Chris Martin

Maybe it’s because I’m English, but in terms of how people perceive us I only pick up on the negative side of it.

Music is split up now into little pockets.

Looking after your ears is unfortunately something you don’t think about until there’s a problem.

When you’re on your fifth album, you are going to be judged against all your previous work and expectations.

Music comes from a place we don’t know.

The goal is to try and make the perfect song. Which of course will never happen.

As for my band, well, my mentors were Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Jimmie Lunceford, and no one had a band more smartly dressed than Duke.

I’m one of those people who doesn’t follow trends. I set them.

The postman wants an autograph. The cab driver wants a picture. The waitress wants a handshake. Everyone wants a piece of you.

I love funky styles. Not preppy or rock, just funky! Vanessa: (on her mom) She gave up so much for me. She moved many times so I could follow my career. Vanessa: I’ve always had problems with guys!

[on animals] When I see a toreador in a bullfight getting gored I think: ‘Good, you shouldn’t be in there’. What is the pleasure in seeing an animal speared to death? It’s the same with fox hunting. They’re just psychopaths. I think I’ll end up doing something with animals – running a sanctuary or something.

The blues was bleeding the same blood as me.

Paramount sent them nine-foot-high (theater lobby) cutouts of me. They say, “You don’t have to come home, we’ve got you in every room of the house!”

A rivalry doesn’t happen in one or two races or in one year. It happens over a period of time to really get a rivalry going. We race together three or four races and get to beating on each other, that’s not a rivalry, that’s just a happening. You do that four or fives years, that’s a rivalry.

Yes, I watch what I eat but I don’t deny myself red wine or chocolate, the great things in life one can’t live without.

What was the competition? Well, I remember this Puerto Rican who came out in a short skirt and a gun.

Being good is about being an all-round contributor in the great world of music.

You feel quite distant by playing at huge stadiums year after year, where you only can see a great darkness in front of you

I’m a restless guy who’s happy to be restless. I find that I’m always inquiring and I’m always in the middle of new situations. It’s just life experience, I guess. But I’ve been around quite a while.

You’re better off being a brick layer if you’re going to play guitar than a sheet metal worker.

We were too rough at the edges to be a pop group.