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Coldplay’s iTunes Commercial for “Viva la Vida”

Tonight when I was watching my eyeliner-wearing boo, David Cook, win American Idol, I found myself staring at an obvious iTunes commercial.

But who–who–was the band in the commercial? “Uh, is this Depeche Mode?” I thought, until I saw Jonny Buckland‘s profile and subsequently squealed, “OMG, it’s Coldplay. Oh man!”

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The band is advertising their “exclusive” deal with iTunes for their single “Viva la Vida.”

I for one am not super keen on it–IMHO it looks like they are being surrounded by Technicolor farts.

Watch those farts in HD.

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Chris Martin: Afraid to Leave Grandma’s House

Some complaining about Coldplay’s crappy contract with EMI/Capitol from Chris in this interview in the Guardian, surprised?

Chris Martin tries to explain why Coldplay isn’t doing cool free/instant/independent things like bands he obviously admires/looks up to like Radiohead and the Raconteurs:

“Being on a major label at the moment is like living in your grandparents’ house,” Chris Martin confessed to Reuters this week. “Everyone knows they need to move out, and they will eventually, but we kind of like our grandmother.”

“We have absolute respect for the Radioheads and Raconteurs and people who can do what they like,” he said. “[The standard major label approach] is obviously an antiquated model because of the internet. We’re in contract though, so we’re just going to make the most of it and enjoy the people we get to work with.”

Chris also pines for public forgiveness for their last “free” concert in New York for “X & Y”, which took place at the Beacon Theater in 2005:

“We felt we fucked up so royally in New York when we were setting up X&Y,” he said. “We did an AOL thing, which was fine to do, but we tried to mix it with a buzz gig and we just came across as a huge and very impersonal corporation.”

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Is Coldplay Biting My Chemical Romance’s Style?

As you might already know, I love Coldplay and have been a long-time fan, but I’m not above pointing out how ridiculous they are–and by “they” I mean “Chris.” I am simultaneously interested and embarrassed by everything they do.

As I’ve already established, Coldplay have a long track record of creating the ugliest album covers known to man, and their newest for Viva la Vida is no different.

But one day last week as I was staring at the album cover, screaming “WHY? WHY? WHY?,” I realized that the image reminded me of another of my embarrassingly beloved band’s work…My Chemical Romance.

Check it out:

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But the comparisons do not stop there…
Continue reading “Is Coldplay Biting My Chemical Romance’s Style?”

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Coldplay’s “Violet Hill” Music Video

Coldplay has released their “music video” (aka- weekly political statement) for their new single, “Violet Hill.”

The video features various clips of current, former, and future world leaders such as George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Saddam Hussein, Tony Blair, Boris Yeltsin, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama, among others. Most of the clips have been spliced and looped to make the politicians look ridiculous dancing, singing, playing instruments, etc. Intercut are scenes of mass destruction (rockets, explosions, etc.) and war.

Clearly the video takes aim at world governments and their proclivity to war, and Coldplay’s stance against it.

What do you think: Commendable? Comical? or Catastrophic?

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Living la Vida Coldplay es Driving Me Loco

So three days ago, I–along with probably about a billion other people world wide–found out that Coldplay was going to be doing two free shows in anticipation of their upcoming album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends. In their press release it was announced that the sites and dates of the two free concerts would be June 23rd at Madison Square Gardent in New York, NY and June 16th at Brixton Academy in London, England.

viva la vida

“Please check http://www.coldplay.com beginning April 29th for details on how to win tickets. As this is a free show, no tickets will be available for purchase,” sites the release.

One placeholder redesign launch, one release of a free digital download of “Violet Hill”, and days later there is still NO WORD of how folks can win tickets to the shows other than this “come back later” message on their site.

Is anyone else going batshiz crazy/aggravated that there has been no further information for the fans?

What the heck is going on?!? I guess the world may never know…

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Chris Martin Continues Bad Naming Streak with “Viva La Vida”

“Loca” on the side, please! Coldplay has just announced the title of their new album, which is to be called er… “Viva la Vida”, which translates to “Long live life,” a quote from Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.

Of course the name not only congers up images of the vivacious Mexican artist, but also that of another Latin sensation, one mister Ricky Martin who’s pop hit “Living la Vida Loca” skyrocketed to the top of the charts in 1999. Said Chris Martin to Rolling Stone, “Everyone thinks it comes from Ricky Martin, which is fine. I have absolute respect.”

This is not the first time Martin (er… Chris, not Ricky) has made some interesting name choices–his children’s names are “Apple” and “Moses.” He and Gwyneth Paltrow‘s unborn third child will be thankful that Chris got his Spanish-language infatuation out with this album title. (Surely he/she would have been named “Burrito” or “Paella”.)

How long will it be before the first “Livin’ la Vida Loca”/”Viva la Vida” mashup surfaces?

Shake your bon bon:

PS- This place is PSYCHED!

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You Write the Caption: If Coldplay’s Old Drum Machine Could Talk

According to blog MusicThing, last week Coldplay’s old drum machine was being sold online in an eBay auction was being held as part of a “studio clearance.” The EMU SP1200 “with Kid Nepro samples” was finally sold for £740.00 GBP ($1,474.50 USD).

Oh what secrets this little drum machine could tell. If this electronic beat maker could talk, what do you think it would it say?

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UPDATE: Perhaps the lack of an EMU SP1200 will be that magical “something different” the band described to Rolling Stone while recording their new album.

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Ikea’s Chris Martin Revealed!

If you have ever visited an Ikea or perused their catalog, you too may have noticed that many designs have been created by a man named “Chris Martin.” I have often wondered what this “Chris Martin” looked like, if he bared any resemblance to the Chris Martin married to Gwyneth Paltrow and lead singer of Coldplay.

Well my prayers have finally been answered with the 2008 Ikea catalog. Behold, it’s Chris Martin of Ikea fame, designer of the Ellan chair:

chris martin ikea

Both Chris Martins seem to have closely cropped, light colored hair, but Coldplay’s Chris is probably a bit taller and thinner than Ikea Chris.

For more Ikea designers revealed (and the pieces they created), head over to the Ikea Kuwait site.