andPOP » Chris Martin

La Roux’s Elly Jackson, The Music Industry’s Dose Of Reality

Jeremy Singer — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 01:56:52 +0000

Elly Jackson of La Roux sits way in the back of her tour bus. Quiet. Secluded. Curled up. On first glance, seemingly trying to shut out the blistering cold Toronto November day outside, and maybe even the world along with it.

But can you blame her?

As one of the United Kingdom’s most popular new artists in 2009, Jackson finds it hard to trust people these days. Her tendency to be honest and opinionated have often been taken advantage of by media haters. But the singer can’t help it, she’s always been an individual with real thoughts and feelings- a leader rather than a follower. Even back in Elementary school, the 21-year-old London-born says she was a tomboy, and always had a bit of an assertive and free-spirited tendency.

But that ability to not succumb to peer-pressure is one of the main reasons for the raving success of her debut self-titled album last June, her flooding international fan-base, and why she will keep pushing strong past the negative hurdles in her career.

“You really have to be careful in this industry,” Jackson tells andPOP in her tour bus. “Obviously it’s impossible for us to like everything. So when you can get asked your thoughts about something, and say we don’t like or agree with something, it’s like a total shock to the world.”

Maybe the reason for the constant badgering is that people always try to find the worst in the clean-slated successful. Or maybe people just try to find the worst in Jackson’s unorthodox “organic” style of music- like how she chose to decline using a big-shot producer and studio for her debut album La Roux, and instead opted to use the basement of her house in South London.

“I couldn’t see it work any other way,” recalls Jackson, “I can’t understand how people go with big-shot guys and studios who always have to have their input and at the end of the day, their decision. It just fucks it all up.

“We had everything we needed in my house, and we just made it happen. And the only reason I can think of why people would go with big studios, is because they can’t do it themselves.”

Jackson’s Yin to her Yang is 29-year-old producer Ben Langmaid -the other half of La Roux, who the singer has been working with since 2006. Together, the duo have dominated the music scene back home in the U.K. since their album’s release- bringing back eighties Synth-Pop, taking the No. 2 spot on the Albums Chart, and having girls look up to Jackson as a role model, mimicking her iconic ginger hair-do.

“I love having the opportunity to affect people like that,” says Jackson. “I think sometimes musicians just forget that they have a responsibility to everyone who looks up to them. I hate it when you idolize somebody, and then find out something terrible- which then diminishes your view of them.

“As a fan, you just don’t wanna hear stuff like that. We all know that when we pursue this profession, one of the strings attached is that you will be looked up to by thousands.”

With that spotlight though comes the inevitability, according to Jackson, to always be stripped of privacy and be classified in a group or trend. It’s not a surprise then that she’s not a fan of social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace- instead praises the days when there was a mysterious separation between the artist and the audience.

“Now its come to a point,” says Jackson, “where someone can find virtually almost anything about artists, actors and celebrities. But it’s not alright, when it comes to a point where fans feel like they have a right to your personal information.”

Later on tonight, Jackson is performing at Toronto’s Club Guvernment, where she would attract a packed house- while on tour to further promote her Platinum-status album in Canadian territories.

Despite it only being her second time here, Jackson enjoys the Canadian scene. Her first time here was actually this past summer for five days- one of which she spent performing at the Montreal Osheaga Music and Arts Festival. On the down-side Jackson says she became a bit homesick -considering it was the furthest she’d ever been away from home on tour- but on the up-side the experience introduced the singer to her growing North American fan-base.

“I was a bit surprised by the outcome at that festival,” says Jackson, “didn’t really expect that. It was a shock because I thought it was going to be like we come all the way to Canada to play in front of nobody- but it was the complete opposite.”

Although the festival’s 30-thousand-person outcome were mostly there too see the headliner Coldplay, Jackson still gathered an impressive crowd turn out.

After her show though, Jackson was told that there was one guy who missed her performance that really wanted to meet her in person.

That guy was none other than Coldplay front-man Chris Martin.

“We we’re so excited,” says Jackson, “but we had to leave immediately to catch a plane.”

“Fortunately we were playing the next day at the same festival as him in New York, so he asked us to meet him there. So the next day, we all went behind the stage to this huge village that he had to himself, and we waited at his cabin, and finally got to meet him. He was just coming back from Yoga, and he was saying how he really liked us and wished he could have seen us perform.

“He’s such a brilliant songwriter and performer,” she adds.

According to Jackson, the sole problem with that first trip to North America, was the act of traveling city-to-city by airplane- it didn’t mesh well with her fear of flying.

But when the singer found out that she would be touring all across the country this fall by tour-bus, she was immediately ecstatic. Not too mention that the set of wheels would also happen to be Barack Obama’s former 2008 Presidency election-campaign bus.

“I was definitely looking forward to it more,” she says with a wide smile, giving a quick look all around the inside of the bus.

Jackson turns beside her. Leaning against the window is Langmaid with big headphones over his ears, busy listening and configuring new beats for the band on his laptop. The duo is scheduled to begin writing material for the second album in their manager’s house, but they haven’t actually sat down to brainstorm anything yet- too much being out n’ about performing around the world.

They do have a small break in January to wind-down though, only to then hit the road again on their 34-show 2010 spring tour. In order to give some more face-time back home, the band decided to include a slew of 11 shows within the main circuit that will be played in the U.K, and dubbed The Gold Tour.

“For all we know it won’t live up to it’s name,” Jackson says laughing about the U.K. tour title. “It sounds like something Prince would use for his final tour. I kind of wanted to save it for when I’m like 50-years-old, but I can’t, I just want to pull it off now.”

The band will begin the spring tour on February 1 with seven North-American shows (three of them Canadian), trek all across Europe starting on February 20, kick off the exclusive U.K. Gold Tour from April 25-May 11, and then finish off the overall circuit on May 13 in Paris, FR.

But despite the epic sounding spring tour, and despite the probability that the band’s eventual follow-up album will cling onto music charts across the globe- someone, somewhere, will still try to bring Elly Jackson down for her choice to find her own way to success, rather than follow industry instructions.

But she’s begun to accept it. She admits that it can’t be avoided, “no matter how hard you try,” Jackson says with a smirk on her face.

The singer takes a peek again outside at the grey skies and blustery winds. At first glance, she’s the girl who’s trying to shut out the world, but look a bit closer and you’ll see that she’s just embracing life to its fullest.

Free-thinking, writing successful music, and rising high above the haters.

Coldplay Forced to Postpone Concert

Vanessa Baker — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:02:34 +0000

Citing “artist-related medical reasons,” British band Coldplay postponed a concert at the Ford Ampitheatre in Tampa, Florida, scheduled for Sunday, reports Perez Hilton.

“We’re sorry to report that Coldplay has been forced to postpone their show at the Ford Ampitheatre in Tampa on Sunday, August 9th,” read a statement on the band’s web site. “This is due to medical reasons. The show is currently being rescheduled – we’ll give you the new details as soon as we have them. In the meantime, the band have asked us to apologize on their behalf for the inconvenience this causes.”

Osheaga Music Festival Behind-The-Scenes

Jeremy Singer — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:44:14 +0000

Having just hosted a Jazz and Comedy festival only a few weeks ago, Montreal was once again the pearl of Canada this past weekend with the undeniable success of the Osheaga Music and Arts festival- a two day event filled with performances beginning at 1:00pm all the way until 11:00pm.

As Saturday would feature notable acts such as Jason Mraz, The Roots, K’naan, The Stills, Girltalk and above all, the grandmaster Coldplay, andPOP decided to venture down to La Belle Province for day no. 1.

But something funny happened by the end of our trip. Not only did we go from being pale skinned to maple brown sunburned, but we also went from being a concert reviewer to a behind-the-scenes explorer.

With four different stages and acts scheduled at similar time slots, we had to pick and choose which musical path our day would lead towards.

This is our story.

2:30 pm- I begin my journey in Hell’s Kitchen. Beautiful sunny day in Montreal, but sweltering 30 degree Celsius heat. For some reason though, the crowd seems to want to stand through it for acoustic rock performer Donavon Frankenreiter at the Mountain Stage. The musician and also pro surfer gathers a trickling crowd with an immediate groovy set- reminiscent of longtime pal Jack Johnson.

Part of that next batch of sunshine tune-fellows like Johnson, Ben Harper, Matt Costa and G. Love, Frankenreiter ignites the festival’s spirit with his variety of catchy soothing numbers- most notably It Don’t Matter, which leads fans into a massive chant. A laid-back Frankenreiter even lets a lucky fan help him belt out the chorus, sending the crowd into rave cheers.

Truly a man of the festival.

3:15 pm- Onward to something completely different- British electro-pop duo La Roux. Though the up-and-coming part of the program, the group still manages to make a sharp impact. The whole crowd jives to their hit single Bulletproof- from their recently released 2009 debut album self titled La Roux.

4:00 pm- I decide I want to interview Coldplay. Yes, just like that. But with a concert reviewer ticket, you basically just get that- a free ticket to review the show. So, if I’m gonna get my chance for a sit-down with Chris Martin, I’m gonna need to get behind the scenes. After a macho security guard- we’ll call him “Arnold Schwarzenegger” -prohibits me from entering the VIP/Backstage area, I decide to make an upgrade.

Off to the media tent to do my shpiel, and back with the little blue bracelet I need.

A few nods and wrist checks later, and I’m slowly making my way to a field of tents, tour buses and trailers hidden away, behind the two main River and Mountain stages, from the crowd.

Hungry, I enter a large tent filled with a delicious spread for everyone backstage. Though I quickly realize inside, I need to have an additional bracelet. Since the security guard doesn’t notice me, I decide to snag a water bottle instead.

Gotta keep hydrated, safety first.

As I exit the tent, I head toward a tent filled with a bunch of media personnel on laptops. Next tent, La Roux singer Elly Jackson.

Relaxing on a white couch in her technicolor leotards, pale complexion, and crazy ginger hairdo, the 21-year-old has definitely carved out her own niche in not only the festival, but all of Britain.

5:25 pm- I head back out to the main area to catch the last few tunes of Eagles of Death Metal on the River Stage. Promoting their latest record Heart On to a sizable crowd, the two man group finish the set with their emphatic hit single Wannabe In L.A.

5:45 pm- Heading backstage again, I stumble upon an ecstatic Eagle of Death Metal frontman Jesse “The Devil” Hughes. In total bliss, the 36-year-old rocker comes strolling down the stairs shirtless, with that thick mustache, and long shaggy hair.

Despite his scary trucker appearance, Hughes is one of the most enthusiastic and friendly performers I’ve seen during a post-show.

“God, I love my job man!” he says smiling, before heading for a bite to eat. “That’s it, It’s the best!”

6:00 pm- I trek further, listening near the media tent to alternative rock band Elbow’s crowd pleasing performance. The group has kept for the most part a low profile during their career, but that was not the case at Osheaga. They were here to make their mark, and did so with their climatic One Day Like This.

6:20 pm- Jason Mraz is due next on stage in 10 minutes. Promoting his latest album We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things, Mraz is one of the festival’s more notable names, primarily due to the success of his Grammy nominated breezy single I’m Yours. Heck, even his album too- which has broken into the top ten of so many international music charts.

Suddenly an ATV rolls up behind me, and off steps the acoustic bluesy genius himself.

Mraz is a simple man, but then again affects to the masses. Dressed in dark blue jeans, a white T, and his well-known fedora hat, the 32-year-old strolls with a coffee in hand toward some shade on a bench under a tree.

6:30 pm- Let it be known that despite his shy appearance, Mraz is as suave and animated as they get. Grabbing a black and white fender-strat guitar as he hits the River Stage, the artist begins dancing to his rhythm, swaying his knees in-and-out like some Elvis Presley impersonator.

As he works the crowd like a showman, Mraz switches to his more comfortable tool- an acoustic guitar -and begins an energetic The Dynamo Of Volition.

An amazing acoustic set later of The Remedy, and Mraz then releases the highly anticipated feel-good vibe hit single I’m Yours.

“This is sort of a hippie song, so I want everybody to just relax and get their summer bugaloo on,” he says in a low smooth voice. An even bigger delight was the surprise transition into Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds, where Mraz had everyone’s heads and arms bopping side-to-side. It was the perfect soundtrack for that point in the day: sun shining, a breeze brushing through crowd, middle of the summer. Even Mraz felt good about it, as he tells andPOP backstage after his performance.

7:45pm- “I had a great experience,” he says, as he relaxes in a field overlooking a pond, outside his trailer. “We’re really honored to have this opportunity, it’s been a fantastic day.” Though The Roots are now blaring their jazzy hip/hop melody out in the front, back here Mraz is enjoying some peaceful quality time with his band on a picnic table. And with him, instead of an acoustic guitar, is a Nikon D60 camera- which he’s trying to capture a picture of a sedentary groundhog with.

“I just got the Nikon recently, so far it’s been good,” he says after carefully trying to sneak up on the creature. “We’re all just basically enjoying ourselves.”

Adds percussionist Toca Rivera who sits on the grass taking in some rays, “It’s beautiful weather, great music, what more can you ask for.”

Hmm…maybe a sit-down with Coldplay?

8:15 pm- I venture further into the forest path, walking past the trailers and tour buses of Elbow, The Stills, The Roots and Donaven Frakenreiter. On the way, Roots drummer Questlove is being given a lift on an ATV somewhere, and Elbow’s lead singer Guy Garvey is seen heading into the band’s trailer.

Fifteen feet later and I stop at a much more secluded trailer- I venture near to see who it belongs to. Outside of the holding, a few security guards stop me before I go any further, informing me it’s for Coldplay.

Boom.

Without thinking, I tell them I’m here for the band. They give me a puzzled look, but go and ask the manager, which obviously turns out to be a no-go.

Hoping to catch a glimpse of the four-man British rock band when they come out to walk to the main stage, I’m told that they won’t be out for another hour.

8:30 pm- So I decide to see the status of our mash-up Picasso Greg Gillis, also known as Girltalk, who’s set to perform at the same time-slot.

Of all the rough luck for a guy. Not a surprise he would only draw 500 out of the 30,000 audience total for the night.

Off of his latest masterpiece Feed The Animals, Gillis is in his one-man trailer- which is side by side to rapper K’Naan. He’s hard at work preparing for tonight’s set at the MEG stage, which was reserved for the majority of the electro-based performers.

8:45 pm- A 53-footer truck makes its way down the road behind the main stages carrying all of Coldplay’s custom stage pieces- part of which would include a separate circular platform that would be placed in the middle of the audience for the band to use later on in their set.

9:10 pm- I hear music playing, and nervous, I ask one of the set-up crew if the band has started yet. He chuckles and replies that when Coldplay goes up there, “you will know it.” After briefing me that the experience will be nothing short of spectacular, he gives me a heads up that they’re going to be opening up with Life In Technicolor, and that there will also be a couple of entertaining tweaks during the performance- including dozens of giant yellow crowd balloons for Yellow and a cover of Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean.

Sounds wicked.

9:15 pm- Night has fallen, easing the heat outdoors. The entire field filled to capacity is eagerly waiting for the band’s arrival. The music stops and a shadow-screen silhouettes the Grammy award winning band members who twirl sparklers- before then jamming right into Life In Technicolor.

Highlights of the first half of the set include a laser-accompanied Clocks, sing-a-long anthem Fix You, an entertaining Yellow- yes, dozens of bright yellow balloons bounce all over the audience -and above all, a turbo-charged Chris Martin who dances around the stage from left-to-right in his classic Napoleon-meets-American Apparel-style jacket.

“Merci beaucoup, mes amis,” he says to a screaming crowd.

Personally, hearing the violins begin to hum to their hit single Viva La Vida, with drummer Will Champion manning the kettles, was quite the epic experience by itself. And it’s obvious that Montreal was all smiles. Even, the energetic Martin points out how perfect the night is: fireworks on the right, an August moon on the left and a prime performance in the center.

Osheaga hit jackpot this year. No argument there.

But there was still plenty of juice left in the Coldplay tank, as the band suddenly makes its way single-filed through the crowd to the custom circular stage in the middle- only big enough to have the band standing back-to-back.

There they perform a slew of acoustic sets, including a cover of Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean, before then heading back to the main stage to round-up the show.

11:00 pm- As the fairy-tale winds down, leaving 30,000 civilians preparing for hours of congested traffic on their way home, I decide to take one last chance to possibly see a glimpse of the band backstage. Only when I arrive there, I’m greeted with two police cars and four sleek black Escalades which pull up for each band member.

Obviously you’d like to hear that Martin and his crew come prancing off stage, we become best buddies and they invite me for a brew.

For some odd reason, they reluctantly did not. Go figure. The doors close shut and they disappear into the night with their impressive police escort.

But, at the end of the 10-hr day, was the sunburn, first phase of dehydration, and mental/physical exhaustion worth it?

I think so.

Bono Insults Coldplay’s Chris Martin

andPOP Staff — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 15:10:17 +0000

U2 frontman Bono appears to be getting a tad bit jealous of Coldplay’s new label as “the new U2 of our generation”. According to E! online, in a radio interview promoting U2’s new CD, No Line on the Horizon, which drops this week, Bono also “dropped a couple of verbal bombs on Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.”

The interview was held by BBC Radio 1 deejay Jo Whiley, who asked Bono if Martin was as talented as Paul McCartney. This question appeared to rub Bono the wrong way, as he replied “I think he’s a good melodist, but he’s a wanker”.

He went on to elaborate that Martin was “obviously a completely dysfunctional character and a cretin, but he happens to be a great melodist and up there with Ray Davies, Noel Gallagher and Paul McCartney.”

Whiley asked Bono for an apology, but Bono was insistent on his original opinion, E! online reports. He responded with “I’m a reformed character, I don’t any more.”

Bono must have realized the negative consequences his comment could have, as he tried to smooth over his earlier comment later in the interview. His version of an apology was, “I think [Coldplay] are a great band, and actually, it turns out [Martin’s] a great soul as well. Sorry about that. I was joking entirely.”

Coldplay Ban Its Frontman

Ilan Mester — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 23:57:39 +0000

Yes it’s true, Coldplay has banned its vocalist Chris Martin from entering the recording studio, but don’t worry, it’s not for long.

“Chris has been banned from the studio for these first two weeks. Now, before the rumour mill cranks its way excitedly into life, this does not indicate any kind of split in the camp. This is an experiment of Brian’s, “ wrote Roadie #42 in a post on the band’s website.

The post says that producer Brian Eno wanted the rest of the band to construct “their own musical underpinning with little idea of what Chris had in mind.”

“The fact that this is such a crazy way of going about things seems to encourage them to go off in deliberately strange and adventurous directions, Roadie #42 continues. “Often, they come in first thing in the morning and listen to Chris’s idea once, before going out into the live room and working up something based purely on how the song “felt” to them on first listen, paying little heed to what chords he chose or how the melody sat”.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s Daughter Makes Son Cross-Dress

Irene Ogrodnik — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:13:33 +0000

Gwyneth Paltrow’s daughter Apple loves to play dress up with her younger brother Moses, reports People Magazine.

“She makes [Moses] cross-dress,” Paltrow, 35, told People Magazine. “But she doesn’t put makeup on him!”

But that does not stop Apple from keeping the makeup to herself.

“My daughter plays with anything that’s girly. … She loves makeup,” said the actress. “She puts on the eye shadow and my high heels. … She likes to take my tank tops and make them a dress. And then she asks me to tie a rubber band on the back so they stay up.”

Paltrow is married to Coldplay front man Chris Martin.

Chris Martin: ‘Travis Invented Coldplay’

andPOP Staff — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 16:02:35 +0000

CHRIS MARTIN has praised TRAVIS for having such a big influence on young musicians, crediting the Scottish band for the creation of Martin’s own group, COLDPLAY.

Appearing as a guest presenter on the UK’s Radio 1 alongside SHAUN OF THE DEAD actor SIMON PEGG last night, Martin unveiled Travis’ new song, BIG CHAIR, to the delight of fans across the country.

Martin gushed, “We’re gonna finish with an incredible exclusive, we’re very privileged to play it, it’s a new song by the band Travis, the band that invented my band and lots of others.”

But while lead singer of Travis, FRAN HEALY, was delighted at the song’s debut, the airing was a little earlier than expected.

He says, “I thought it was going to get played (on Saturday). I checked the Radio 1 website a few days ago and I’m sure it said Chris was on (Saturday) but what a nice surprise.

“Thanks Chris, I must return the favour one day!”

One Expensive Coldplay Song

andPOP Staff — Wed, 24 May 2006 20:18:35 +0000

A one-song, exclusive performance from Coldplay front man Chris Martin has been auctioned off for ?5,000 (about $10,000 CAD). Martin will play the private gig in the living room of a child from the Canonbury Primary School in London, reports LAUNCH.

The child’s parent won the charity auction, which started off at ?400. Funds will go towards a new resource and IT centre for Canonbury Primary.

Martin reportedly agreed to the show because Paul Makin, Coldplay’s business manager, is a parent at the school.

Gwyneth Paltrow Gives Birth To A Boy

andPOP Staff — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 06:27:55 +0000

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin have welcomed a baby boy into the world and no, they did not name him Orange.

Spokeswoman Emily Yomtobian said the couple’s second child was born in New York at the weekend and was named Moses.

“Mum and baby are both doing well,” she said. “I’m sure they are ecstatic.”

Paltrow, 33, and Martin, 29, already have a daughter named Apple.

“It sounded so sweet and it conjured such a lovely picture for me,” Paltrow once told talk show host Oprah Winfrey of Apple’s name.

“You know, apples are so sweet and they’re wholesome and it’s biblical – and I just thought it sounded so lovely and clean.”

Is Gwyneth Paltrow Expecting Again?

andPOP Staff — Sat, 22 Oct 2005 14:05:59 +0000

Rumours are running rampant that Gwyneth Paltrow is pregnant again after her mother, Blythe Danner, reportedly let the good news slip at a media awards ceremony.

“Are you going to be a grandmother again?” Danner was quizzed by a reporter. “Yes I am,” she is said to have replied.

Paltrow, 33, and her husband, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, are believed to have conceived backstage at a British music festival this summer ? possibly Glastonbury.

They already have one child: a 16-month-old daughter named Apple.

Paltrow?s publicist has refused to confirm or deny the pregnancy.