(MUSE) MTV Lowlands Festival 2000 Interview
(Interview is with MATTHEW and DOMINIC)
Q: We've got Muse playing live. Has any weird stuff happened to you playing live? Do you get weird stuff thrown up on the stage? Do fans do weird things?
MATTHEW: Roses seem to be a thing in England. For some reason, we seem to get a lot of roses thrown. I don't know why...
DOMINIC: A pair of knickers here and there in the UK
Q: That's useful...
DOMINIC: Coins in Italy
MATTHEW: The best thing I ever got was a pair of pink fluffy handcuffs thrown at me at a gig in London, that was erm, the most useful item I've ever had thrown at me...
Q: Right, we are going to have a look at "Unintended" now. Now, I understand that came about in a certain way in the studio?
MATTHEW: Yeah, yeah that's right...that song...that's one of the songs, I think it is that song and "Hate This and I'll Love You" and "Sunburn" were songs that where made up in the studio. And that song was maybe the first experience I've had from like being away from family, friends, you know like for a long time. That sort of feeling of you know like, the first major feeling of being alone with yourself, you know. And alone with the music, you know? And I think that song sort of represents that feeling.
Q: And the video for this one...now, this is a nice video?
MATTHEW: Yeah it is you are right, it's got this sort of weird technique of people like sort of blurring and stretching into each other, and it sort of filmed everyone in this slow moving camera that when you played it back it made everyone look like they were melting which is quite a nice image, I think.
Q: Yeah, I heard Howard Greenhalgh who did it, had this idea since his student phase. So was he really passionate working on the video, because it seemed like what he really wanted to do. Was he passionate?
MATTHEW: Yeah, yeah, well its the technique that he really wanted to see in the video, he's never seem it before, so he wanted to try it out for the first time.
Q: Cool, let's have a look, "Unintended".
(Video plays)
Q: You've got a lot of different record companies in different countries, how has that worked out? Is that good?
DOMINIC: Yeah, it's good 'cos you know, each company sort of knows what is going on in their own country. So you know also we get a chance to travel to all these countries. A very small stage where a lot of bands only get to get out of their own countries once they are big, you know in other countries for example. So I mean we've got around, and moved all around the world.
MATTHEW: It's nice because we've sort of got a good relationship with everyone. We sort of know them all, and most of the labels are like independent type labels, you know like in their countries, even Maverick which are like massive. They are like an independent label in the states, so we are not really attached to any of the big monsters, you know, which is a nice bit of freedom to have.
Q: So how has it been recording your debut album? I mean obviously a dream a lot of people have. How has it been? Have you thought it would be different, better, worse?
MATTHEW: For me the one thing I've always wanted to do more than make an album, is get the chance to travel and play live, you know? Because I love playing live, and that's the thing I'm...you know I really want to become a better performer live and everything like that, and I think that...so yeah...it's been great. It's been up and down you know. It's been a brilliant live experience so far, and I just want to take it further.
Q: So what about all the downsides? The rubbish TV interviews, and all the stuff you have to do? I heard you quoted someone that if there was three wishes you could have, it would be to reach people without using media. Is it a hassle to do all the interviews and stuff?
MATTHEW: When did I say that?
Q: I don't know. Misquoted again?
MATTHEW: No, no, no...TV's good. Honestly, don't get me wrong. I was more referring to the press I think, because in England, the press in particular they love to like you know take your words and make them out to be something different you know.
Q: Wait we edit this?
MATTHEW: I think the internet could be a good thing in the future I think, once you know it's up and running more smoothly than it is now.
Q: You've been misquoted a couple of times, like about your hometown* and stuff? What happened there?
DOMINIC: Um, I don't know. We did get something in the local paper. The mayor like putting our CD in the bin. On the front page, going "We hate Muse".
MATTHEW: There was one even worse than that recently. On the front page there was a big thing...I did an interview with NME, talking about what my worst villain is. I said the worst villain is like a bent copper, you know like a policeman who is dodgy, and there was a big thing saying "Outrageous allegations against the local police force", and like the local police force want to question me about whether I know information about dodgy policemen and stuff. It's like they take it all way too seriously down there I think.
Q: What is the three worst questions, or the worst questions you ever got in an interview?
MATTHEW: The worst question? "What colour are your socks" maybe? That's a good question.
DOMINIC: Why do you get socks on the rider?
Q: I'll scrap that from my list then, I won't ask that.
(SUNBURN plays)
Q: So the future of Muse? World domination?
MATTHEW: After these shows we are going to go into the studio to start recording with Dave Botterill on the new album, he produced Deus and Tool. So we are going to do some stuff with him. In October, we are going to tour Australia and Japan, it's going to be our first time ever there, we are doing a full tour. And November, December we are going to go in the studio with John Leckie and finish off the whole album which will be mixed by Andy Wallace or something, so hopefully we will get it out..
DOMINIC (quietly): Or something...
MATTHEW: Yeah, something like that. There will be a new single January/February time, and hopefully the album will be out April/May. Hopefully it is going to be like a worldwide release, because last time it was quite scattered around, do you know what I mean? So yeah.
Q: Are you ever going to write songs about being on tour and stuff?
MATTHEW: No.
Q: Good. Do you not find it hard to write songs now?
MATTHEW: No, no, because I have written them all already, and they are way better than those on that album.
Q: Do you feel as if it is hard though, because you don't really live a normal life to write music that relates to people who live a normal lives because you are out on tour. Do you find it hard, or do you just...
MATTHEW: I tend to just sing about emotions and feelings, and just try and put those feelings into words, rather than just be directly autobiographical, you know what I mean? I try and be a bit more sort of...vague...in lyrics, so just talking about emotions really.
Q: Do you think at some point you are going to need like a proper break, because you have, you know it's going to be pretty full on to go out with a new album right away?
MATTHEW: Yeah. I'll definitely take a break at some point, yeah.
DOMINIC: Who knows when it's going to be.
MATTHEW: In the next year, maybe. But I am still enjoying it right now, so you know
Q: Good thing, good thing. Right now, video of your choice to end the show?
DOMIC: Okay, we will choose Deftones, "Change"
Q: Label mates...you are fans, yeah?
MATTHEW: Absolutely, yeah
DOMINIC: We have seen them recently a couple of times. They rock very hard.
Q: Cool, lets have a look, thanks a lot for talking to us, and good look for the future.
Notes
Hometown quote: Basically comments about the issues with drugs affecting their hometown were taken out of context.
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