COLDPLAY
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Biography
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Chris Martin - vocals,guitar,piano
Birthdate: March 2, 1977
Chris Martin was born in the county of Devon where from an early age, he could be found merrily bashing out tunes on the family piano. His mother was a teacher. His father was an accountant. He'll admit that the first album he ever bought was either Michael Jackson's Thriller or Bad. He cried over Life Is Beautiful and ran out of Scream 2. He graduated to the guitar and has been in bands since he was 15. Chris is the oldest of five children.
Typical of the first-born, he is an over-achiever and self-proclaimed worrier. Although anything to do with "injustice" will rile him up, no one can accuse him of being the typical tortured and drunken English musician since he rarely drinks, never smokes and admits life can be pretty damn good.
For Martin, perfection isn't just something to strive for. He'll accept no substitute. For a guy who writes achingly beautiful and passionate music, Chris is a jumble of nervous energy. It's Martin's tendency to feel insecure and inadequate that drives Coldplay's best music. Without his heart-on-sleeve melodies and pain-stricken lyrics, Coldplay's songs would be pretty, but not nearly as potent.
Guy Berryman - Bass
Birthdate: April 12 1978
Guy was born in Fife, Scotland, though his family later moved to Kent. Inspired by his love of funk and rare grooves records, Guy started playing bass at 13. Guy joined the band in 1998 to play bass just before dropping out of engineering school at University College London.
He lists his favorite artists as James Brown, The Beatles, Neil Young, Kool & The Gang, Gram Parsons, and Pink Floyd. Chris says Guy is"...the dark member of the band. Everyone thinks he's moody. Soft-spoken is better." Guy had a previous band called "Time Out."
Jonny Buckland - Lead guitar
Birthdate: September 11 1977
Jonny was born in London, then his family relocated to Mold, North Wales when he was just four. Jonny first picked up a guitar at the tender age of 11, encouraged by his older brother who was a huge My Bloody Valentine fan.
Both boys grew up in a house filled with Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix from their dad's record collection. Yet it wasn't until Jonny discovered The Stone Roses that he started taking the guitar seriously. People describe him as shy and nonchalant, but he argues he's just happy to be quiet.
Will Champion - Drums
Birthdate: July 31 1977
Will was born in Southampton and spent his formative years learning a variety of instruments whilst watching his beloved Southampton F.C narrowly avoid regulation. Words like "calm," "reliable" and "enthusiastic" are used to describe drummer Will Champion.
His teacher parents who encouraged him to spend his formative years learning to play a variety of instruments including guitar, bass, piano and the tin whistle. He had never played drums before joining Coldplay but was so musically inclined that he quickly caught on.