Coldplay frontman Chris Martin was so desperate to use a riff by German rockers KRAFTWERK - he wrote them a pleading letter in childish German.

The YELLOW singer recently admitted he was hooked on the electronic band's melodies, and that his new single TALK includes a Kraftwerk sample.

But he was only able to obtain the riff by writing to frontman RALF HUTTER and begging him to let Coldplay use it.

He admits, "The only thing I could think of was the pen pal letters I learnt in German lessons at school. I had no idea if they knew who Coldplay were so had to explain myself like a 15 year-old school-boy.

"Dear Ralf, I sing in a band called Coldplay, blah, blah. I drew a little picture. Everyone says it's extraordinary that they said yes.'