NME Radio's Shows

Chris Martin

19:00 - 23:00 Monday to Friday, 12:00 - 16:00 Sunday

Chris Martin's show packs in the best alternative tunes past and present alongside all the latest gig news

First record bought

There's are rules to this sort of thing. It can't be one you were given, you have to have parted with cash yourself to get it. The first single was Monaco - 'What Do You Want From Me', perfect indie pop "sha-la-la's" and an intro that to this day reminds me of the theme to 'The Munsters'. First album was 'The Dandy Warhols Come Down'. It still treads that path between indie hits and meandering stoned dirges that they did best.

Favourite ever album

Sonic Youth - 'Daydream Nation'. Any album you can reach for time and again after so many years and still find fresh, exciting, challenging and artistic is a special album. It takes you away from wherever you are and alternately lulls you and drives you into a convulsing frenzy.

First gig

First gig was Oasis at Wembley Arena on the 'Be Here Now' tour, Supergrass supported and were far and away better. The first gig I bought the tickets for was to see Idlewild at London's Shepherds Bush Empire around 1999, supported by Hundred Reasons and an Irish band called Turn, who stepped in at the last minute to fill in for ...and You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead. Apparently they'd been nicked for urinating in public and couldn't travel from the States, though I've never verified that story.

Best gig

That's a damn impossible question! It varies, but right now I'm going to say for sheer anticipation and excitement it was the very first UK shows for The Mars Volta. I had a prime spot in the front row at The Cockpit in Leeds, a smallish room holding 500 with sweat running down the walls. In front of me was Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and the biggest pedal board I've ever seen. His performance alone was mind-blowing, but the band as a whole were outrageously talented. They weren't even the headliners, that honour belonged to Les Savy Fav, who really should be a lot bigger than they are. If they stopped swearing so much on their records maybe I could play them on the show more.

First festival

Reading Festival 2001. When I was 15 to about the age of 18 I was totally obsessed with Manic Street Preachers. As such me and my mate Elliot went a bit overboard with our Manics outfits, lots of spraypainted slogans on pink shirts. Can't quite believe I did that but fandom does inspire some crazy actions. I can remember running the length of the festival site to be in the front row at the Main Stage. We were close and had to sit through some serious bilge (Public Domain, OPM anyone?) and nearly got crushed to death when ...Trail of Dead came on. Also got to see Frank Black & The Catholics and Rancid, and the Manics were great.

Best ever festival

Leeds 2002. It was perfect timing as indie really kicked off again and I got to see loads of bands I wanted to strike off my list. Moldy Peaches, Mercury Rev (err, they played in 2001 - pedantic ed) Muse, about 30 tiny bands, and Pulp, who split up not long after the festival. We got Guns N' Roses, and Reading didn't. I saw 2 Many DJs playing to about 100 people in a pretty big tent (they clashed with The Strokes). More than that it was my first camping festival, and it just happened to coincide with massive fires, exploding chemical loos and general rioting.

Favourite ever band
Another tough one. Instinct says Sonic Youth for pressing all the pleasure buttons, but for consistency it'd have to be Pixies. The band that should have achieved more There are loads of these; Cay, Death From Above 1979, Test Icicles, Clor. Spotted the theme yet? File under 'bands you get totally obsessed with and then they split after one album'.