'09
On Friday Bono gave an interview to BBC1 radio in Britain, where he called Chris Martin of Coldplay a ‘wanker’, ‘cretin’ and a ‘dysfunctional character’. He tried to play it off in the interview as a joke, saying he liked Coldplay (doesn’t mean he likes Chris Martin though).
Chris Martin is touring Australia with Coldplay this week and addressed the comments.
“I think it’s great that we’re arch enemies,” Martin said. “That’s a joke too.”
Martin has long used U2 as the benchmark for Coldplay, with U2 saying Martin’s band also keep them on their toes.
The mutual lovefest continues: Coldplay are now playing U2′s new single Magnificent just before they come on stage “as a mark of respect.”
“We respect any musician,” Martin said, “particularly ones who’ve kept going and not changed line up and have always been good.
“The difficulty of the whole U2 thing is we’re only on our fourth record. We’re competing with people on their fifth records. We’re just coming up to where people were making (the Beatles’) Revolver or (U2′s) The Joshua Tree. We’re at a very different stage.”
Chris’ joke fell about as flat as Bono’s, and he then went on to talk about how even just in Melbourne there are probably a hundred better musicians than any one member of Coldplay, but the band had a special chemistry that can’t be recreated.
Lily Allen and Katy Perry take note, Coldplay have taken the gentleman’s way out of this. Rather than sniping back at Bono in order to get another bit of press, Chris Martin took the high road. No one called anyone fat, made threats or showed off their superfluous nipple. Of course, it might be much more civil but less fun and probably doesn’t get you as much press.
A wanker and cretin Chris Martin may be, but he’s using his powers for good and appearing March 14 at a bushfire benefit gig in Sydney before rushing off to play their actual show later that evening. This year Coldplay will release a free live album because “tickets are expensive, especially in a recession. We’re playing huge places, we thought it’d be cool to do something like that”.
Coldplay are shown performing on 12/14/08 in London. Credit: PRPhotos.
Written by Helen
Posted in Bono, Chris Martin, Photos
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26 Responses to “Chris Martin responds to Bono’s ‘wanker’ comment”
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I think Chris Martin did the right thing. His comments sort of tarnished my image of Bono. What the eff was he doing saying that kind of stuff about Martin? Bono needs to focus on what’s important, like Africa haha.
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Coldplay writes some catchy tunes, but in the grand scheme of things, Chris Martin should be grateful Bono even knows who he is.
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Have to say, I have always detested Chris Martin (yes, “wanker” suits him perfectly), but in this case I admit he was smart (listened to his PR guy) and made an intelligent response.
And, frankly, I have always thought Bono is a smug, self-rightous prat.
Not much to choose between the two of them, actually.
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I don’t know why but Bono has always seemed like a self absorbed blowhard to me. Yeah, he does stuff in Africa but he does it so mock piously – like he wants the attention for being such a saint. Chris Martin may very well be a wanker, but in this case Bono came out looking like the bigger jerk.
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Martin showed class here in stark comparison to Bono.
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As if Coldplay could ever release something on par with Revolver or The Joshua Tree.
That being said, I’m glad he contributed to the benefit concert, and actually acknowledged the terrible economy. (A reality his wife doesn’t appear to comprehend.)
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Codzilla – the ‘terrible economy’ only affects us non-Goop-appreciating commoners. She’d probably tell us to snap out of it and take solace from her amazing, super, fortunate musings.
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How U2 stayed together with the likes of Bono is beyond me. What a pain in the ass.
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@ Pirate: “Coldplay writes some catchy tunes, but in the grand scheme of things, Chris Martin should be grateful Bono even knows who he is.”
So so true! Also agree with Codzilla on this. “As if Coldplay could ever release something on par with Revolver or The Joshua Tree. ”
As much as I can’t stand this guy Martin, he handled this well. Bravo, hope he keeps it up.
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I’m with Zoe in my agreement with earlier sentiments.
Bono has some personality short comings, but his career proves he has something. Coldplay will always be known for mediocre copies of other people’s genius. I mean, they are good copies, but nothing really original.
Chris wins in the area of overall personality, but Bono wins in the area of musical talent.
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Bono is just an ass. Chris handled this well. And I like Coldplay personally. I like that my kids can listen to their music. With that said Joshua Tree is one of my top 5 cds ever. I just think Bono needs to shut up most of the time.
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Nice (as in polite) response from Cut-price Sting.
I’m a fan, but even I know that Bono IS an ego-centric blow-hard; but you need to be to be as successful and creative as U2 have been for 25 years and counting.
And although Bono is the mouthpiece of U2 what people tend not to fully realise that the band is a unit. For the most part they have similar approaches to everything.
Generally, but Bono still gets ahead of himself; there’s an excellent interview with them in last Friday’s Irish Times where Bono half-jokingly said that they nearly split up over his decision to enter into dialogue with George W Bush. So if we think he’s bad – imagine working with him!
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I’m not familiar with the terms “wanker” or “creten” – but I don’t totally dislike Coldplay anymore. I don’t really get Coldplay’s music. They’re certainly NOT funky, and they DON’T ROCK at all IMO! They’re very milktoast.
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U2 has The Edge and The Arrogant Git! I can’t stand Bono’s pathetic jealousy -it’s all very bad karma. Does he forget that he will be dead one day and will have to answer to his every thought and deed?
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Mairead – “For the most part they have similar approaches to everything.”
That’s not really the impression I got from watching the Culture Show’s interview with the band last week. I (and the U2 fan I watched it with – Mr Geronimo) saw a strained tolerance for his Jesus-like shenanigans. The interview was great though, the others came across as funny and wry but definitely weary and not entirely happy at the Bono-generated perception of the band as a whole. If he took it down a notch or ten, he’d probably be bearable. For the moment, He just bugs the crap out of me.
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I’m a huge U2 fan, but I think Chris Martin and the other members of Coldplay are very talented musicians and songwriters. Their music doesn’t offend me, anyway. I do think Chris comes across as a little too ethereal (to put it nicely) in interviews; but I’d rather talk to him than his wife any day of the week.
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Each are talented in their own way, but Chris should have responded with a no comment and left it at that. Why even acknowledge Bono with a statement of your own?
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Geronimo – I’m not surprised. Bono has been deviating from the script left-right-and-centre lately. THey’re getting an awful lot of flack here for moving their base of operations to Holland because of the rate of tax relief on royalites there (a trick learnt from the Rolling Stones apparently). Which is leaving a HUGE potential gap in the exchequer returns here. They’re all getting it in the neck specifially over Bono’s sanctimonious crap about uring governments to pay more for foreign aid.
That interview in the Irish TImes was very telling, as Edge went in with the obviously practiced response “We’re not commenting on our tax affairs” or words to that effect. But of course Bono just starts on. I’m shocked they haven’t killed him yet.
I am a fan, as you know. But I have no time for the sort of tubthumping patriotism that Bono can get engaged with does my f*cking head in. I work very hard for the betterment of my country and people like him annoy me to my very core when they go and do something so unpatriotic. I’m personally going to be affected in my workplace, and in my paypacket, because of this decision of people like them, Dennis O’Leary and Tony Ryan. (sorry “Sir Anthony” Ryan). I’ll still buy the CD and hopefully get to the concert, but will not forgive them for their business decisions.
Oh and the free public concerts Coldplay are on about – I remember hearing the same BS out of U2 years ago (it was on Kenny Live, so you can guess how long ago that was!) … never happened and never will.
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Bono was joking. His comments were completely tonge-in-cheek.
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Bono was joking. He was taking the piss out of the interviewer/audience.
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Having heard the interview, Bono was definitely joking. He was laughing when he used the word wanker and the interviewer laughed, too.
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Yes I like U2 – have all their albums except “Pop”
Don’t mind Coldplay but have none of their albums.
Great Bands! NO WAY!!!! Average Bands – yes but nothing more!
GREAT BANDS are The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Uriah Heep, Status Quo, The Eagles, The Doobie Brothers, The Hollies, Alan Parsons Project, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Even KISS! Many more.
U2 are a bunch of Prima Donna’s! Average Musicians, lesser song-writers. Bono is the Wanker, the Cretin! He is SO FULL of HIMSELF and HIS SELF Importance!! Best thing about ColdPlay is Gwyneth Paltrow!! She is cute!
U2 “Greatest Band in the World” – I Think Not!!
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Thanks for this, enjoyed the read, I must improve my blog like yours.
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Both them are Wankers so I guess it takes one to know one.
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thanks “Both them are Wankers so I guess it takes one to know one. “
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bono is a turd , cris martin should fuk off and write a message to the world on his ring piece
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