So I'm watching Coldplay on the Today show this morning and seeing frontman Chris Martin (who I really do like) mess up the start of Viva La Vida (he recovered ok... was very cool about it... he has a history of doing that... Brooke White, ya listening!!)... and I'm hearing his vocals sound OK, but not nearly as strong as when "produced" on his CDs... and I'm thinking, here's a huge band, #1 album and single right now, and this happens... and there's David who has never ever messed up a live performance... never ever turned in anything less than a stellar performance! Who's voice is so beautiful on any given day. Even when some of us think David may be tired, or his voice may be a little tired, he's always excellent... and at his best, well he's off the scale. And I say this as a huge Coldplay fan (I didn't even get mad when Viva La Vida finally bounced TOML off the #1 spot on itunes!). But here's a name act that can't even hold a candle to DC! So even if David should have a bad performance night down the road, it probably won't matter a bit.

Other observations... I work on the CBS Studio lot (unfortunately not TV City where AI is done-this is their other big lot in Studio City), and I had two hunk sightings... Tuesday it was Antonio Sabato Jr in a black skin tight body suit, all buff and everything (for Celebrity Circus, which is done on the lot here), and then a half hour ago during lunch, Benjamin Bratt wrapping up an episode of the upcoming series "The Cleaners." You know what, I said wow, they're really as hot as I thought they might be, but THEY'RE NOT DAVID COOK! It always comes back to that latelty, "they're not David Cook!" Those of you who don't like Mario Lopez' muscular look probably wouldn't like Sabato for the same reason. I think all three are beautiful (BTNDC!)

OMG! I caught the Today show this morning too and was thinking about posting my thoughts, but wasn't quite sure how to approach it. You see, I have never heard Cold Play before, but I knew that they are tops on the charts, so was looking forward to this opportunity. I have to say that I was rather disappointed. Maybe they were having an off day or maybe they're just better in the studio, but IMO Chris Martin has absolutely nothing up on DC. He is nowhere near as vocally strong as DC. And the music sounded rather bland to me. If I would hear one of the songs they performed again on the radio I would probably not recognize it. I looked at the massive crowd that assembled for this concert and thought WTF! I just don't get it! I have no doubt that David will be knocking the likes of this group off the top of the charts when his new album / singles come out.

Yes, I really firmly believe DC has one of THE BEST voices in rock today. Wait until you hear him on the new CD and what the studio engineers and producers will do. It will not sound anything like Analog Heart, but it will be spectacular in a different way. I am sure of that. He's exploring new things musically, and continuing the journey that began on AI of discovering things about his abilities and talents that even HE didn't know about! And when he steps on stage during the tour for that CD next year, we know he's going to sound just as good live as he does recorded.
As for Coldplay's Viva La Vida, it's a wonderful single, melodious and catchy. The rest of that album is really great... influences of U2 and the Beatles. But again, they seemed really shakey live (and yet Coldplay is known for being a big live stadium band like U2. Go figure).

Scott, you're crazy! And I must be too! Because I LOVE Coldplay!!
"Viva La Vida" is one of my favorite songs but it will never be as good as anything David sings!
I haven't noticed that they're shakey when they're live. I watched their concert on tv a couple years back. But eh. Who cares?

I do that a lot where I say someone will never be as hot as David.
Because it's true. Nobody could ever be THAT sexy.

It's funny, because until DC came along, I hardly even listened to music anymore, except for a few random artists I have stuck by through the years. I just listened to talk radio mostly. But now that DC has re-awakened me, I am discovering music all over again, to the point that I want to re-enter performing again (I used to perform a LONG time ago). But it seems that no one I hear even comes close to David! That's the only problem! I only want to hear him! I just adore this guy in every way!

LOL!
Coldplay really does have a good rep live... I think this was just one of those off days... and it was really early in the morning... and the acoustics are never great on the plaza, and probably even worse on TV (it's not exactly engineered like an HBO concert!). I still plan on seeing Coldplay when they kick off their tour in LA. Some of the comments on youtube say they were awesome this morning... and Lost! was a lot smoother than VLV. I think Chris Martin got a bad cue when they started. But again, They're Not David!

I absolutely adore Coldplay but it's weird, Chris Martin doesn't have the strongest voice, but I still love it. I like it because it's not perfect. Also, CM hates doing press of any kind so I imagine that singing in a tv studio just doesn't get him psyched like a live audience does. ( edited: oops just realised that he performed to a crowd, I didn't see the show, but maybe he just wasn't in the mood. He walked out of an interview over here, he was very polite about it but didn't like being asked questions. There are also persistent rumours over here about him and Gwyneth, don't know the truth, none of my business, he just doesn't seem very happy at the moment, but maybe there's something else going on? He is quite deep though, so it could be anything.)

They are totally amazing live though.

Have to say, I'm not loving the new singles, Violet Hill is the single release over here, but Viva La Vida made it to number 1 in the singles chart over here on unofficial downloads alone (our chart is based on downloads plus sales of singles in cd version). I prefer their older stuff like the Scientist or Yellow.

I think the thing that David and Chris Martin do have in common is that they are awesome songwriters, I just love reading or listening to their lyrics, their fascinating.

And Scott, I'm not trying to be a smartass (or smart arse, as we'd call it over here, lol) but David did mess up a live performance, he forgot some of the lyrics to Hungry Like the Wolf. It actually made me love him more, just because he seemed more human in that moment. I hate perfection in a live performance because then you might as well download the track. That's why DC is so brilliant, every time he has performed live since AI, he has done original versions of everything he has performed, they have all sounded different. I don't think he's done Time of My Life the same twice. Also, his live performances were often significantly different from his studio performances which is so cool.

I do agree though that David's worst is still a million times better than most people's best.

Ahh, you've all been "Cookified" as they say! I saw Coldplay this am and even though the beginning was shakey their presence and total audience incorporation had me dancing in my chair!
I am really glad that my appreciation for David hasn't "turned me off" to other artists as it seems it has for the rest of you. I think I enjoyed Archie's performance on the View as much as I did David's. and... No one will ever turn Creed off on my radio!
I'm not a musical nerd. In fact I'll bet I can't even name half of the the artists that I love. (other than David , of course). I just don't keep that trivia in my head.
A certain sound, the right mix of guitar and persussion, a voice that's unique as well as pleasing is what it's all about to me. It runs the gamut of David, to Andrea Bocelli, to Stevie Nicks, Alanis Morrisette, and a girl I saw on Leno the other night, (dark long hair with a guitar) whom I've never heard of but who sang like a nightengale!
And so many more.
David is incredible. I don't think there's been anyone like him since Elvis, but he is not alone in this world of musical magicians.
Like a good steak, a great hamburger, a Chicago Hot Dog, and dark chocolate, there's room for them all! My tastebuds would get mighty tired if all I could have would be the steak!

Gosh, I forgot about that! I've kind of put that peformance out of my mind! I mean, he did it just fine, but it was an odd selection (and I know why he chose it, and all that), but it was maybe the only time I wasn't super excited about his choice. All the other contestants did far worse that night so it really didn't matter. I'm still convinced many stations screwed up the audio on their HD channels during that performance (or maybe KTTV or Time Warner cable had problems). You could hardly hear the band; DC sounded like he was singing a capella! When they played back the recap at the end of the show, it was fine, and on youtube it sounds fine. How many of us got bad audio on Fox that night?
Funny you should mention the perfection thing... that's why I prefer DC to Archie... Archie's perfect pitch and his consistantly similar style is almost robotic to me... David sometimes has a slight warble on his lower register/octaves, and I think it's GREAT. His voice is far more interesting, soulful and rich.


This is one of your best posts, mysonsasoldier! I've taken to learning more names and I'm kind of proud of myself, but I agree with you on all points!

Lol. This is all very true!

I'm a huge Coldplay fan (actually it's my favourite band and their new CD is just amazing) but it's true that Chris Martin is not always 5 starts. neither are many many singers out there. In the last Coldplay concert I went Chris messed up lyrics in two songs. Actually, remember Brooke on ALW night? well, Chris Martin did the same thing during Scientist, he started over. Did we mind? not at all. we clapped. because they're only human. So yeah, I hope people are not too hard on David. The voice is a very weak instrument, sometimes impossible to control.