And even then, I don't think we should be jumping to any conclusions.

In my opinion, speculation about all this is useless. All what Chris Martin is really saying is that Coldplay is determined to make great music. So why don't we just sit back and watch? If they do reach greatness, they will do it in a way differently from U2.

 

[LuvandPeace1980]

Not really. They filmed themselves recording songs in front of pictures of legends, which is no different from coldplay recording their songs in front of legends for inspiration. IMO, it's a really dumb thing to nitpick about and call a band 'immature' for doing.

There is a big difference.. U2 did that as a mark of respect a nod to those artists, not a s a competetition against them. U2 weren't competing against those other artists. U2 couldn't and wouldn't ask to take down all those pictures that were hanging there.
Chris Martin went and put a picture up on purpose.. it's completely different I am sorry.. It was a motivational thing I see but it's another thing to state it in the media is another thing. I feel it's a little pre mature as U2 are still going strong

 

[MandyMarie]

Hey guys, I haven't heard any of Coldplay's music. Now before you start scratching your head in wonder, it is because I have a severe hearing loss and I therefore just don't listen to the radio much at all. I want to see what all the fuss is about, so can you recommend a couple of songs? Thanks.

 

[Cutters10C]

I would recommend you listen to Trouble, The Scientist, and Amsterdam.

 

[ImOuttaControl]

There is a big difference.. U2 did that as a mark of respect a nod to those artists, not a s a competetition against them. U2 weren't competing against those other artists. U2 couldn't and wouldn't ask to take down all those pictures that were hanging there.

If you think that U2 hasn't always been in competetition with past greats then I suggest you go back and read some of their interviews from the 80's. Yes they always had respect for their predecessors, just as Chris Martin likes to gush on how much he admires U2. But U2 were also pretty up front that they wanted to be bigger and better than their idols--even the Beatles. U2 has always been about competing with other greats for the mantle of "the biggest" or "the best" and it's easy to find where Bono especially said that in U2's early days all the way up to now. Know what, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. There just seems to be a little revisionist history going on here-- Martin is basically saying/doing the same types of things that Bono said in the 80's. And really, who cares? It's all about hyping the album, something Coldplay was smart enough to take from U2's playbook.

 

[ImOuttaControl]

Hey guys, I haven't heard any of Coldplay's music. Now before you start scratching your head in wonder, it is because I have a severe hearing loss and I therefore just don't listen to the radio much at all. I want to see what all the fuss is about, so can you recommend a couple of songs? Thanks.

Well, considering they only have 2 albums out I would really recommend buying both albums; they're definitely worth it. If you're looking to pick up a few songs off I-tunes or something, I would reccomend any of these:

Harder/more uptempo songs:
Yellow
Clocks
Shiver
Moses

Medium paced:
In My Place
Don't Panic

Slower/Piano ballads:
The Scientist
Trouble
Amsterdam

 

[BrownEyedBoy]

I would recommend you listen to The Scientist

Ugh The Scientist is horrible and boring. Most overrated song they have. I actually own Parachutes so don't think I'm a hater.

I think it's simply flattering for U2 to be the aim of smaller bands. Chris Martin is aiming as high as possible, which is good considering motivation and other issues of the nature, and it just so happens that "the highest possible" is U2. They'll never make it of course (Martin doesn't have half the charisma of Bono, the guitarist doesn't have one quarter the genius of Edge and likewise with the rest of the band memebers) but I will enjoy listening to them try. Coldplay is a decent band.

 

[Val]

Originally posted by LemonAid
I DO like the fact that U2 will be forced to go on the defensive and keep on their toes...I really like Atom Bomb and Vertigo was ONE HELL of a single, but I want them to try and break some new barriers...

Interesting thought! I second it! U2 love a challange!

 

[LuvandPeace1980]

If you think that U2 hasn't always been in competetition with past greats then I suggest you go back and read some of their interviews from the 80's. Yes they always had respect for their predecessors, just as Chris Martin likes to gush on how much he admires U2. But U2 were also pretty up front that they wanted to be bigger and better than their idols--even the Beatles. U2 has always been about competing with other greats for the mantle of "the biggest" or "the best" and it's easy to find where Bono especially said that in U2's early days all the way up to now. Know what, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. There just seems to be a little revisionist history going on here-- Martin is basically saying/doing the same types of things that Bono said in the 80's. And really, who cares? It's all about hyping the album, something Coldplay was smart enough to take from U2's playbook.

I agree however I am simply saying that there is a difference between the two scenario's you compared. And of course I have heard alot of the talk Bono made in the 80's. U2(that we know of) never put a picture of The Beatles up and more so in the media never stated that they did so. Yes of course he fricking said all the time I want to be as big as the Beatles blah blah blah. The Beatles also weren't around at the same time.
I never heard Bono saying, I want to be bigger than The Police or bigger than Michael Jackson or Madonna or whoever...

 

[AtomicBono]

Chris Martin wants Coldplay to be bigger than U2? More power to him. It'll be fun to watch them try. I don't think they will make it; U2's fan base is so deep that no one can really surpass them until they're dead, and even then with the modern music industry I don't think there will be another U2. Bands just aren't built to last anymore. But, it should inspire Coldplay to make some good albums. It's smart, I think, to have that driving ambition. U2 certainly had it. Bono is U2's blind ambition, so Martin is Coldplay's. From the beginning Bono was talking about how he thought U2 was meant to be one of the greats, how there was something special between them, like The Beatles and The Who...well, look at them now. I'd say he was right, what do you all think?

 

[diamond]

my problem with chris' motivation are 2 part.

if it wasnt for bono theyre would be no coldplay as u2 was an inspiration to chris.

secondly bono was kind enough to let chris tour w/him, now he wants to conquer bono?

i think gwenth has messed up his head or something

db9

 

[Saracene]

There's nothing's wrong with having huge ambitions IMO; talent to back it up is another thing. Coldplay are off to a good start but only time will tell if they're going to develop further or whether they've already emptied their bag of tricks like so many other bands before them.

 

[Yahweh]

U2 have sold in excess of 145 million records....if Coldplay even reaches 1/3rd of that total they would be very lucky.

I understand that U2 have been around longer but I dont think ANY band of this generation will be selling over 100 million albums whether they are great or not.

The idea for Coldplay should be to be the best band in the world not the biggest....as Bono has said being biggest is easy..

Coldplay arent even on the radar when it comes to the general public and what they think are the "Best Albums Of All Time", yes theyve made 2 pretty good to excellent records but they havent made an outstanding recording yet and I give them 2 more albums to prove they can.

 

[angelordevil]

I see Coldplay as a talented, yet restricted band. This is mostly because Chris Martin, in my opinion, doesn't have the emotional or vocal range of Bono. He doesn't have the stage presence either, from what I've seen on that Coldplay infomercial/concert special ad that ran on tv last year.

In essence, what you've got is the Chris Martin Band: a very talented piano player, and mediocre lead singer who is obviously inspired by u2, a guitar player hell-bent (or programmed by Chris) on mimicking Edge's atmospherics and minimalistic sounds, and two other guys in the band who are there to meet the "band" criteria of bass and drums.

Don't get me wrong, I like Coldplay...in the same way I like some of my neighbours...from a distance. Their songs are catchy, but disposable and formulaic.

If they are the front-runners for "the next big band" it's a pretty sad commentary on what our expectations are.

 

[jcool]

radiohead....untouchable