by CHRISTIE ELIEZER.

"What’s the best rumour I’ve heard about Coldplay?" says drummer Will Champion rhetorically. "Last year there were all these stories that Coldplay were splitting up, which was utter nonsense. I heard a recent one that we don’t drink, which I can tell you categorically is not true. Another one was that Chris (Martin) and Gwynneth (Paltrow) insist on having their own room backstage, which is also nonsense."

Before Coldplay arrived in Australia, they’d toured America and played some massive shows which had them hailed as the biggest British band of 2003 – bigger than Radiohead, and critics hailing them as the new U2. These shows including the Hollywood Bowl to a total of 34,000 fans (where the legendary Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys fame came backstage), the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Denver and finally Madison Square Gardens in New York. Chris Martin, affable and down to earth, was starting to become a rock spokesman. After the Australian shows, he went to the World Trade Organisation meeting in Cancun, Mexico, to meet with UN Secretary Kofi Annan and politicians to show that people are genuinely concerned about issues as unfair employment conditions. Dating Gwynneth Paltrow made them the royal rock couple. Being the constant attention of the paparazzi was new for Chris, and that showed when he lost his temper in Byron Bay and attacked the car of a photographer.

"I think Chris gets defensive that Coldplay became big because he was dating an actress. Coldplay became big because we work hard and we think we’re bloody good. Reaching this level of success was not a surprise to. Even as we worked on ‘A Rush Of Blood To The Head’, we sensed Coldplay was going to go into another league. The songs were designed for larger venues. We knew it was a special record. In fact, we had finished the album when Chris came up with ‘Clocks’. We recorded it quickly, we were excited, we knew it was special."

How does Will feel about playing to larger stages? "We like playing them. We don’t necessarily use the whole space, but we do roam a bit. People are a long way off. But there’s an energy there. I remember playing (the) Glastonbury (festival in England) and there were 90,000 people there. It’s the first time we played songs off the new album, and it was a great feeling. That will last with me forever."

The first Coldplay show on this tour was to 150 lucky fans, at the Sydney Opera House, filmed for pay channel MusicMax’s new "Sessions" series. It was an intimate gig, lit with fairy lights and paper lanterns, and allowed Chris to exchange banter with the crowd, showing off what a funny and loving person he is. Then they played a large arena in Melbourne, headlined the Sunday night at the Splendour In The Grass festival in Byron Bay before rain-soaked 12,000, and then finished off in Sydney. Coldplay started off with "Politik" with Chris Martin calling, "Open up your eyes". Initially the crowd did seem daunted at the arena shows. In Melbourne, Chris apologised and said that unlike the Rolling Stones, they only had two good songs. "the good songs (ie the hits) will come later, promise!" and offered members of the audience who were sitting down $10 if they’d stand up. But they won the audience over, with Will providing a greater attack than what is evident on their records, and with exhilarating performances of the the soulful "God Put A Smile Upon Your Face" and bass-charged "Everything’s Not Lost". Chris leaped between keyboards and guitar, doing a robot walk to guitarist Jonny Buckland, and embracing the crowd with his whimsies about how great life is. Their version of jazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong’s late ‘60s hit "What A Wonderful World" makes sense.

I think Chris gets defensive that Coldplay became big because he was dating an actress. Coldplay became big because we work hard and we think we’re bloody good.

Some songs didn’t make it : "Shiver", "Spies" and "Green Eyes" which, contrary to belief, is not about the green-eyed Paltrow as it was written before he met her. But there were many highs. On "Don’t Panic" he used a mouth organ for the solo. "In My Place", towards the end, sent shivers down everyone. For "Yellow", the audience was bathed in yellow lights. When Chris played the first notes of "Clocks", a green laser light with smoke produced a cloud-like effect above the audience, similar to the video. They bowed out with "Amsterdam" with Chris singing "Oh, my star is fading". Obviously not applicable to Coldplay as they charge on their horse to a place called World Domination. But at their last Sydney show, they dedicated the song to some of the victims of the Bali bombing. Like U2, they made that great connection that we are all we got, and we are all together.

One of the things Coldplay ask for on their riders are postcards with stamps. "Yes, we get homesick. I phone home every day, we email, when possible we fly our family over so we can spend time with them."

What does he do to occupy himself on tour? "I’ve started to compile my own travel guide for each city. So when I come back, I know the best restaurants, the best bars and the best record stores. I used to keep a journal in the early days of Coldplay, but it took too long, and to be honest, there weren’t that interesting things happening to justify it! I guess it’s more interesting looking into the bubble than you are looking out."