If I had One Question: Chris Martin, by Veronica Beard

Following on from my article, If I had one Question for Paul McCartney, I am now focusing on a new imagined interview with my next celebrity, Chris Martin.

The band Coldplay was established in 1996. Chris is co-founder and lead vocalist, he is the most prominent member of the band and appears to do much of the song-writing. Having seen him during past interviews, I regard him to be something of a song-writing machine. I also think those casual layered tee-shirts he wears, almost as a uniform, are inspired, cleverly communicating his natural, down to earth and happy-go-lucky nature.

I want to consider Chris’s journey following the breakdown of his marriage to Gwyneth Paltrow, something he clearly did not want or choose as evident from the lyrics which he penned during that period of time. I want to consider the music which he released and find out just how he coped with the break-up. Please join me in this, I invite you to grab a ‘drink for me’, ‘drink for me’, pull up a piano stool and let’s see if we can get into that head full of dreams.

Coldplay released several chart hitting songs including the much loved ‘fix you’ in 2005 but it was not until 2008 that the band had their first song to reach number one with Viva La Vida which won best rock album at the 2009 Grammy Awards. The clever lyrics are pictorial and fast moving, they gave us a plethora of instrumentals including prominent orchestral input, it is clear to see why it was so successful. This album was quickly followed by the release of Mylo Xyloto in 2011, which contains some fantastic music including the well-known Paradise, Us Against the World, and Charlie Brown to name a few.

Images emerged of Chris half sitting and half standing at that psychedelic looking piano, bursting with energy, clearly very talented in all aspects, the singer, musician and song-writer. This charisma must surely have influenced the surge in demand for concert tickets and yes, I was one such partaker and the most excited I have been since the appearance of Duran Duran. Packed full of colour, explosions of smoke pumped over the crowd, lasers, glow in the dark wristbands and all the woo hoo’s you could muster. Well it’s nothing short of genius isn’t it? I would say to Chris, you’ve done it, successful fantastic band, huge revenue, beautiful wife and children, where do you go from here?

The release of the album Ghost Stories in 2014 took a turn and it was evident that Chris’ marriage was at an end. The music takes us on a sombre journey, every track on that album speaks of heart break, aloneness and longing. Evidently these lyrics are taken directly from Chris’s brokenness, songs including ‘Another’s Arms’, ‘Always in my Head’ and ‘Magic’. Clever melodies to many of these songs are hesitant and haunting, there is no doubt where Chris is in this labyrinth of emotion and raw bewilderment.

The couple made clear during the break-up that they wished to do things their way, in private and without media involvement. It was clear that, whilst heartbroken, Chris was determined to ensure the marriage ended with dignity, I am sure not least for their two children Apple and Moses. So, my question for him in the light of this is, how did he achieve that dignity in ending the marriage so well, whilst also managing to ward off the humiliation which can so often haunt celebs? I think Chris would tell me that the answer to this lies in their later album Head Full of Dreams. Released a year later in 2015 this album is far more up-beat, it includes Everglow, Kaleidoscope, Army of One, Up and Up, and the song which I want to examine further, Fun.

The lyrics to Fun are so creative and show exactly what can be achieved following marriage breakdown if we can only hold on to the good which we found in each other during the relationship. When I listen to Fun, I can hear so clearly what Chris is saying; we were a couple in love, we were at the top of the waves, we said forever, forever always, we were meant to be and yet I knew it was over before she said, crystal ball can foresee a change, don’t say it’s over, don’t say it was all a waste….ah didn’t we have fun? In this song, Chris has resigned himself to the position of if we’re done, then we’re done but the thrust of this swan song is through it all, let’s not forget what we had and let that joy go to waste. This song is a celebration of a relationship which is over, but which holds above the waves the joys and remembers them rather than writing them off and casting them into the ocean. Chris has succeeded in remaining good friends with Gwyneth and I think the message of this song is part of that success.

Thank you for the music Chris and for bearing your raw emotion and creativity.  You have dealt with the breakdown of your marriage well.  Your inspiration to others will live on in your music.