Martin calls new Coldplay song "genius"

Never one to feign modesty, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has said his band has recorded a song that is "basically genius" for its forthcoming album, expected to stores later this year. In an appearance before Coldplay's final show of a Latin American tour that took them to Chile, Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico, Martin said the band plans to return to the studio after a two-year hiatus to record an album that will have a different sound from X&Y, which has sold more than 2 million copies since it was released in 2005.

"I think for a long time people felt like we were a band in black-and-white, and now we feel like because we have this incredible job, now we can do whatever we like and try all kinds of new things," Martin said. "In order for us to get excited about a new album, we have to have one song that we feel like everybody has to hear...before we die, otherwise we'll be terribly depressed. So luckily with this new record we're going to make, we have that one song. I can't tell you about it, but it's basically genius."

Kanye orders $3,900 meal

Kanye West has some expensive tastes. The Chicago producer/rapper is set to eat a $3,900 meal later this week, as a feast of onion bhajees, chapati breads, biryanis, pappadums, a specially prepared fish dish and vegetables on the side is being delivered from Wales to a NYC meeting West is having with a music promotion company. The meal is coming from the British Raj in Cardiff, Wales, which is sending its head chef Kaysor Ahmed via helicopter and airplane to NYC to accompany and monitor the food. The $3,900 check was arrived upon by estimating the restaurant's takings for two evenings, the time Ahmed will be away, the restaurant's head waiter, Tarik Mohammed, told the Associated Press.

The company had previously ordered food from the restaurant near Cardiff, Wales, for an aftershow party for a Snoop Dogg concert in London. "I was horrified when I heard about this request because of the distance involved," Mohammed said. "It's a long way, and our reputation is on the line. We are doing every thing to make sure the food gets there safely and every thing is aboveboard." The meal will be prepared, cooled, shrink-wrapped, and packed in dry ice in the British Raj's kitchens before being sent off with Ahmed, who will bring it in time for the meeting on Wednesday in Manhattan.

Foxy Brown accused of dine and dash

Having sullied her reputation among hair salons and beauty supply stores in recent years, Foxy Brown has apparently moved on to restaurants. Brooklyn eatery Junior's Restaurant, famed for having the best cheesecake in NYC, has accused the embattled rapper of doing the dine and dash one too many times and has banned her from its premises. "She comes to Junior's be cause she likes the food, but she doesn't want to pay for it!" Junior's owner Alan Rosen told the New York Post yesterday. Rosen said that on Friday night Brown walked out on a $53 bill before one of her entourage came back and offered to pay--but managers said, "Look, don't pay for it, just don't come back."

The ban stemmed from the fact that Brown also allegedly skipped out on a $200 bill on Tuesday, and another bill the week before. But Brown is also not welcome at Junior's because even when she pays, she is rarely polite. Manager Hasting Strainrod told the paper that when Brown sat to eat Friday with a party of five, she was instantly belligerent. After ordering fried calamari and an ice cream soda, Brown spilled the drink on herself, then allegedly demanded the restaurant pay to clean her "$2,000 Dolce & Gabbana jacket. She said, 'Get this guy to clean it up, clean it up immediately!'" said Stainrod. "The manager told her to take it easy, relax, she started to curse him out, she said 'F*** you.' I don't know, I think she needs therapy. She's been coming in for years, and it's always a little drama."

Timbaland to host Hillary Clinton fundraiser

Riding the huge success of the Justin Timberlake album he produced and with a solo album on the way, Timbaland is dipping his toes into the political arena. The New York Post reported this week that Timbaland will host a swank Miami fund-raiser for Hillary Rodham Clinton on March 31, the last day of the first-quarter fund-raising period for presidential candidates. Timbaland--real name--Timothy Mosley will host the event, which is charging $1,000 a plate and will also feature an appearance by former President Bill Clinton. Hillary Clinton and Democratic rival Barack Obama have been battling in recent weeks to secure high-profile support from members of the entertainment industry, particularly Hollywood moguls.

30 Seconds frontman injured at show

30 Seconds to Mars singer Jared Leto sustained a broken nose and other injuries during his band's performance at the Taste of Chaos tour stop in El Paso, Texas, last weekend. According to a spokesperson for the band's record label, Leto was injured when he ran into the crowd during "The Kill" and thousands of fans overpowered security and rushed toward him on the floor of County Coliseum. Along with his nose, which was unintentionally broken, Leto suffered a foot injury and superficial injuries to his face and body. Leto finished the show and even declared it one of the best of the tour, but eventually checked into a hospital to ensure that none of his injuries would require surgery. No fans were seriously injured in the melee, the band's spokesperson said.