Guy Berryman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Guy Berryman
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Berryman performing with Coldplay in 2023
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| Born |
Guy Rupert Berryman
12 April 1978 |
| Education | University College London (dropped out) |
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| Years active | 1997–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Joanna Briston
(m. 2004; div. 2007) |
| Partner(s) | Keshia Gerrits (2012–present) |
| Children | 3 |
| Awards | Full list |
| Musical career | |
| Origin | London, England |
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Guy Rupert Berryman (born on April 12, 1978) is a talented Scottish musician, songwriter, and designer. He is most famous as the bassist for the rock band Coldplay. He is also part of the electronic supergroup Apparatjik. Guy grew up in Kirkcaldy, Scotland. He started playing bass guitar when he was young. He was inspired by artists like James Brown and Kool & the Gang. Besides music, Guy is involved in The Road Rat magazine and a fashion brand called Applied Art Forms.
Guy Berryman joined Coldplay with Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, and Will Champion. They all met at University College London. He was studying mechanical engineering but later left to focus on music. Coldplay signed with Parlophone in 1999. They became globally famous after their album Parachutes came out in 2000. As a member of Coldplay, Guy has won seven Grammy Awards and nine Brit Awards. Coldplay has sold over 160 million records worldwide. This makes them one of the most successful groups of the 21st century.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Growing Up in Scotland
Guy Rupert Berryman was born in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland, on April 12, 1978. He is the youngest son of Rupert Berryman, an engineer, and Elizabeth. His mother's family were merchants and factory owners. Guy grew up near Beveridge Park. He remembers his childhood as a time of "huge freedom." He would go out with friends and explore places like the Raith Estate and nearby woods.
Discovering Music and Hobbies
From a young age, Guy loved watches. He would explore his father's watch collection, even though it was supposed to be off-limits. A big moment for him was hearing Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie Amour" (1969). He said this song made him want to become a bass player. He felt a personal connection to music for the first time. Since then, he has been a huge fan of soul and Motown.
When Guy was about 12, his family moved to Kent. This was because his father was a project manager for the Channel Tunnel. Around this time, Guy started playing the bass guitar. At Edinburgh Academy, he played drums and trumpet in the school band. He later formed his own group called Time Out. He continued his education at Kent College in Canterbury. After that, he went to University College London to study mechanical engineering. There, he met Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, and Will Champion, and they formed Coldplay.
Music Career
Joining Coldplay
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Guy Berryman was the third member to join Coldplay in 1997. A college friend described him as a quiet person. He had many musical instruments. Chris Martin initially thought Guy seemed moody, but later said he was "soft-spoken." Guy, Chris, and Jonny practiced together. They recorded a demo even without a drummer. They called themselves Big Fat Noises. Will Champion joined in 1998, completing the band.
Guy later left his engineering studies. He started an architecture program but then left that too. He wanted to focus completely on his music career. He even worked as a bartender to pay his rent.
Coldplay's Creative Process
The band's album X&Y (2005) was a challenging time for them. They had many arguments, especially between Guy and Chris Martin. Guy has a critical eye for songs. If he doesn't like a song, the band usually won't play it again. However, Guy has also started many songs on his own. For example, he started "Magic." This song became the main single for their sixth album, Ghost Stories, in 2014.
Apparatjik: A Supergroup
In 2008, Guy formed a supergroup called Apparatjik. He joined with Magne Furuholmen from a-ha, Jonas Bjerre from Mew, and Martin Terefe. Their first song, "Ferreting," was used for the TV show Amazon. It was also on the Songs for Survival album. The money from this was given to Survival International.
In 2010, Apparatjik released their album We Are Here online. They also performed at the CTM Festival. In 2011, they played at the Neue Nationalgalerie. They also launched Apparatjik World, an iPad app. Fans could help them create new songs through the app. This project later became their second album, Square Peg in a Round Hole (2012). In 2020, they released "Julia" on their YouTube channel.
Other Ventures and Hobbies
Business and Fashion
In 2019, Guy Berryman started The Road Rat magazine with two friends. This magazine celebrates classic cars. Each issue is designed to be "timeless." Guy works as the creative director for the magazine.
The next year, in 2020, he launched Applied Art Forms. This is a fashion brand inspired by practical, workwear, and military clothing. Guy set up the company's main office in Amsterdam. He handles the styling and creative direction. He focuses on making clothes that last a long time. He even takes a sewing machine with him when touring with Coldplay to create new designs.
Also in 2020, Guy helped launch Bodyhero, a plant-based protein food company. In 2022, he donated some of his personal clothing collection to Marrkt. The money raised went to Save the Children. In 2023, Applied Art Forms started making unisex clothing. They also sold special wireless headphones with Master & Dynamic. They worked with Hannah Martin to create a jewelry collection. This collection was inspired by industrial and punk styles.
Other Creative Projects
Guy Berryman has worked on other music projects too. He played bass on Magne Furuholmen's albums Past Perfect Future Tense (2004) and A Dot of Black in the Blue of Your Bliss (2008). In 2007, he wrote and co-wrote songs for the movie The Longest Night in Shanghai.
Photography is a big hobby for Guy. He took backstage photos of his bandmates during the Twisted Logic Tour (2005–2007). He even gave these photos to fans. He also provided pictures for the booklet of a-ha's album Foot of the Mountain (2009).
With Rik Simpson, Guy formed a producing team called The Darktones. They produced music for The Pierces, including Love You More (2010) and You&I (2011). Guy played many instruments on these albums, like guitar, glockenspiel, and keyboards. He also produced albums for James Levy & the Blood Red Rose and Hudson Hank. Recently, he created a photo diary of the Music of the Spheres World Tour (2022–2025) for NME magazine. Some of his photos were included in the tour's official book.
Musical Style and Gear
Guy Berryman is known for his "slick" and "relaxed" bass sound. He often uses different models of the Fender Precision Bass. These include the Squier, Mustang, Jazz, and Jaguar. The Jaguar bass was used for recording Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008).
His first main bass after joining Coldplay was a Rickenbacker 4001. You can see it in the music video for "Shiver." In 2003, his equipment included two Ampeg SVT amplifiers and several speaker cabinets. He also used a Tone Bender pedal for distortion. In 2012, he bought a custom-made Hiwatt bass rig. This included a powerful 200-watt amp head and a special speaker cabinet.
When asked about his favorite music, Guy said he couldn't live without the Beatles or Motown. He also mentioned James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Kool & the Gang, and the Funk Brothers as inspirations.
Personal Life
As of May 2022, Guy Berryman's wealth is estimated to be around £113 million. He supports the football team Raith Rovers. He also enjoys photography, fashion, and electronic gadgets.
In 2004, after six years of dating, he married interior designer Joanna Briston. They divorced three years later but remained close friends to raise their daughter. Guy then moved to the Cotswolds. There, he built a workshop to repair his collection of cars. In 2014, he got engaged to Dutch model Keshia Gerrits. They moved to Amsterdam in early 2024. Guy has two children with Keshia.
Before restoring cars, Guy took flying lessons. He wanted to fix up old planes like a Spitfire and a Tiger Moth. However, he eventually got bored with aircraft. He also collects synthesizers, cameras, and watches. He says he tries to control his collecting habit because he wants to collect everything. He is also the founder of Dawghaus, an online catalog that showcases great designs. Guy is the only member of Coldplay who has a personal social media account.
Discography
With Coldplay
With Apparatjik
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Solo Credits
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See also
In Spanish: Guy Berryman para niños
- List of people associated with University College London
- List of British Grammy winners and nominees
- List of best-selling music artists
- List of highest-grossing live music artists
- List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
