Disabled drummer gets biggest gig of his life as he joins Coldplay at Games finale

 
Roxi DLite
Miranda Bryant10 September 2012

Disabled performer Mat Fraser is set to play the biggest gig of his life after being spotted by Coldplay in the Paralympics opening ceremony.

The drummer and actor will join the global superstars on stage for the Games finale following his performance of the Ian Dury classic Spasticus Autistic with the Graeae theatre company.

Fraser, 50, who was born with short arms after his mother took the drug thalidomide during pregnancy, flew to Cologne with Chris Martin and the rest of the band on a private jet this week so they could discuss working together.

“I think they thought it might be a good idea for me to see them play a stadium. I was impressed by the superstar lifestyle. I was picked up by a car and went through private security and sat in a very plush leather seat on a private jet and then the lead singer came and sat next to me. But they were not super-starry,” he said.

“It’s wholly proper that there should be disabled representation at a professional level in the show but it’s really awesome that one of the special guests of the biggest band in the world is a disabled musician. They’re taking a huge risk having anyone unknown play with them, regardless of disability. I’m super-pleased.”

Chris Martin and the others had been “really thoughtful” and promised not to introduce him as “brave and special”, he said.

“If people find me inspirational that’s great, but don’t talk about it. That’s icky,” Fraser said, adding: “The other two special guests are so famous it’s ridiculous.”

It had already been “phenomenal” to be part of the Paralympics opening where he ended up celebrating backstage afterwards with Sir Ian McKellen. “He’s such a party dude. I hope I will be like him when I’m in my seventies.”

But he hopes the exposure at the closing will provide a giant boost to his career and bring new audiences to see his next show - an adults-only cabaret striptease spectacular, called The Freak and the Showgirl, at Wonderground at the Southbank Centre, on Thursday.

Fraser, who lives in Lambeth North, said the Paralympics and the Cultural Olympiad - which includes an entire festival of disabled artists - had been very positive. But the real test would be whether stages remain open to disabled performers.

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