Coldplay pushed by 'brutal' producer

Coldplay are working with a "brutal" producer on their new album.

The 'Viva La Vida' hitmakers started writing their forthcoming fifth album with Brian Eno, but he suggested they also draft in someone else to help them edit their work, which led to the group hiring Markus Dravs, on the recommendation of Arcade Fire singer Win Butler.

Frontman Chris Martin said: "We'd just met with Bran Eno and he said, 'We also need another person, because I like to do the sort of sowing of the seeds, the more abstract stuff, but we also need a woodchopper guy who's gonna organise everything.

"Win said 'You should try this guy Markus. He's wonderful and he's extremely talented, but he's brutal. 'This is terrible' or 'this is great'. He's extreme."

Chris thinks this is a great thing for the group as it means they have no space to become complacent.

He added: "One of the dangers of getting a bit successful is that no-one pushes you quite so hard. But we don't have that problem at the moment."