The complete story of the English band waiting for the live shows in Naples and Milan
‘Viva Coldplay, story of a global success’ is the title of the new biography signed by Fabrizio Sandrini available in bookstores and published by Il Castello brand Chinaski Edizioni. ‘Viva Coldplay’ is the only biography worldwide, which comprehensively collects all the events of the band up to the present day. The story of four friends who decide to form a band, a band destined to be defined as the “modern Beatles” (Justin Timberlake). Like the Fab Four, Coldplay’s members are also distinguished by their own particularity. The book starts right from the background where anxious singer Chris Martin, shy guitarist Jonny Buckland, obscure bassist Guy Berryman and eclectic drummer Will Champion grew up.
The year is 1996 when the band takes its first steps amid a thousand insecurities, but the real recording debut is in 1998 with the Ep ‘Safety’. Sifting through their discography, books and dozens of interviews, Sandrini returns the snapshot of an atypical band, starting with frontman Chris Martin. Antirockstars and far from excesses, Coldplay become a new model based on traits such as kindness, availability, courtesy and modesty. A global success that passes from the studio sessions where the songs are born, to the comparison with producers like Dan Keeling or Brian Eno, creators of that sound that made them love (or hate) by the public, critics and colleagues.
Those colleagues like Liam Gallagher who first insults them and then backs down declaring: “Chris how good you play. I take back everything I’ve ever said about you.” But also the friendship with Muse, who share with them the shame of having always been compared to Radiohead. The volume faithfully analyzes all the steps that the band has faced along the path of publishing their albums, from relationships with the discography to those with fans, from world tours to promotion and communication strategies. But the sky of the English quartet is not always clear. Many passages are dedicated – in fact – to the tormented episodes with the paparazzi, especially for Chris Martin. This is also due to the marriage and then divorce with the Hollywood star Gwyneth Paltrow, until the subsequent engagement with the equally famous actress Dakota Johnson.
Their popularity grows and sales grow, but here are various accusations of plagiarism starting to arrive. Between real and presumed, the most famous ones concern the guitar hero Joe Satriani and the legendary singer-songwriter Cat Stevens. Between the support of giants like Elton John (‘Yellow’ is the only song of the last five years that I wish I had written”) and Madonna (“Coldplay singer Chris Martin is incredibly talented”), there is no shortage of barbs from detractors. To name a few Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys states without half measures “It’s disgusting to be a band that always plays the same thing all the time and doesn’t bother anyone”, while Bono defines Chris “a wanker”, but then withdrawn.
Another fundamental topic concerning the band is the international social commitment, as well as the battles for the environment. From the collaboration with Oxfam to travel between Africa and Latin America, up to the recent theme of eco-sustainability in world tours. The next dates that will also touch Italy (June 21-22 Naples and June 25-26-28-29 Milan), are designed by the band with zero environmental impact. Among anecdotes, interviews and reviews from the international music press, ‘Viva Coldplay’ manages to summarize over twenty years of the band’s history by accurately illustrating all the public aspects but without neglecting the feelings and personal portraits of the protagonists.
Source-www.adnkronos.com