Coldplay might be one of the most overexposed bands of the 21st century, but scratch the surface and you’ll find some surprisingly odd chapters in their polished story.
1The name ‘Coldplay’ came from a depressing book of poetry
Back in their student days, Chris Martin and co. were struggling to find a decent name. A mate, Tim Crompton, offered them one he’d ditched for being too bleak : Coldplay, the title of a melancholic poetry collection by Philip Horky. It stuck. The chilly, abstract vibe just worked. Not bad for a discarded name that even art students found too gloomy.
2David Bowie turned them down, bluntly
Coldplay once approached David Bowie to collaborate on a track. Ever polite, Chris Martin sent over a demo. Bowie’s reply was short and sharp “It’s not a very good song, is it?” The band took it with grace and humour. In a way, being rejected by Bowie is like being knighted by the spirit of British cool. You’ve made it into the story.
3Their first gig was a disaster, and nearly their last
In January 1998, Coldplay played their first real show at The Laurel Tree in Camden. The audience? Four people. Chris Martin had food poisoning, the guitar kept slipping out of tune, and the atmosphere was somewhere between awkward silence and mild confusion. Chris thought about quitting. One friend said, do one more gig if it still sucks, then stop. He did one more. He never stopped.
4They once recorded a track for outer space only
In 2013, Coldplay composed an unreleased instrumental called Atlas Skies. It was created for one listener only an astronaut aboard the International Space Station. The song has never been released, never performed, and never heard by the general public. It’s the only Coldplay track orbiting the Earth right now. Probably also the only one not reviewed by Pitchfork.
5Chris Martin enforces a backstage meat ban
Chris Martin lives clean and expects the same backstage. On tour, all catering is vegetarian by default. Crew members have been asked not to eat meat in front of him. One rumour tells of a staffer getting removed for eating a ham sandwich near the dressing room. Maybe true, maybe myth but in the Coldplay universe, even the snacks follow the vibe.
