andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

Coldplay’s music is about as unconfrontational as a banana. And yet somehow, their entire career has been plagued with criticism and controversy from the music world and beyond.

Aside form vicious accusations of being “soft-rock” and the next U2 (which, I have to point out, aren’t exactly negative qualities when you are raking in millions of dollars and married to Gwenyth Paltrow), Coldplay were accused last year of ripping off said soft-rock from Deep Purple, no less.

The lawsuit was filed in December by none other than guitar god Joe Satriani, who claimed Coldplay padded their massive hit “Viva la Vida” with large parts of his song “If I Could Fly.”

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Coldplay will come bearing gifts for their fans during their upcoming “Viva La Vida” summer tour.

The British band has announced they will give away a live CD, “LeftRightLeftRightLeft,” to every person attending a show, starting May 15 when they kick off their North American tour in West Palm Beach, Florida. The giveaway will continue for the rest of the band’s live shows in 2009, with the exception of festival appearances.

The free CD is described as a “recession-busting mark of gratitude” for the support the band has received. “Playing live is what we love,” Coldplay said in a statement. “This album is a thank you to our fans – the people who give us a reason to do it and make it happen.”

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