Guy Berryman | |
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Born | Guy Rupert Berryman 12 April 1978 |
Education | University College London (dropped out) |
Occupations |
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Years active | 1997–present |
Spouse | Joanna Briston (m. 2004;div. 2007) |
Partner(s) | Keshia Gerrits (2012–present) |
Children | 3 |
Awards | Full list |
Musical career | |
Origin | London, England |
Genres | |
Instruments |
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Labels | |
Member of | |
Website | coldplay |
Signature | |
Guy Rupert Berryman (born 12 April 1978) is a Scottish musician, songwriter, producer, businessman and designer. He is best known as the bassist of the rock band Coldplay and electronic supergroup Apparatjik. Raised in Kirkcaldy, he started to play bass at an early age, drawing inspiration from James Brown, the Funk Brothers and Kool & the Gang. His projects beyond music include The Road Rat magazine and Amsterdam-based fashion brand Applied Art Forms. [1]
Berryman joined Coldplay with Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland and Will Champion at University College London, where he enrolled in a mechanical engineering degree but later dropped out. The band signed with Parlophone in 1999, finding global fame after the release of Parachutes (2000) and subsequent records. He has won seven Grammy Awards and nine Brit Awards as part of Coldplay. Having sold over 100 million albums worldwide as of 2021, [lower-alpha 1] they are the most successful group of the 21st century. [4]
Guy Rupert Berryman was born on 12 April 1978 in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland. [5] He is the youngest son of engineer Rupert Berryman and his wife Elizabeth, whose family were merchants and factory owners in the region. [6] Raised close to the Beveridge Park area, he said his childhood was one with "a huge sense of freedom", as he went out with friends and "just did whatever we wanted from a very young age", which included exploring the Raith Estate and the woods near it. [6] Still during his childhood, he developed a passion for watches as well, exploring the ones his father had even though "the drawers were meant to be off-limits". [7]
Moreover, Berryman has said that listening to Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie Amour" was a pivotal moment in his life: "I can remember being maybe six years old, having this experience. I had obviously heard music in the background, in the house and stuff, but that was the first moment that I ever connected with music on a personal level and since then I've always been a huge fan of soul music and Motown, and that's what made me become a bass player. [6]
With his father involved in building the Channel Tunnel as a project manager, Berryman's family moved to Kent when he was around 12 years old, the same period in which he began to play bass. [8] During his time at Edinburgh Academy, he played drums and trumpet for the school band. [9] The lessons made him notice he was "a leftie who plays right-handed" and the bassist later founded a group named Time Out. [10] His education was continued at Kent College, in Canterbury. [11] He then applied for mechanical engineering at University College London, where he met Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland and Will Champion, eventually forming Coldplay. [12]
Berryman was the third member to join the band in 1997. [13] Their college friend Kris Foof described him as "a quiet young man who had been put in 'Paris Block', the less populated block of rooms in Ramsay Hall. The rest of the band had been placed in 'New York Block', but not Guy, he was the outsider that the insiders all knew about, namely from his stockpile of musical instruments in his room". [10] Martin affirmed having a wrong impression of Berryman when they first met: "He's not as scary as he looks [...] Everyone thinks he's moody, soft-spoken is better". [10] Along with Buckland, they recorded a number of demos without having a drummer and, by November of that year, the trio called themselves Big Fat Noises. [13] Champion then completed the performing line-up in 1998. [lower-alpha 2] Berryman later dropped out of his original degree and enrolled in a seven-year architecture program at the Bartlett, which in turn was abandoned to focus on playing bass. [15] He worked as a bartender to pay rent. [10]
During the Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams (2018) documentary, the bassist mentioned the marketing campaign for X&Y (2005) was a very turbulent period for the band, as they had frequent arguments, particularly between him and Martin: "I was probably much more opinionated back then, which was a huge pain in the ass for everyone, I don't know if I was trying to get away from myself or if I wasn't comfortable with myself, but I definitely had a drinking problem". [16] When the band were asked about their creative process in an interview for The Howard Stern Show , they claimed that while Buckland is usually more optimistic to either disapprove or give his input on Martin's initial ideas, Berryman tends to be more critical, concluding that if he does not like a certain song, "there's no point in ever playing it again". [17] Conversely, he has been responsible for starting tracks such as "Magic" on his own, which was released as the lead single for their sixth album, Ghost Stories , in 2014. [18]
Berryman formed a supergroup called Apparatjik with Magne Furuholmen (from a-ha), Jonas Bjerre (from Mew) and Martin Terefe in 2008. [19] Their debut single, "Ferreting", was the musical theme of BBC Two series Amazon , being included in the Songs for Survival album as well. [19] Proceeds were donated to Survival International. [19] Two years later, the band released We Are Here (2010) for digital download on their official website and performed at the CTM Festival. [20] In 2011, they played at the Neue Nationalgalerie, [21] appeared at the Steirischer Herbst Festival, [22] then launched Apparatjik World, an iPad application in which fans helped them to produce songs. [23] After several versions of the project, the final one was named Square Peg in a Round Hole (2012) and made available as their second studio album. [24] In 2020, the group published a song called "Julia" on their YouTube channel. [25] However, Berryman has not performed with the rest of the band since 2011, consequently becoming unclear whether he contributed to the track's creative process or not. [26]
In 2019, the bassist founded quarterly magazine The Road Rat along with two friends and car specialists. [27] They celebrate classic automobiles, but on-diary stories are not covered because each issue is meant to be "timeless". [28] He manages the project from his garage and works as its creative director. [29] In the following year, he launched Applied Art Forms, a fashion brand inspired by utilitarian, workwear, and military clothing. [30] Berryman established their headquarters in Amsterdam, Netherlands and is responsible for both the designs and the creative direction, though the former role is shared with Marcel Verheijen. [31] Furthermore, he observed that his focus is on longevity, [32] creating a permanent collection with occasional updates instead of following the seasonal calendar. [30] The bassist also mentioned bringing a sewing machine with him while touring with Coldplay to make pieces. [31] Still in 2020, Berryman helped to release a plant-based protein food start-up called Bodyhero. [33] He then donated part of his personal archive to Marrkt in 2022, with the proceeds going to Save the Children. [34] In 2023, Applied Art Forms switched their menswear presentation to unisex, [31] sold exclusive wireless headphones in partnership with Master & Dynamic, [35] and collaborated with Hannah Martin to launch their first jewellery collection, which drew influence from industrial and punk aesthetics. [36]
Berryman guested on Magne Furuholmen's debut album, Past Perfect Future Tense (2004), along with Champion. [37] He played bass on the subsequent A Dot of Black in the Blue of Your Bliss (2008) as well. [38] In 2007, he wrote "Guy Romance Theme" and co-wrote "Bass Theme" for the soundtrack of The Longest Night in Shanghai . [39] His most notable hobby throughout the years has been photography, which included taking candid photos of his bandmates with disposable cameras on the Twisted Logic Tour (2005–07) and throwing them to attendees. [40] He then provided pictures for the booklet of a-ha's ninth album, Foot of the Mountain (2009). [41] Accompanied by Rik Simpson, the bassist founded a producing duo called The Darktones and contributed to Love You More (2010) and You&I (2011) by the Pierces. [42] Berryman played instruments like the guitar, glockenspiel, omnichord, keyboards and percussion on the latter record. [43] He also produced James Levy & the Blood Red Rose's Pray to Be Free (2012) and Hudson Hank's DayBreak (2013). [44] During Music of the Spheres World Tour (2022–24), he curated a photo diary for NME and shot pictures for the concert run's official book. [45]
With a style described as "slick" and "relaxed", [46] Berryman is usually seen using different models of a Fender Precision Bass, including editions such as Squier, Mustang, Jazz and Jaguar. [47] The latter was used during the recording sessions for Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008). [48] He mentioned the first "proper" bass used after joining Coldplay was a Rickenbacker 4001, which can be seen on the music video for "Shiver". [48] In 2003, his gear included two Ampeg SVT amplifiers, two 15" cabinets, one 8"x10" cabinet and a Tone Bender pedal for distortion. [49] In 2012, it was reported he bought a custom-made Hiwatt bass rig. [50] The 200-watt amp head was hand-built in the United Kingdom and paired with a 4x12 cabinet, loaded with Fane speakers. [50] When questioned about his musical taste, Berryman stated that it was hard to condense it down, but he "could not live without the Beatles or Motown". [51] Additionally, he mentioned James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Kool & the Gang and the Funk Brothers as musical inspirations. [52]
According to The Times , Berryman has an estimated wealth of £113 million as of May 2022. [53] He is a known supporter of Raith Rovers, [8] showing interest in photography, fashion and electrical gadgets as well. [40] After six years dating, he married interior designer Joanna Briston in 2004. [54] The couple filed for divorce three years later, but remained close to raise their daughter. [54] He subsequently moved to the Cotswolds and built a workshop to repair the cars from his collection. [55] In 2014, he became engaged to Dutch model Keshia Gerrits, [56] while 2024 saw them relocating to Amsterdam. [57] Berryman has two children with her. [55]
Before restoring automobiles, he took flying lessons and wanted to refurbish a Spitfire and a Tiger Moth, eventually growing bored of aircraft. [58] He is also a collector of synthesisers, cameras and watches: "I'm a completist when it comes to collecting, so I have to restrain myself [...] At least with cars you have to have space to keep them all in. But you can get a lot of watches into a drawer". [7] Berryman likewise is the founder of Dawghaus, an online catalogue focused on curating "the best in design" and promoting well-established creations alongside the ones he thinks that deserve more attention. [7] He is the only Coldplay member with a personal social media account. [59]
With Coldplay
With Apparatjik
| Solo credits
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Coldplay are a British rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and manager Phil Harvey. They initially met at University College London, calling themselves Big Fat Noises and changing to Starfish, before settling on the current name.
Christopher Anthony John Martin is an English singer, songwriter, musician, producer and philanthropist. He is best known as the lead vocalist, pianist, rhythm guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Coldplay.
Parachutes is the debut studio album by British rock band Coldplay. It was released on 10 July 2000 by Parlophone in the United Kingdom. The album was produced by the band and British record producer Ken Nelson, except for one track, "High Speed", which was produced by Chris Allison. Parachutes spawned the singles "Shiver", "Yellow", "Trouble", and "Don't Panic". The album was also supported by the Parachutes Tour, which saw the band performing 131 shows in their first world tour.
Magne Furuholmen is a Norwegian musician and visual artist. Also known by his stage name Mags, he is the keyboardist of the synthpop/rock band A-ha and co-wrote hits such as "Take On Me", "Stay on These Roads", "Manhattan Skyline", "Cry Wolf", "Forever Not Yours", "Analogue ", "Minor Earth Major Sky", "Touchy!", "You Are the One", "Move To Memphis" and "Foot of the Mountain". A-ha has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide. He was named Knight First Class of the Order of St. Olav by King Harald for his services to Norwegian music and his international success.
"Yellow" is a song by the British rock band Coldplay. The band wrote the song and co-produced it with British record producer Ken Nelson for their debut album, Parachutes (2000). The song was released on 26 June 2000 as the second UK single from Parachutes, following "Shiver", and as the lead single in the United States.
"Fix You" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It was written by all four members of the band for their third studio album, X&Y (2005). It was released on 5 September 2005 as the second single from X&Y and reached number 4 on the UK Singles Chart. The song reached number 18 in the United States Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks. Promo singles were released for the UK and US.
Jonathan Mark Buckland is a British musician and songwriter. He is best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Coldplay. Raised in Pantymwyn, he began to play guitar at an early age, drawing inspiration from acts like My Bloody Valentine, the Stone Roses and U2. His arrangements are noted for being sparse and delicate, making use of slide bars and delay pedals with a stylistic timbre that led to comparisons to the Edge.
William Champion is an English musician and songwriter. He is best known as the drummer and backing vocalist of the rock band Coldplay. Raised in Southampton, he learned to play many instruments during his childhood, drawing influence from Nick Cave, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and traditional Irish folk music. His energetic drumming style is focused on the essential elements of the songs and he occasionally takes lead vocal duties on live performances.
"Talk" is a song by the British rock band Coldplay. Built around a motif from Kraftwerk's 1981 song "Computer Love", it was written by all members of the band and appeared on their third album, X&Y. In the United States, the song entered at number 86 on the Billboard Hot 100 and elsewhere in the world its success varied. It peaked at number one in the Netherlands on both the Dutch Top 40 and Single Top 100 charts, becoming the band's first number-one single there.
Jonas Bjerre Terkelsbøl is a musician and visual artist from Copenhagen, Denmark, best known as the lead singer of Danish rock band Mew. Bjerre creates animated videos for Mew's live shows. He has an uncommon vocal range, above the average pitch, which has helped contribute to Mew's unique sound, and earned him a Danish Music Award for Danish Male Singer in 2006.
"Clocks" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It was written and composed as a collaboration among all the members of the band for their second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head. The song is built around a piano riff, and features cryptic lyrics concerning themes of contrast and urgency. Several remixes of the track exist, and its riff has been widely sampled.
Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, often referred to as simply Viva la Vida, is the fourth studio album by British rock band Coldplay, released on 12 June 2008 on the Parlophone label. "Viva la vida" is a Spanish phrase that translates into English as "long live life", "live the life", or simply "live life". Lyrically, the album contains references to love, life, death and war.
Philip Christopher Harvey is an English manager and creative director. He is best known for his work with the rock band Coldplay. While attending Trinity College, Oxford, he used to organise and promote student parties at local clubs, dropping out of his course to manage the band and helping them finance Safety (1998). They signed a record deal with Parlophone in 1999 and achieved mainstream recognition globally with Parachutes (2000) and following releases.
Apparatjik are a multi-national band formed in 2008. The band is a supergroup that consists of bassist Guy Berryman from Coldplay, guitarist/keyboardist Magne Furuholmen from a-ha, singer/guitarist Jonas Bjerre of Mew and drummer/producer Martin Terefe. The band's name literal translation is "agent of the apparatus". Apparatjik is based on apparatchik, which is a word of Russian origin and is used to describe "an official or bureaucrat in any organization" but has in the past had other meanings, including "Communist agent or spy".
Ghost Stories Live 2014 is the fourth live album by the British alternative rock band Coldplay. It is a live recorded version of the band's sixth studio effort Ghost Stories, being released by Parlophone in the United Kingdom on 24 November 2014. A DVD from one of the concerts that was filmed at Sony Studios, Los Angeles in March 2014, is included in the package.
"Higher Power" is a song by British rock band Coldplay from their ninth album Music of the Spheres. It was released on 7 May 2021 as the lead single, being written by the band's four members, Federico Vindver and Denise Carite, while production was handled by Max Martin. Oscar Holter and Bill Rahko also helped to co-produce the song, which received generally positive reviews from music critics and was nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.
Music of the Spheres is the ninth studio album by British rock band Coldplay, released on 15 October 2021 by Parlophone in the United Kingdom and Atlantic Records in the United States. The album was produced by Max Martin, who is a new producer to the band's discography. It features guest appearances from Selena Gomez, We Are King, Jacob Collier and BTS, as well as returning contributions from electronic producer Jon Hopkins.
"Coloratura" is a song by British rock band Coldplay from their ninth studio album, Music of the Spheres. It was released on 23 July 2021 as a promotional single in anticipation for the record, being also its closing track. Produced by Max Martin, Oscar Holter and Bill Rahko, the song is the longest ever released by the band, running at 10 minutes and 18 seconds.
"Let Somebody Go" is a song by British rock band Coldplay and American singer Selena Gomez, recorded for the band's ninth studio album, Music of the Spheres. The song was produced by Max Martin, Oscar Holter, Rik Simpson, Daniel Green, and Bill Rahko, and co-produced by Metro Boomin. The song was released for digital download and streaming through Parlophone as the third single from Music of the Spheres on 7 February 2022.