Q 01/05

Where did Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland meet during freshers' week in 1996?

A) University College London

B) Trinity College, Oxford

C) University of Manchester

D) King's College London

Answer · why

A) University College London

They met in their first week and were still cramming for finals there days after signing their record deal in 1999.

Q 02/05

Under what name did the band play their first live show in January 1998?

A) Pectoralz

B) Starfish

C) The Nappies

D) Big Fat Noises

Answer · why

B) Starfish

The gig was at the Laurel Tree in Camden; Big Fat Noises had been the name on their earliest drummer-less demos.

Q 03/05

How did Will Champion end up behind the kit?

A) He filled in when his roommate failed to turn up

B) He answered a small ad in the NME

C) He was Chris Martin's schoolfriend from Exeter

D) He won a college battle of the bands

Answer · why

A) He filled in when his roommate failed to turn up

The others had come to his house to recruit the roommate, who never arrived, so Champion sat down at the kit instead.

Q 04/05

What was the title of the band's self-financed debut EP in 1998?

A) Shelter

B) Brothers & Sisters

C) The Blue Room

D) Safety

Answer · why

D) Safety

Only 150 of the 500 copies went on open sale; the first was sold to a roommate for £3 and the rest went to record labels.

Q 05/05

Which early manager and friend of the singer was later credited as a full band member?

A) Phil Harvey

B) Dave Holmes

C) Ken Nelson

D) Tim Rice-Oxley

Answer · why

A) Phil Harvey

He dropped out of Oxford to manage them, quit under the pressure in 2002, and returned as creative director in 2005.