Jonny Buckland | |
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Born | Jonathan Mark Buckland 11 September 1977 London, England |
Alma mater | University College London |
Occupations |
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Years active | 1997–present |
Spouse | Chloe Lee-Evans (m. 2009) |
Children | 2 |
Awards | Full list |
Musical career | |
Origin | London, England |
Genres | |
Instruments |
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Labels | |
Member of | Coldplay |
Signature | |
Jonathan Mark Buckland (born 11 September 1977) 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 started to play guitar at an early age, taking inspiration from groups such as My Bloody Valentine, the Stone Roses and U2. His compositions are noted for being sparse and delicate, using delay pedals and slide bars with a timbre that led to comparisons to the Edge.
Buckland has a 2:1 degree in astronomy and mathematics from University College London, where he formed Coldplay along with Chris Martin, Guy Berryman and Will Champion. The band signed with Parlophone in 1999, finding global fame with Parachutes (2000) and subsequent albums. He received a total of seven Grammy Awards and nine Brit Awards as part of Coldplay. Having sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, [a] they are the most successful group of the 21st century. [3]
Jonathan Mark Buckland was born on 11 September 1977 in Islington, London, England. [4] He is the second child of John Buckland, a former teacher at Holywell High School, and his wife Joy. [5] The family headed to Pantymwyn, Flintshire, Wales when he was four years old. [6] His primary education was fulfilled at Ysgol y Waun and he learned the basics of guitar there. [7] Other activities involved football, rugby and starring in plays. [8] Buckland also earned the Ron Bishop Trophy while in the Year 5 sports team. [8] Studies continued at Alun School, where he took A-level music lessons. [6] Former teacher Margaret Parr said he has particular talent for composition. [9]
During his youth, the guitarist listened to Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton records owned by his parents. [7] He was encouraged to acquire further experience on the guitar by his brother Tim, who shared works from George Harrison, My Bloody Valentine, Ride, Sonic Youth, the Stone Roses and U2 with him. [7] The former's debut album is what motivated Buckland to choose his instrument, [10] though the first chords he learned were from "Kinky Afro" (1990) by Happy Mondays. [11]
He used to have piano lessons when he was seven years old, but did not enjoy them. [12] At 10 years old, the guitarist was part of a rap group and experimented with computer music by using beats consisted of dog barks. [12] Buckland then joined the Scouts when he was 11 years old and mentioned still liking the uniform in 2008. [13] Moreover, the guitarist stated that one night when his friends were playing in a field, they had an encounter with an angry sheep which attacked him multiple times. [13] The experience has led him to avoid wearing wool and eating lamb ever since. [13] In 2019, he recalled taking a holiday job at the Daily Post , adding photos of houses for sale to the pressings. [14] His education was continued at University College London, where he attained a 2:1 degree in astronomy and mathematics and formed Coldplay with Chris Martin, Guy Berryman and Will Champion. [15]
Buckland was responsible for co-founding the band along with Martin; they met each other during UCL's orientation week in 1996. [17] Both resided at the university's Ramsay Hall, [18] where Champion mentioned there were "a lot of musicians and a lot of show-offs", but "Jonny was not one of those show-offs", he further added that "the bloke who turned out to be the best guitarist out of all of us was the bloke who had his guitar hidden in his cupboard and who never got it out or was pushy about his guitaring". [19] Martin stated meeting Buckland was "like falling in love". [7] They began to practise and write songs together in early 1997. [7] Berryman had already joined them by November of that year, with the trio being called Big Fat Noises. [20] Champion then completed the performing line-up in 1998. [b]
The previous group name was dropped when Champion scheduled their debut live performance at The Laurel Tree only a few days after he became part of the band, with Starfish being chosen "in a panic". [22] In Coldplay, Buckland is usually regarded as quiet, friendly, unassuming and "the wise owl" of the group. [23] During an interview, Martin commented spending his "entire life trying to drag him out of the shadows, because I know that he is a guitar hero – to me anyway". [24] The band used his bedroom for rehearsals in their early years, being near the neighbors who "were able to tolerate the noise". [25] They stated in 2019 that Buckland is usually the first to either disapprove or give his input on Martin's initial song ideas, [26] although he was responsible for starting tracks like "Adventure of a Lifetime" on his own, which was released as the lead single for their seventh album A Head Full of Dreams (2015). [27] Despite not being the group's most prominent backing vocalist, he can be heard in many songs and provided lead vocals in "Don't Panic", the opening track of Parachutes (2000). [28]
Buckland guest starred on Ian McCulloch's third album, Slideling (2003), by playing guitar in the songs "Sliding" and "Arthur". [29] In the following year, he made a cameo appearance on the comedy horror film Shaun of the Dead (2004) along with Martin. [30] They later recorded "Beach Chair" for Jay-Z's ninth album, Kingdom Come (2006), [31] and were featured in Slashed (2010), an independent horror film directed by Northern Irish band Ash. [32] He is also known to support food and wine magazine Noble Rot and became an investor in their namesake restaurants. [33] In October 2019, the guitarist assisted Jodie Whittaker in her cover of "Yellow" for BBC's Children in Need album along with Champion. [34]
Buckland usually uses a Fender 72' Telecaster Thinline, which is known to have a fuller sound compared to the usual models. [35] He is occasionally seen with Jazzmaster, Jaguar and Gibson ES-335 guitars as well; the latter was used when Coldplay recorded A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002). [36] While he has two Fender Hot Rod DeVille amplifiers, there are conflicting reports on whether they are the 2x12 or 4x10 version. [37] His pedals include Fulltone OCD, which is used for boost; the Electro-Harmonix Micro POG, Pro Co RAT (vintage model) and Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer, which are combined for distortion; the BOSS RV-3 for reverb; and BOSS TR-2 for tremolo. [37] He also makes extensive use of the Line 6 DL4 pedal, while a MXR Phase 90 model can be heard in "Fix You". [37] His favourite Coldplay guitar riff is "Hurts Like Heaven". [38]
Noted for sparse and delicate arrangements, [39] Buckland affirmed that "I've never gone in much for the solos. I was always more interested in atmospherics. Listening to bands like Mercury Rev, My Bloody Valentine, or even the Verve, the way those guitarists played. There's no Van Halen in me". [7] His use of slide bar have a stylistic chiming and ringing timbre which has led to comparisons to the Edge, [40] who commented during an interview at Glastonbury that "Jonny is an inspiration to guitar players everywhere, I am proud to know that I was one of his main influences. It makes me feel like a real rock star". [7] In 2020, he shared on social media playlists with some of his favourite tracks and artists from each decade, including the Velvet Underground, Carole King, Joy Division, Talking Heads, Kate Bush, Donna Summer, Björk, Beastie Boys and various others. [41]
According to The Times , Buckland has an estimated wealth of £113 million as of May 2022. [42] He is a lifelong supporter of Tottenham Hotspur. [43] After being vegetarian for a few years, he gave up while traveling to Japan, where he was not able to communicate his options to the waiters and was served beef, finding out "he really liked it". [44] However, he still does Meat Free Mondays along with his bandmates. [45] In 2007, his older brother Tim founded alternative rock group The Domino State, which opened for Coldplay on Viva la Vida Tour (2008–10). [5] He married jewellery designer Chloe Lee-Evans in November 2009. [46] The couple have two children. [47]
The family currently resides in the Belsize Park area of Camden, London, but they own two apartments in Manhattan, New York as well. [47] Buckland purchased the first of them for $3.4 million in 2008, while the second was bought for $4.5 million in 2016. [47] He is godfather to Martin's daughter Apple along with English actor Simon Pegg. [48] During an interview for BBC Radio 2, he mentioned that his favourite non-musical activity is reading books. [49] His great-grandfather formed a band named Vic Buckland's Dance Orchestra between the late 1910s and early 1920s, a photograph of them was used as an inspiration for the album cover and vintage aesthetics seen on Everyday Life (2019). [50]
With Coldplay
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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 and percussionist Will Champion, and manager Phil Harvey. They are best known for their live performances, having also impacted popular culture through their music, advocacy and achievements.
Christopher Anthony John Martin is an English singer, songwriter, musician and producer. He is best known as the vocalist, pianist and co-founder of the rock band Coldplay.
A Rush of Blood to the Head is the second studio album by British rock band Coldplay. It was released on 26 August 2002 by Parlophone in the United Kingdom, and a day later by Capitol Records in the United States. The album was produced by the band and Ken Nelson, and makes greater use of the electric guitar and piano than the band's debut album, Parachutes (2000).
"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.
"The Scientist" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. The song is credited to all the band members on their second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head. It is built around a piano ballad, with lyrics telling the story about a man's desire to love and an apology. The song was released in the United Kingdom on 11 November 2002 as the second single from A Rush of Blood to the Head and reached number 10 in the UK Charts. It was released in the United States on 15 April 2003 as the third single and reached number 18 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and number 34 on the Adult Top 40 chart.
"Trouble" is a song by British rock band Coldplay, for their debut album, Parachutes (2000). The band wrote and co-produced it with British record producer Ken Nelson. The song's arrangement is built around the acoustic piano. It was released on 23 October 2000 as the album's third single, reaching number 10 on the UK Singles Chart and becoming the band's second top 10 single in the country. Although "Trouble" failed to chart in the United States, the music press deemed it almost as successful as its predecessor, "Yellow".
"In My Place" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. The song was written collaboratively by all the band members and released on their second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head. The track is built around thumping drums and chiming guitars. It was released on 5 August 2002 as the lead single from A Rush of Blood to the Head and reached number two on the UK Singles Chart. The song also reached number 17 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks.
"God Put a Smile upon Your Face" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It was written by all members of the band for their second studio album, A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002). The song is built around prominent acoustic and electric guitar riffs with accompanying up-tempo drumming. The song was released on 1 July 2003 as the fourth and final single from the album.
"Don't Panic" is a song by the British rock band Coldplay. Originally titled "Panic", the earliest known version of the song existed in 1998, performed live during the band's first gig in the same year. It had a different melody, and was included in the band's second EP, The Blue Room. The track was reproduced by Coldplay and British producer Ken Nelson for the band's debut album, Parachutes.
Guy Rupert Berryman 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.
William Champion is an English musician and songwriter. He is best known as the drummer and percussionist of the rock band Coldplay. Raised in Southampton, he learned to play numerous instruments during his youth, being influenced by Nick Cave, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and traditional Irish folk music. His energetic drumming style is largely focused on the essential elements of the songs and he occasionally takes lead vocal duties on live performances.
"Brothers & Sisters" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It was released as their debut single by Fierce Panda Records in 26 April 1999, following the extended play Safety (1998). The single peaked at number 92 on the UK Singles Chart and 1,500 copies of its vinyl edition were issued in a special wrap-around picture sleeve. It was re-released as an extended play by Brash Records in 2002.
"Clocks" is a song by British rock band Coldplay, released on 17 March 2003 via Parlophone Records in the United Kingdom. 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.
X&Y is the third studio album by British band Coldplay, released on 6 June 2005 by Parlophone in the United Kingdom, and a day later by Capitol Records in the United States. Produced by Coldplay and producer Danton Supple, the album was recorded during a turbulent period for the band, during which their manager and creative director, Phil Harvey, briefly departed. Producer Ken Nelson was originally tasked with producing the record; however, many songs written during his sessions were discarded due to the band's dissatisfaction with them. The album's cover art combines colours and blocks to represent the title in Baudot code.
"Lovers in Japan" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It was written by all members of the band for their fourth studio album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends. The song is built around an introductory tack piano sound, then followed by chiming guitars and soaring choruses, supported by the pianos and rhythms that accompany the song's lyrics. The album version of "Lovers in Japan" shares the track with the song "Reign of Love".
"42" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It was written by all members of the band for their fourth album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008). The song, divided into three parts, does not have a chorus. The first part is a ballad with piano and strings, which then transforms into an uptempo rock arrangement with a guitar solo. Finally, the song ends with a multi-instrumental part. A live version of "42" was featured on the band's 2009 live album, LeftRightLeftRightLeft.
"Hurts Like Heaven" is a song by British rock band Coldplay from their fifth studio album, Mylo Xyloto. It was written by all members of the band along with producer Brian Eno, being released as the final single from the record on 8 October 2012. The track promoted the comics which tied into the original story from Mylo Xyloto. On 16 April 2013, the band announced it as a 7" limited single for Record Store Day, with a live version of "Us Against the World" serving as its B-side.
"Daddy" is a song by British rock band Coldplay from their eighth studio album Everyday Life. It was written by the band members and produced by The Dream Team, being released on 20 November 2019 along with "Champion of the World" in anticipation for the album's release. The track appears on the Sunrise side of the record. An animated music video for the song directed by Åsa Lucander from Aardman Animations was also released. A female protagonist is shown in a small rowing boat in the middle of the ocean as she tries to go into the unknown. To further promote the song, the band performed it live in Jordan and BBC Radio 1 in London. "Daddy" managed to appear on the New Zealand Hot Singles chart at a position of 38 and on the US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs at number 17.
"Higher Power" is a song by British rock band Coldplay from their ninth studio 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.
"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.