A couple of years ago Paul McCartney lashed out at EMI, complaining that the record company had become boring, comparing himself to a couch, and Coldplay to an armchair. Since leaving the label Sir Paul has lightened his mood and even handed out some compliments, calling Coldplay a “good little band.”

That seemingly miniscule statement might have been taken the wrong way if it was anyone but McCartney speaking. However, Paul once described another band in the same terms, and that band was the Beatles.

The compliment has to come as a huge sigh of relief to Chris Martin, especially after the group appeared on the red carpet of the Grammy Awards in Sgt. Pepper knockoffs this last February. Though, it must be noted that Coldplay’s album Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends came away with the Best Rock Album Grammy and just missed winning the Album of the Year award while Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band won the Album of the Year.

In an interview with the San Antonia Express-News’ Hector Saldana Martin expressed gratitude for the comment. Martin and seemingly the entire group have remained mesmerized by their own fame. Martin mentioned in the same interview how he was blown away by a recent Bruce Springsteen concert and noted that Jay-Z’s ability to carry himself as an artist has made him one of Martin’s musical heroes.

It has not occurred to Martin, at least publicly, that he and his “good little band” are a big deal, a big enough deal to get Jay-Z to fly out to England to perform with them during there last few concerts on the Viva la Vida tour.