At first, we spent a lot of time treading water and not really knowing which songs we were doing and which way we were going, ... And then we locked into the right groove. Everything really came together in the last three months. It just took a long time to find our feet, so to speak.
Chris has an amazing ability to get the crowd going and get everyone singing along, ... He tries to make them feel very much that they're contributing to the atmosphere of the place. I think if you can make people feel involved like that, then it makes for a better experience for the audience and for us on stage.
I don't think we've been influenced massively by our success and by our travels. The lyrics [singer Chris Martin] writes are more basic than that, more basic, emotional ideas rather than life experiences. There's probably a few lines in there which reflect what's happened in the last year or so, but it's hard to say.
I think I've kind of got the best position. I get all the benefits of being in one of the biggest bands in the world and have a certain anonymity as well. So I'm perfectly happy with the situation.
I'll take a run around the venue and right past all the fans, and nobody realizes I'm running past them.
It was pretty weird. And it's pretty amazing that no one died in that crash. It's not the best way to start a tour.
On X&Y we're utilizing the band a bit more, ... In the same way that when you listen to Pink Floyd and the Beatles, just for example, it's all about the band. It's a development and a natural organic growth from where we left off.
Speed of Sound demonstrates one side of the album. So we thought we should do a different style of song, a ballad, just to show there are other aspects to the album.
The first single is the hardest to pick because basically you're trying to express the whole album through one song.
White Shadows is one of my favorite songs on the record, ... It's just really strong rhythmically. And the fact that it's going down so well with crowds is very cool.
