As suspected, Coldplay is not your average professional and calculating superband. In last night's 60 Minutes, while Steve Kroft was getting a tour of the band's recording studio, the camera closed in on a list of rules plastered to the wall. Thanks to the magic of DVR and a hit of the pause button, Coldplay's rules are avail for every fan and budding "next U2" to dissect.
Chris Martin explained to Kroft that the rules are very important; obviously only someone obsessed with the creative process can be unabashed in sharing his. Behind the set of instructions on how to make a perfect album lurks a deeper desire.
Martin included in his sacred pillars a reference to The Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft--contrasting a Verve song with one from Ashcroft's solo work. Martin reminds himself and his band at the top of the list that rhythm is the most important thing to concentrate on. The drums/rhythm, the rule explains, spells the difference between The Verve's superhit Bittersweet Symphony and Ashcroft's song Science of Silence off his second, solo effort, Human Condition, that was largely panned by critics as overproduced. Is Martin warning himself not to sound too processed? Or was he just contrasting song style?
Martin was an outspoken fan of Human Condition and ignited a friendship with Ashcroft. Perhaps he was seeking out a mentor, seeking to learn from Ashcroft's regret of not releasing his masterpiece Urban Hymns solo. Martin must see himself--a genius songwriter--in Ashcroft and presumably plans on taking that leap of faith too, eventually, one day.
Luckily, Coldplay is too professional to break up. We may get a couple Chris Martin albums, but the band is too well oiled, quirky, and Gap cute not to play into the sunset. Coldplay is one of those unique bands walking the tightrope of artistic relevance and genormous success. Not an easy job. It makes sense he'd cover a portion of his recording studio with his own personal steps to fulfilling a five-album record contract sanely.
Albums must BE NO LONGER THAN 42 MINUTES
PRODUCTION MUST BE AMAZING, RICH, BUT WITH SPACE, NOT OVERLAYERED, LESS TRACKS, MORE QUALITY. GROOVE AND
SWING Drums/rhythm are the most crucial thing to concentrate on; diff. between bittersweet and science of silence
3. COMPUTERS ARE INSTRUMENTS. NOT RECORDING AIDS.
4. IMAGERY MUST BE CLASSIC, COLOURFUL AND DIFFERENT. COME
BACK IN GLORIOUS TECHNICOLOUR.
5. MAKE SURE VIDEOS AND PICTURES ARE GREAT BEFORE SETTING RELEASE DATE. And highly original.
6. ALWAYS KEEP MYSTERY. Not many interviews
7. GROOVE AND SWING. RHYTHMS AND SOUNDS MUST ALWAYS BE AS ORIGINAL AS POSSIBLE. Once jon has melody, twist it and weird it sonical
8. Promo/review copies to be on VINYL. Stops copying problem, sounds and looks better.
9. Jaqueline sabriado, ns p cc, face forward
10. Think about what to do with charity account. Set up something small but really enabling and constructive. Ref; j oliver fifteen