“Hope For Haiti Now: A Global Benefit For Earthquake Relief” was held on 22 January 2010, and it quickly became the most widely viewed telethon in history. The event was broadcast from Los Angeles (hosted by actor George Clooney), New York (with Haitian Fugee Wyclef Jean), and London, with live reports from Haiti. Funds raised by the telethon and its album and video–immediately made available for pre-order on iTunes–are to be distributed to seven non-profit organizations doing relief work in Haiti. That should add up nicely, as the album set a record as the largest one-day pre-order in iTunes history, and also topped the iTunes chart in 18 countries. On it, Coldplay sends “A Message” from best-seller “X&Y”.

by Mark Emge and Marijke van Niekerk

“We’re slightly terrified about this record because we’ve thrown away all our tricks,” worried Coldplay singer Chris Martin prior to the release of “Viva La Vida “. At the behest of producer Brian Eno, Martin stopped ending every song with his elegiac falsetto and concentrated more on songs than the ecstatic riffs that propelled many of the group’s singles. Also new, a slight world-music influence in the songs, “Strawberry Swing” in particular revolving around Jonny Buckland’s Afro-pop guitar line.

by Mark Emge

“Prospekt’s March” features several tracks left over from the studio sessions of English alternative rockers Coldplay’s fourth album, “Viva La Vida, Or Death And All His Friends”, and is attached as part of the record’s Deluxe Edition. It’s also being offered as a stand-alone EP, an almost unheard-of gesture for a big-budget artist in a climate where fans are routinely insulted by having to buy re-releases of albums they already own to get extra tracks. The EP offers a little bit more of the same spacy thing, a variation on what was on the album itself. “Prospekt’s March/Poppyfields” is a track arguably strong enough to merit inclusion on the original LP.

by Mark Emge

Behind the success of their first two singles, “Viva La Vida” and “Violet Hill”, Coldplay has made “Lost!” the next track to be pulled from their album, “Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends”. In other news, the boys recently admitted that sewing is what keeps the group bonded! Frontman Chris Martin revealed that the unusual hobby has helped them unwind on tour, claiming: “Making clothes together in our studio makes us feel complete. We probably sound like a group of grannies in a knitting circle but it’s the truth and it gives us some control over our visual identity. In hotels, we see if they have a sewing kit in the amenities drawer in case we feel inspired. When you are a big band and everyone is taking shots at you, the more things you can do together the better. And if you’re wearing uniforms made by your own hands it helps.” For more on Coldplay, check out www.coldplay.com.

by Martín Wagmaister

Coldplay’s global hit, “Viva La Vida”, is seeing itself in many forms these days, thank to several remixes, including the “Grant’s Uplifting Club Mix”. The original version appears on the British band’s smash album, “Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends”. Coldplay guitarist Jonny Buckland said the quartet is finally getting along quite well but knows that the rigors of touring will bring back the usual bouts of band bickering. He said: “I think sometimes touring can be quite stressful and we did quite a lot of touring with ‘X&Y’ without a lot of breaks. Sometimes you can irritate each other and I think that might have happened a bit. When you finish the tour you kind of need a couple of months’ holiday and then we’re fine again. Every time it does happen, when we come back, we feel a little kinder to each other.” Coldplay is currently touring in Europe. Dates can be found at www.coldplay.com.

by Martín Wagmaister