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Coldplay's Chris Martin: 'I ripped off Jeff Buckley'

Martin also thinks the band's recent London gigs could have been better

December 18, 2008 | 16 Comments
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Coldplay's Chris Martin has admitted that the band's 2000 single 'Shiver' was essentially a Jeff Buckley rip-off.

The star was speaking on the Chris Moyles Show on BBC Radio 1 today (December 18) when he made the admission.

"It's a blatant Jeff Buckley attempt," he told Moyles. "Not quite as good, that's what I think. We were 21 and he was very much a hero, and as with those things it tends to filter through."

The frontman also revealed that he thinks the band's recent London gigs should have been better. The band played the UK capital's O2 Arena earlier this week (December 14, 15).

When Moyles asked the singer how he thought the London gigs went, Martin replied, "I would give them a three out of ten".

However, the frontman did admit afterwards that he was notoriously difficult to please, saying that the score was "good for me".

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Comments (16)

Add a comment

ed2005

Dec 18, 2008

I think Radiohead circa 'The Bends' and Muse circa 'Showbiz' have a fairly big debt, too, to Jeff Buckley.

theNewFella

Dec 18, 2008

If This half-rate 'musician' is just gonna fall into a state of depression over his career, I say F*** Him.I feel sorry for his band...who have worked so hard and are being criticized by their own lead singer. That is so rude.

arcticmonkey_86

Dec 18, 2008

Chris Martin trying to emulate Jeff Buckley? Best laugh I've had all year!

97mde

Dec 18, 2008

What the hell does Chris Moyles know about music. He is the second biggest cretin in the music world.....behind Cowell of course.

woofbear

Dec 18, 2008

Always too modest our Chris! I think it was a 2 out of ten! ;-)

Psycho_Mafia

Dec 18, 2008

Chris Martin is worse than Noel Gallagher for ripping off other artists, every Coldplay song with a decent riff is stolen, he admits it all the time, Kate Bush, Kraftwork, Joe Satriani. But i dont think he is implying he ripped off Jeff Buckley, he is saying he was hugely influenced by him, manufactured headline, if you tell me what song he is ripping off i might change my mind. Boring storey, boring person

hness

Dec 19, 2008

coldplay's music is pants, but i think that chris Martin is a decent guy, funny and humble..

wavelet

Dec 19, 2008

I quite like coldplay. Isn't all art nearly always inspired by all the art that's gone before? Sorry if I'm defending someone who's supposedly uncool.

Nathead

Dec 19, 2008

i think there is a slight resemblance between Shiver- Coldplay and Grace- Jeff Buckley... only slight, maybe non-existent...but i dont really care...

MIllaDumpsPaul

Dec 19, 2008

dam ! i thought it said " I jerked off Jeff Buckley " Not " I ripped off Jeff Buckley"I can hear Jeff covering Shiver live on stage right now in my head..

Capt Midnight

Dec 19, 2008

WTF!? Ripped off Jeff Buckley on just the one song???Well, at least Jeff won't be able to sue them ;)

Simplyrob

Dec 19, 2008

just because you don't like Coldplay, get over it, artists ripping off artists, that is not really the case, its pretty hard to be a musician and do something that sounds completely original, you wouldn't be human if parts of your music didn't have slight comparisons to the musicians and artists that inspire you to make music in the first place!

wobblenut

Dec 19, 2008

Get yer trunks on Chris!!!

Bigshoutout

Dec 21, 2008

lol, Shiver does sound a lot like Lover you shoulda come on over. in its complexity and up and down vocals.

EddieG

Dec 24, 2008

Chris, for the last time, nobody CARES!!!!

brunozz

Jan 5, 2009

have you listened to Shivers once more ? nothing like buckley to me. Sparks (parachutes), on the contrary is exactly the same ryhtmic & mood as Buckley's Lover. Still, when you have a high voice and you play romantic-E-minor-guitar-pop, can you completely avoid the comparison ? the fact is that Buckley's Grace did influence a whole generation. the fact is too that Martin's melodies are absolutely brilliant aren't they ? If we base ourselves on chords, everybody is ripping off everybody. if we get to melodies, U2, radiohead (ok computer), or Coldplay are just amazing melodists. When it comes to la vida and satriani, the chords are exactly the same on verses and the melody too. but would one of the biggest band in the world release a single ripping off the biggest guitar hero ? Either i'm totally wrong and someone in the production office of Coldplay is a nuts or this is just a case of unconscious influence. or i'm so naive i didn't spot Martin was the biggest thief in the rockn'roll history.