Coldplay are still as “passionate” as when they started out.

The ‘Paradise’ hitmakers – Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Will Champion and Jonny Buckland – are now “more focused” on putting “intensity and power” into their tracks, but have not lost any enthusiasm over the years.

An entry on the band’s Roadie42 blog said: “I don’t really see any change to their intent. The music they play now is no less passionate than when I met them. If anything, I’d say they’re more focused on their intensity and power.

“They’re a different band in many ways, but they’re still carrying the very same flag. They’re still making passionate music.”

The band conveyed their enthusiasm during a performance on TV talent show ‘The X Factor’ on Sunday (11.12.11), but the crew member admitted playing the show was a “risk” due to the number of people in the music industry who dislike the programme.

The roadie added: “The downsides are obvious. It now becomes effortless for the cool kids to lay out their case against the band. For some, the ‘X Factor’ is the devil. It is regularly painted as the source of all evil in the current music industry.

“It had struck me that in many ways, f***ing up tonight could be more of a big deal than if Glastonbury had gone wrong. The TV audience is much larger and indeed is not at all Coldplay’s crowd – many would be watching hoping to be able to hate them.

“All of this was making me uneasy – it was a pressure gig, for sure. It put me in a frame of mind that really began to question whether this was a good idea at all.

“Now, I’m as cynical and sarcastic as the next person but I couldn’t help but be proud of them. They haven’t just got away with it – merely turning in a decent performance at a controversial choice of show. They’ve taken a risk and then they’ve absolutely ‘smashed it’.”