Coldplay frontman Chris reveals his secret passion for Tunnock's teacakes

Jun 1 2008 Exclusive by Billy Sloan

COLDPLAY frontman Chris Martin has revealed his secret passion - for Tunnock's teacakes and caramel wafers.

The singer has even penned a musical tribute to his favourite treats...and I helped him write it.

I met Chris, guitarist Jonny Buckland and bassist Guy Berryman to talk about their brilliant new album, Viva La Vida, out on June 17.

It was recorded at their new HQ in a former London bakery - so inevitably the chat turned to Chris' favourite cakes.

The superstar stunned me with the most blatant piece of product placement I've heard in years when he said: "Do you go for the Tunnock's?

Genius travels the world and it eventually finds its way to Devon, where I'm from.

"I don't think you can choose between caramel wafer and teacake.

It's like Lennon and McCartney - you can't separate them."

Showing true pop genius, Chris decided to write a Tunnock's national anthem and composed this song lyric on the spot: "They keep for ages and never spoil/Wrapped in that delightful silver foil.

"You eat them fast, perhaps too quick/And if you eat more than two boxes, you'll probably be..."

Chris demanded I supply the pay-off so I said: "You'll probably be ELATED."

The singer, delighted with my one-word contribution, reckons we have a Grammy winner on our hands.

But there was method in Chris' madness. He's hoping Tunnock's slip him a few boxes of goodies.

He said: "Billy, without meaning to sound like an idiot, that's what I was gunning for. I know the boss at Tunnock's will hear this."

Scots bassist Guy, who grew up in Kirkcaldy, revealed: "I used to have a very interesting technique for eating a Tunnock's teacake. I'd take it out of its foil, smash it onmy forehead then pick the cracked chocolate off the top before eating the marshmallow."

Coldplay headline the SECC in Glasgow on December 5 and 6.

The group sold 8.3 million copies of 2005 album X & Y but admit they don't know what fans will make of Viva La Vida, produced by ex-Roxy Music legend Brian Eno.

Guitarist Jonny said: "We're excited and nervous waiting to hear everyone's opinion of the album."

Chris added: "That's why we worked with Eno, who's produced U2, David Bowie and Talking Heads. He put us in our place and that made us free so we didn't have to worry about what we'd achieve. Somehow it all felt very fresh and new."

The bakery is the band's first proper base since squatting in Jonny's student flat in 1999. He said: "It was a horrible little flat. Hundreds of mice ran across the floor."

Viva La Vida is their most ambitious album to date and some tracks have an almost religious fervour, similar to Coldplay classics In My Place and Fix You.

Chris said: "We grew up singing hymns every day at school assembly.

"The big hits were Jerusalem or Onward Christian Soldiers. Even people who hated assembly would get excited about those.

"That's what's so amazing about playing T In The Park-you hear the mass audience sing with you."

Despite achieving phenomenal success, Chris remains a true pop fan at heart and was bowled over when he met Beyonce. He said: "She's the most impressive person I've met. She's a legend to me but much younger than me."

Coldplay are gearing up for their UK arena tour in December and Chris has promised a few surprises.

They will transform the 10,000- capacity SECC with multiple stages.

He said: "For the first time in concert history, we're playing with magic balls. It's a bit David Copperfield, David Blaine and Paul Daniels."