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Melody Maker, May 2000 (Chris Martin Interview)
What makes him 'Shiver'? American adverts and the dark, it seems...

Can you urinate in front of another person?

"Yeah, I've never had any pee shyness"

Your house catches fire and after saving your loved ones and pets, you have time to save one item. What is it?

"My necklace. It's this little cross that I was give by my mate ages ago. Apart from that, I'm trying to learn not to get possesive of any other material stuff because it's eventually gonna break or get lost, innit?"

If you discovered that your closest friend was a heroine dealer, what would you do?

"I wouldn't buy any off him"

Who do you admire most and in what way does that person inspire you?

"My mum and dad. They've been ace, instilled sound philosophies into my mind. Even if you reject them at first, 10 years later you realise it was quite sensible. My dad's always telling us to never give up, take the bad things that happen and turn them into good things. That works so well. It just makes you stronger and stronger."

Have you ever been attracted to somebody of the same sex?

"Not really, no. I don't think so. There was one time when I looked at a girl and thought 'She's nice' and it was a boy! So I put on a low voice and walked away."

When were you last in a fight, what caused it and who won?

"At school, during break time. I remember being chased by this bloke called Scott, and I got absolutely battered. I was probably in tears. I can't remember what the cause was, some argument. You can't remember the arguments you had when you were 15."

Do you have a favourite sexual fantasty?

"I always liked the idea of falling in love with one of your teachers, who is a lady, and just running off. Somewhere sort of Robinson Crusoe-like with no stuff, living in the wild, like Tarzan and Jane. I love that."

When was the last time you stole something?

"My and my cousin used to nick sweets from the pick 'n' mix in Woolworths when we were 11, we were f***ing sly at that. Then one time, we were for the big prize of a Mars bar in Superdrug and we got caught and never stole anything since. My brother once stole the cover of a Skid Row album becuase he'd taped it from a mate. But by that age I frowned upon that, after our Mars bar expererience."

When did you last cry in front of another person?

"I'm always crying about something, often in films. During 'Life is Beautiful' the other day. That's my favourite film of all time, I always cry in that."

Do you believe in ghosts and would you be willing to spend the night in a house that was supposedly haunted?

"I don't really believe in ghosts, but I wouldn't be willing. I used to get petrified coming out of our bathroom at home because the way the light of the door shone on the wall used to freak me out, because it reminded me of 'The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe'. I ran out of 'Scream 2'. I just can't handle things like that."

Would you be willing to go into a slaughterhouse and kill a cow?

"Yeah. It'd be completely hypocritical if you wouldn't. I'd absolutely hate to, but as a meat eater you've gotta say yes. If you remove the cushions from society, you've got to see what you're doing. If somebody is doing it for my sake, then I should be willing to go and do it for someone else. The thought of having to might turn you off eating meat though."

What's been your biggest failure in life?

"Girls again and again and again. The last instance was on Saturday. You know when you really like someone and you pull off all your best moves and crack your best gags. Mind you, we'd just come off an aeroplane the night before, so I was jet lagged and really pale. I didn't even get digits! She could've been the one! But she went away thinking I was a knob. That always happens. I'm always splitting up with girls, man!"

Whats the worts psychological torture you can imagine suffering?

"It'd be having to sit in America watching adverts all day. I hate adverts and they've got really bad ones. Then the programme comes on and that's not much better. And they don't warn you. Watching 'Ghostbusters' takes about nine weeks. Adverts after every line. I always have these dreams where you can't get somewhere and it's really frustrating. Watching American television is a bit like that. Pleas let us see what happens!"

If someone you love is brutally murdered and you know the identity of the killer, would you seek revenge?

"I'd seek revenge in that I'd make sure they were caught. I wouldn't just go and kill them because being put in prison for life is the worst thing that could happen to someone. But then I read somewhere that you can be put in prision for 30 years in America for smuggling hash, but you can be released after two years for child abuse. Where's the justice in that?"