Pitchfork

Photo by Kathryn Yu

Just before hitting the road again for their current European tour, Coldplay stopped by BBC Radio's "6 Music" for a sit-down in which they revealed their next studio projects.

The chat was with "6 Music" host Steve Lamacq and, for some reason, R.E.M. frontman and friend of Coldplay Michael Stipe.

When Stipe asked Coldplay frontman Chris Martin about rumors of a new Coldplay record coming out this year, Martin said, "We're going to put an EP out at Christmas called Prospects March, and we're going to release an album next December."

Martin asked Coldplay drummer Will Champion, "Is it [the EP] called Prospects Songs or Prospects March?" before asking Stipe his preference. Stipe preferred the latter, and the band concurred.

According to a Rock & Roll Daily report, the tentatively titled EP will feature leftovers from Coldplay's sessions with Brian Eno for Viva la Vida. One of the songs expected to appear on the EP is "Luna", the collaboration with Kylie Minogue that the band originally deemed too "sexy." Martin told "6 Music" that the EP will come out on December 26 or "something like that."

Martin followed the news about the EP with the announcement that Coldplay's fifth studio album will be ready "by November 2009 to end the decade." After that record comes out, Martin said the band might lay low for a while: "And then we're gonna be 'Whooosh!' 'Where've they gone?' Just like Keyser Söze."

Coldplay:

09-06 Barcelona, Spain - Palau St. Jordi *
09-07 Madrid, Spain - Palacio de Deportes *
09-09 Paris, France - The Bercy *
09-10 Paris, France - The Bercy *
09-12 Cologne, Germany - Koln Arena *
09-14 Hamburg, Germany - Colorline Arena *
09-15 Berlin, Germany - O2 World *
09-17 Stockholm, Sweden - Globe Theatre *
09-18 Stockholm, Sweden - Globe Theatre *
09-19 Oslo, Norway - Spektrum *
09-22 Prague, Czech Republic - O2 Arena *
09-23 Budapest, Hungary - Arena *
09-24 Vienna, Austria - Stadthalle *
09-26 Munich, Germany - Olympiahalle *
09-28 Zurich, Switzerland - Hallenstadion *
09-29 Bologna, Italy - Palamagotti *
09-30 Milan, Italy - Datchforum *
10-02 Rotterdam, Netherlands - The Ahoy *
10-03 Rotterdam, Netherlands - The Ahoy *
10-04 Antwerp, Belgium - Sportpalais *
10-20 Ottawa, Ontario - Scotiabank Place
10-21 Cleveland, OH - Quicken Loans Arena !
10-26 East Rutherford, NJ - Izod Center !
10-27 East Rutherford, NJ - Izod Center !
10-29 Boston, MA - TD Banknorth Gardens !
10-31 Washington, DC - Verizon Center !
11-01 Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Center !
11-03 Detroit, MI - The Palace of Auburn Hills
11-05 Atlanta, GA - Phillips Arena
11-07 Orlando, FL - Amway Arena
11-09 Sunrise, FL - Bank Atlantic Center
11-11 Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena
11-13 Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center
11-14 St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center
11-16 Oklahoma City, OK - Ford Center
11-18 Houston, TX - Toyota Center
11-19 Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
11-21 Denver, CO - Pepsi Center Arena
11-22 Salt Lake City, UT - Energy Solutions Arena
11-26 Phoenix, AZ - Jobing.com Arena
12-01 Birmingham, England - NIA
12-02 Birmingham, England - NIA
12-03 Birmingham, England - NIA
12-05 Glasgow, Scotland - SECC
12-06 Glasgow, Scotland - SECC
12-07 Sheffield, England - Sheffield Arena
12-10 Liverpool, England - Echo Arena
12-11 Manchester, England - MEN Arena
12-12 Manchester, England - MEN Arena
12-14 London, England - O2 Arena
12-15 London, England - O2 Arena
12-16 London, England - O2 Arena
12-18 Belfast, Northern Ireland - Odyssey Arena
12-19 Belfast, Northern Ireland - Odyssey Arena
12-21 Dublin, Ireland - The O2

* with Albert Hammond, Jr.
! with Duffy