(MUSE) Out of this world

Irish Independent 

Friday, 30th June 2006 

They tell Eamon Sweeny about alien invasions and why the government wants us all to watch Big Brother. 

Muse are possibly the most preposterous band on the planet. Since the early 1990s they've been single-handedly patenting bizarre and bewildering blend of operatic sci-fi pomp rock that makes Queen look subtle. 

  Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard first met at school in the small town of Teignmouth in Devon. They wisely settled on the name Muse after various unsuccessful incarnations as Gothic Plague, Carnage Mayhem, Fixed Penalty and Rocket Baby Dolls.

  Since these humble origins, they've conquered the world of album sales already in millions, making them one of the biggest British cult acts of their day. But at times, they've been rather hard to take seriously, singing about asteroids and aliens in a melodramatic falsetto and spouting all sorts of crackpot conspiracy theories to the media. 

  En route to interviewing the band in London, I pick up a copy of an English daily newspaper featuring the first interview of the band's current campaign for their fourth album, Black Holes and Revelations. "If you're in the office with music on in the background and we come on, we probably sound pretty silly," confesses singer Matt Bellamy. "But, if you're listening on a plane going through turbulence, it would sound completely different."

  At that precise moment, the plane suddenly shudders as I'm listening to a new Muse track called Supermassive Black Hole, while trying not to spill my coffee all over the cabin. I'm beginning to suspect that Matt may even have meticulously planned this little stunt for my own benefit and bemusement. 

  On arrival in London, I make my way to an upmarket hotel in Soho for an arranged rendezvous with the eccentric threesome. I'm told at reception that they'll meet me in room 101; the very same infamous room number that was immortalised in George Orwell's 1984. By this stage, I'm convinced that they're having a laugh. 

  "No, the room number is nothing to do with me," laughs Muse's conspiracy theorist in chief Matt Bellamy. "But I'd be the first to admit that we do have a ridiculous side. Sometimes we push the fantastical elements of our songs to the point where they're like sci-fi films. Our songs can be very serious, but if we pushed them any further they'd end up being completely comical!" 

  Matt admits to being drawn to conspiracy theories and the paranormal in general. "But I don't listen to everything I hear," he counters. "Some of that stuff is very far fetched to say the least. That whole world can be the start of a slippery slope. Once you begin to read that stuff, it starts to take over a bit. I'd say I'm more into the aspects that promote alternate thinking."

  While Matt may be showing a healthy disregard for some of the crazier concepts that have informed his songwriting over the years, he still waxes lyrical with a slightly more paranoid take on life in the 21st century than the worldview of the average rock star. 

  "It is very clear to me that governments are using this so-called war on terror to increase martial law and control the population," he begins. "I think that this is happening all around us and TV and entertainment have been assigned designated roles as a means of distraction.

  "There is plenty of evidence out there of the development of a global government. It'll start with a simple ID card, but eventually there will be some kind of chip that is physically inserted into us.

  "The media is being used to familiarise people with surveillance methods. Look at Big Brother - it is making us comfortable with the idea of being constantly looked at. Before long, we will all just accept it as the norm."

Just as I'm beginning to wonder whether anybody is eavesdropping on our conversation, I wisely decide to just get on with the interview. 

  One track on Blackholes and Revelations is entitled Exo-Politics, which talks about the possibility of an orchestrated alien invasion of earth. "I was reading about a Canadian defence minister who made a speech about how the Americans were building space weapons, but no one really knows why," Matt helpfully explains. "Is it because there have been aliens visiting? Or is it something even more sinister and crazy? Could they be orchestrating some kind of intergalactic space war?"

  "Apart from the obvious wars we see on TV, there are all sorts of other ones - weather control and modification, natural resources, all that kind of stuff. It's all going on behind the scenes. There are satellites orbiting in space that control our economic systems. They could easily be taken out with very little effort."

  I tell Matt that some people think that this alien invasion has already begun. Recently, reggae legend Lee 'Scratch' Perry said that he believes aliens were involved in the 9/11 attacks. "Wow, that's really heavy," he replies, not looking or sounding like a person ready to dismiss this theory out of hand.

  Unsurprisingly, Muse fans have a reputation for being a rather obsessive bunch. "Usually, there is always a bunch of people hanging around outside the tour bus, but they tend to be very friendly and respectful," Matt says. "It's only when they start knocking on your door and ringing up your house it gets a bit annoying.

  "I recently moved to Italy with my girlfriend, but I forgot to make myself ex-directory. Now, I keep on getting phonecalls and letters. I'm told that my contact details are on the internet, which is rather scary. I'm not sure if I like that side of it. I don't mind it on tour. In fact, I love meeting people who enjoy the music."

  "It seems like we've always inspired extreme reactions to our music," reflects drummer Dominic. "There doesn't seen to be a middle ground. People either love out music obsessively - or hate us with a passion. But we like that, because at least, we inspire something - even if you hate us!"

  Love 'em or loathe 'em, it can't be denied that Muse are a highly successful operation. Their debut album Showbiz, shifted a very impressive 500,000 copies. Its follow-up, Origin of Symmetry, doubled this tally and hit a million. A 2003 release Absolution, yet again doubled the previous figure and sold two million.

  I know no artist wants to reduce their creativity to commerce, but surely somebody in the Warner Music corporation must be rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of Muse yet again increasing their sales figures? 

  "We try not to think too much about those kind of statistics," laughs the ultra-affable bassist Chris. "Every album had done better than the one before, which is good. We've never blown up too quickly, which is nice. When it happens slowly and gradually, it's more likely to stay with you.

  "There are so many examples of bands that went huge after their first album, or even their first single. Not many of those bands maintain it for too long and any slight dip can be deemed to be a massive failure. We've never been blown out of proportion, either live or in sales figures, which means we are in a much more stable situation."

  Conspiracy theories aside, Muse are clearly a level-headed bunch of fellows. They're also a much more polite and mannerly outfit than the usual shower of tousled poseurs that managed to hit it big.

  "You never know how long it's going to last with a band," Chris concludes, "Sure it could all be over in a couple of weeks when the album comes out! You just never know. You've got to grab it when you can and we all still enjoy music and going out on tour. If we reach a stage where we just don't enjoy it anymore, than maybe we'll stop. The band won't last forever."