In Jay-Z's Place?

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has revealed that Jay-Z and Kraftwerk are the unexpected influences for the band’s new material.

Speaking in an interview on South Leicestershire’s Harborough FM, the singer revealed all about his new baby daughter, whether the new record will sound like Eamon, and why his vocals were removed from The Streets single.

“Everything’s great. I’ve just been writing lyrics and doing baby things,” he explained. “It’s great man, it’s the best thing that’s ever happened. If someone told me my life at the moment would be changing nappies and writing lyrics I would’ve taken it, Y’know? It’s my dream come true.”

On whether his fatherhood has influenced his writing he said: “Once you know you’re gonna have a baby that kicks in anyway, so it’s been happening for 10 months, but I mean I’m not singing about nappies or anything.”

Martin also shed light on why his vocals were stripped from the current Streets single ‘Dry Your Eyes’: “Well it’s an interesting story if you’re into Coldplay and if you’re not its really boring,” he said, “But Mike Skinner, his new single is called ‘Dry Your Eyes’ and there was this version of it which I sang the chorus.  But I said I didn’t think it was as good as the version where he sang the chorus. Then he didn’t think that was as good as the version where some other dude sang the chorus, so neither him nor me sing on the chorus.

“But it was cool too, y’know it was cool to spend the day with him y’know. He’s an amazing guy; you know there are some great rappers coming out. I don’t know whether he’d class himself as a rapper or a MC or whatever.

Inspiration for the follow up to ‘A Rush Of Blood To The Head’ is coming from rather unexpected areas: “I think he’s [Jay-Z] amazing. I’ve been listening to Jay-Z and Kraftwerk a lot. Trying to get inspiration for the last few songs on our album.”

Martin also explained why they signed mock rap outfit The Nappies to their label, and put out a single of theirs on the website. The collective made a song for Martin’s wife Gwyneth Paltrow before the birth of their daughter Apple which Martin put on the official Coldplay website.

“We’ve been very big fans of theirs for a while,” he explained “And we signed them to our label and let them put out that single on our website. For us the novelty wore off so we sent them back to their day jobs.

“Do you mean does the new Coldplay record sound like Eamon?” Martin laughed when asked if the track would be an indication of the style of the new Coldplay album, “I think strangely it might. I think every white guy growing up in Devon dreams of being able to rap, and that’s why we signed The Nappies – it was something that we could never be. But it’s just that single track, now everyone’s got to forget about them.”