Toploader’s Joseph Washbourn has revealed Coldplay were more interested in playing Scrabble than partying when the groups toured together.
The two bands started out at the same time in the late 90s and would regularly appear on the same bills together across the UK and Europe.
Joseph remembers while he and his bandmates would go out and party after the shows, Chris Martin and co preferred to play the word creation board game and were always fully focused on their music.
In an interview with BANG Showbiz, he recalled: "I mean Coldplay were always wicked. They always stood out. When you’re young you’re playing with loads of bands and you always think, ‘Oh we’re better than them.’ That’s because you’re young and a bit arrogant, but I must admit when we first started playing Coldplay were the band that really stood out early on. Coldplay were so focused on what they were doing. I remember one time we were in Hamburg and we were like, ‘We’re in Hamburg, let’s go out and get p***ed and be stupid.’ You know do whatever young guys do. But Coldplay were already writing their second album and playing Scrabble on the bus. But you know, when they released their second album they had a wicked one and you know, we hadn’t written it, so they always stood out and obviously have gone on to have phenomenal success."
Toploader’s 1999 debut album ‘Onka’s Big Moka’ – which contained the massive hit single ‘Dancing in the Moonlight’ – was both a critical and commercial success, but their 2002 follow-up ‘Magic Hotel’ didn’t do as well.
Coldplay’s 2000 debut ‘Parachutes’ put them on the map with songs such as ‘Yellow’ and ‘Trouble’, while their second studio LP ‘A Rush of Blood to the Head’ – released in 2002 – catapulted them to the next level and they have never looked back.
Despite their contrasting career trajectories, Joseph has no regrets about how Toploader’s musical journey has developed.
Joseph – who reformed with his bandmates in 2010 after five years apart – said: "I have no regrets at all though. We had such a ball. It was a proper rollercoaster. We went on great big long tours, no days off, but it was wicked. But it’s what you want; to get a record deal, get signed, but weirdly when you do it’s like, ‘S**t, be careful what you wish for.’ It was a bit nuts. It was only after the band split up it took a couple of years to really take stock of what had happened, a lot of it was a blur really. But this time round has been so much fun. It’s been more enjoyable."
Toploader will be performing at the Gibraltar Music Festival (www.gibraltarmusicfestival.com) next month.
The rockers will be joined at the event – which takes place on Saturday 3 September 2016 and Sunday 4 September 2016 and is celebrating its’ fifth anniversary – by Ne-Yo, Stereophonics, Jess Glynne, All Saints, Bryan Ferry, The Vamps, Foxes and Nathan Sykes.
Toploader: Coldplay chose Scrabble over partying
