An unreleased demo recording of a song that Coldplay's Chris Martin reportedly intended for the 1999 James Bond film The World Is Not Enough is heading to auction, along with other rare recordings from the band's earliest days. The auction, conducted by Wax Poetics, features an archive of tapes produced by Chris Allison, who worked with the band before their second EP The Blue Room was released in October 1999.
The Lost Bond Demo
The track, titled The World Is Not Enough, is presented as a single recording on a cassette tape, featuring Martin singing with acoustic guitar accompaniment. It has never been publicly released, and it remains unclear whether the demo was ever formally submitted for the Pierce Brosnan-starring film. The official theme song for the movie, also named The World Is Not Enough, was performed by Garbage.
Coldplay have previously acknowledged their admiration for James Bond music. In response to a fan question on their website, the band noted that the song Spies from their 2000 debut album Parachutes was influenced by Bond composer John Barry, and that a Bond film was in development at the time—referring to The World Is Not Enough.
Formative Recordings
The auction includes original master tapes recorded for The Blue Room, Coldplay's first release under Parlophone, which they signed with in April 1999 while studying at University College London. Their self-released debut EP Safety had come out the previous year.
The tapes are described in the auction listing as “one of the most significant and direct surviving documents of Coldplay’s formative years.” They feature unheard alternate versions of three tracks that later appeared on Parachutes: Spies, We Never Change, and Shiver, as well as an alternate version of Bigger Stronger from The Blue Room.
Earlier Demos and Live Recordings
Other lots include a cassette simply marked Coldplay Tracks, containing recordings of nine songs, including rehearsals of Shiver and We Never Change, as well as a previously unheard track intriguingly titled Ode to Deodorant. A cassette titled Coldplay: 5 Tracks features other developmental recordings from their early catalogue, and another includes live recordings from an early gig in Chester. Allison is also selling rare promo versions of The Blue Room on CD and vinyl.
Beyond Coldplay
The auction also includes material from other acts produced by Allison, such as the Beta Band. Tapes and other formats documenting the recording of their early EPs The Patty Patty Sound and Los Amigos del Beta Bandidos, as well as their self-titled debut album and frontman Steve Mason’s solo project King Biscuit Time, are up for sale. Additionally, there is a wealth of material from the early years of the Wedding Present, including archival recordings for their 1987 debut album George Best, the 1988 EP Ukrainian John Peel Sessions, and their 1989 second album Bizarro.
Allison is donating a portion of the auction proceeds to Restore the Music, a music education initiative.
