Chris Martin reveals he 'almost missed his first Glastonbury performance' in 1999 as he gears up to headline the iconic festival for the FIFTH time

Coldplay are gearing up to headline Glastonbury for the fifth time this weekend - but frontman Chris Martin has recalled when they nearly missed their very first gig at the iconic festival in 1999.

The British group - who formed in London in 1997 with Chris, lead guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer and percussionist Will Champion, and manager Phil Harvey - will make history by headlining at Worthy Farm on Saturday night.

Despite being one of the most successful bands of the century, selling more than 100 million albums, winning more than 300 awards and racking up nine billion-stream songs - there was a time when they almost missed their Glastonbury debut.

'The hunger to go there was so huge. Our first introduction, I think, was probably carrying a not-very-good amplifier with a drunken tour manager who, you know, obviously didn't know what he was doing either,' Chris told The Mirror.

'So we sort of had a very quick intake of the whole place, and then started where you should start, which is in the New Bands Tent, first on.

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin (pictured left in 2019 and right in 2000) has recalled when the band nearly missed their very first gig at the iconic Glastonbury festival in 1999

'I don't think I thought about the wider, how wild it was. It was just like we were here and we're late and it's huge.'

At the time, the band also played a charity show for the Eavis family, who organise the festival in Somerset.

Emily Eavis, the daughter of Glastonbury's founder Michael, was a fan of the group since their very first EP.

In a genuine twist of luck, the friendship with the founding family then led them to headline the legendary Pyramid Stage early in their career.

Chris confirmed the Glastonbury experience was a game-changer which 'intertwined with how we are as a band' - and since that, nothing was ever the same again.

As they recorded their second studio album A Rush Of Blood To The Head - which was released on 26 August 2002 - things simply felt different knowing they would be headlining their first Glastonbury that year.

Chris also recalled recording himself saying 'Hello Glastonbury' in demos for the LP.

Since then, it has been an endless love story between the band and the legendary annual event - who owned the Pyramid stage again in 2002, 2005, 2011 and 2016 and will do again this weekend. 

Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland and Will Champion pictured back in 1999

The songwriter and lead singer confirmed the Glastonbury experience was a game-changer (pictured performing at Glastonbury in 2011)

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Chris explained even when the festival is not on, he stays at the family's Somerset farm and remains close with all of the Eavis gang. 

The frontman admitted that it still feels to him as a 'centring place for what we stand for', calling it a 'natural home'.

He said: 'Maybe that’s because of the land and that’s where I grew up around. That’s the idea of this Pyramid that’s also really connected to the earth. It’s the meeting of these two worlds which I love.'

Father-of-two Chris explained sometimes he climbs up the Pyramid and for inspiration just 'sits up there to think'.

After all this year, the leading singer hasn't lost a bit of his excitement and said something about that land and its vibe is 'magical', praising the festival for being something so 'eclectic' and 'for everybody'.

Coldplay: Our Glastonbury is on BBC iPlayer. 

The band will make history again performing at Glastonbury on Saturday night, after owning that very stage previously in 2002, 2005, 2011 and 2016 (pictured on tour in 2023)