Chris Martin reveals impact of Gwyneth Paltrow split on new Coldplay album

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has revealed how his recent 'conscious uncoupling' from Gwyneth Paltrow in part inspired the band's new album, Ghost Stories.

In a new interview with Radio 1's Zane Lowe, Martin opened up about the impact of the split from his Hollywood wife, who he married in 2003 and has two children with, explained to the DJ and presenter that Coldplay's sixth album explore the highs and lows of love and a relationship breakdown.

"I wouldn’t use the word breakdown, this was more a realisation about trying to grow up basically," Martin tells Lowe. "Like I said, if you can’t open yourself up, you can’t appreciate the wonder inside. So you can be with someone very wonderful, but because of your own issues you cannot let that be celebrated in the right way.

"What changed for me was - I don’t want to go through life being scared of it, being scared of love, being scared of rejection, being scared of failure. Ever since our band came out, we have been a very polarising group because we do a certain thing very well… About two years ago I was a mess really because I can’t enjoy the thing that we are good at and I can’t enjoy the great things around me because I’m burdened by this – I’ve got to not blame anyone else and make some changes."

Martin also added that his work on Ghost Stories is some of his most intimate, due to the events taking place in his personal life.

"Up to a certain point in my life I wasn’t completely vulnerable and it caused some problems. If you don’t let love really in then you can’t really give it back," he continued. "So what Ghost Story means to me is like you’ve got to open yourself up to love and if you really do, of course it will be painful at times, but then it will be great at some point.

"I think in life everyone needs to be broken in some way… I think everyone in their life goes through challenges, whether it’s love or money, kids, or illness... You have to really not run away from that stuff. Life throws these colorful challenges at you... What we decided to do on Ghost Stories was to really be honest about it and say, this is what’s been happening."

The full, hour-long interview with be broadcast tonight at 8pm on Zane Lowe's Radio 1 show.